HIT, MV Sports Firm Up Licensing Partnership

LONDON: HIT Entertainment and MV Sports have extended their licensing partnership through three new deals across the preschool properties Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam. 

MV Sports renewed its Thomas & Friends license in the wheeled-toy category. MV Sports will launch a new range in conjunction with the release of the all-new CGI release for the property. As Bob the Builder celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, MV Sports extended its current license for the property in the U.K., with development plans under way for a new range inspired by the upcoming CGI series. The British outfit has also been appointed a license for Fireman Sam in the wheeled-toy category. MV Sports will develop new ranges and retail initiatives throughout 2009 to tie in with the launch of the CGI series. 

Laura Clarke, the director of hard goods for the U.K. at HIT Entertainment, commented, "We are delighted to be extending our partnership with MV Sports. HIT and MV Sports have a long term and established partnership and have proven time and again that they are the leader in the wheeled-toy category in the U.K."

Phil Ratcliffe, the sales and marketing director of MV Sports, added, “It is great news that we are to extend our long-term partnership with HIT on three of the most important and trustworthy boys’ licenses around. HIT’s continued investment in all three brands plus MV’s commitment to developing the wheeled toy category gives us confidence that we will build on a strong distribution platform and further grow the business over the next three years."