• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, January 11, 2007

It's not enough that Crocs, those clunky rubber clogs, have taken over the closets of America's children and chefs: The Colorado-based manufacturer now hopes to invade the world of sports fans as well.

Yesterday, Crocs announced licensing agreements with both the National Football League and the National Hockey League, and will market team-branded shoes for all 32 NFL teams, as well as all 30 NHL teams.

Crocs--which also has licenses with Disney and more than 75 colleges and universities--said the two new licensing arrangements also cover Jibbitz, the little doodads the company sells to fit into the shoes' perforations.

A spokeswoman for Crocs said retail distribution is still being determined, but shoes with the logos of NFL teams in the playoffs are already available at nflshop.com for $34.99.

No specific marketing plans were announced, but Crocs has typically relied on grassroots efforts, such as Crocs-wrapped RVs and motor coaches that sell shoes at collegiate sporting events. Its marketing plans are certainly working: For the first three quarters of this year, Crocs had $242 million in sales, compared with $75 million for the same period last year.

While mocked as a fashion faux pas by many, the shoes are enormously popular, and fans extol the virtues of Croslite, the odor- and bacteria-repellent plastic used in their construction. What's more, their comfort as an after-sport shoe has made them popular with athletes, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.