Although the major consumer of Riddell are the large universities who purchase them in bulk for their programs, there is still a fairly large market for youth sports and individual consumers. No matter who is buying the helmet, anything that the company can do to justify such a high price, the better the consumer will feel about spending that money. four-hundred dollars is no small amount no matter who you are. If you can feel like you are doing something for your community or doing some greater good by purchasing the product, then this justification can come much easier. In an article about coffee and how buying well can help save the rainforest, Jennifer Hull argues that if the consumer purchases the right product, then they can make a positive impact on the environment (Hull). This view is a model based on neoliberal principles where the consumer should be responsible and buy in a way that saves the environment. This is neoliberal in the sense that the duty is shifted from the government to the consumer to make a change in the world. This argument is used by producers all the time where they try and make the consumer feel better about their purchase. Christine Lavernce argues in her piece on the company Lululemon, that the company uses an idea of neoliberal governmentality. This is the idea of being governed by oneself and their peers by being conscious of being seen by fellow citizens. She focuses on “consumer citizenship” and how being a good citizen is purchasing consciously and in a way that betters society (Lavrence). This is what Riddell does by advertizing their partnerships with organizations like Pop Warner and their conduction of safety research for the sport of football on their main website (Riddell). Although the intentions may be good with these organizations, the advertisement of their affiliations with them is a way to make their products more desirable to the consumer. The consumer gets a feeling that they are fulfilling their civic duty and being a good citizen by buying products from companies that will take that money and use it towards good causes.

All of these things combined have helped Riddell sell their helmets and climb their way to the top in football equipment companies. This does not go to say that their products are not better technologically or safer for the players, the main idea here is that even if they were not as good as their competitors but still marketed themselves in this way, they would still likely be able to sell in the capacity that they do now. By using fetishization and an appeal to neoliberal governmentality, they are able to appeal to the senses of the consumer and in turn the consumer feels better about their purchases. This is the cycle that brought this company to the level of success that it is at currently.