Two-time Super Bowl Winner Carl Banks Discusses Evolution of Starter and Super Bowl Predictions
This Superbowl, the iconic sports apparel brand Starter, is bringing fans a bevy of exciting experiences with high-energy touchpoints for athletes, creators, and fans alike in the heart of San Francisco, live from the Starter x NFL Shop right in the heart of SF in Union Square.
Identify LA got the opportunity to speak with two time Super Bowl winner Carl Banks, President of G-III Sports who holds the license for Starter to speak to Starter’s dynamic activations and Super Bowl predictions and more. Plus, get a glimpse at the iconic activation Starter is leading ahead of the Super Bowl!
Identify LA: How will this Starter activation differ from previous activations? Is there anything here you're most looking forward to?
Carl Banks: This year we are bringing to life Starter Lab, an in-store customization experience that allows guests to step into the role of designer. Visitors can create one-of-one Starter products by selecting their favorite Starter pieces and customizing them, an experience exclusive to our Starter NFL Pop Up during Super Bowl week. We also have an exclusive collection with Avirex, which is peak nostalgia. Returning after a successful debut at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Starter Live is our live, in-store podcast studio, which is a really cool experience for fans to see some favorite podcasts live. We’re hosting conversations, interviews, and real-time content with friends and collaborators of the brand. This year’s lineup includes Jim Weiss, Pacman Jones, TJ Ward and more. I can’t wait to see how fans interact with the pieces and the experiences we have created.
IDLA: Can you speak to the evolution of Starter over the years? Why do you think fans still gravitate towards the brand?
CB: Everyone has a Starter story. Starter is one the most iconic, innovative and authentic licensed sports apparel companies in the world, and has changed the face of the sports apparel industry forever. We’re consistently bringing innovative products and experiences to fans. Starter’s evolution is really a reflection of its place in both sport and culture: it went from being ubiquitous on the sidelines and in locker rooms in the ’80s and ’90s, and now a brand rediscovered by new generations. We brought Starter back into the sports world not just because of nostalgia, but because the brand has always had a genuine connection with fans. That authentic pull, the quality, and the way the brand bridges sport, street, and culture is why fans still gravitate toward Starter today.
IDLA: Starter and Super Bowl have been intertwined for decades, in your opinion, why do you think that is?
CB: Starter and the Super Bowl have a long history together because the brand was once the game-day apparel, fans and teams alike wore Starter gear as a badge of pride. Even as the brand went through different phases, that connection to football’s biggest stage never fully disappeared, and now we’re intentionally bringing that legacy back with visually elevated collections that speak to both fandom and style. The Super Bowl isn’t just about sport, it’s a cultural moment, and Starter sits exactly at that intersection of sport, fashion, and collective memory.
IDLA: What are your SuperBowl predictions?
CB: I'm a big Mike Vrabel fan and I am predicting the New England Patriots victory.
Here’s to seeing if Carl’s prediction is correct! In preparation for the big game, Starter, is pulling out all of the stops by hosting iconic events in the city. The iconic sportswear brand made Super Bowl history with the launch of the Starter x Bad Bunny collab jacket. This is the first time ever that Starter has collabed with a Super Bowl halftime performer, and the first time the NFL has released a Spanish-language Super Bowl jacket. In other words: this isn’t just merch, it’s a MOMENT.
“This is THE most collectible piece dropping this year for the Super Bowl, hands down. What an amazing opportunity to bring a living legend like Bad Bunny together with the ultimate symbol of fan pride the Starter satin jacket, bringing two icons together to make Super Bowl history,” said Carl Banks, 2x Super Bowl Champ and President of GIII Sports who holds the license for Starter.
The jacket celebrates Bad Bunny’s trailblazing halftime performance while merging Starter’s legendary sports heritage with global music and street culture.
Featuring “Super Tazón” (aka Super Bowl in English), the jacket pays homage to Super Bowl LX host city, San Francisco with an embroidered Golden Gate Bridge on the right chest, while Bad Bunny’s name is boldly stitched across a football patch on the left. A commemorative back design completes the piece, anchoring this historic moment at the intersection of football, fashion, and Bay Area energy fused with Bad Bunny’s aesthetic.
The jacket retails for $300 and is available now exclusively at the Starter x NFL Pop-Up (217 Powell Street, San Francisco) and the Starter booth at the Super Bowl Experience. And for fans nationwide, there will be a new Starter x Bad Bunny drop Monday on Starter.com.
Word on the street is that Bad Bunny might be rocking this during his performance, so look out.
