Phillies merchandise has been a hot seller since late summer.
It should get even hotter after the Phillies introduced a new alternate home uniform yesterday at Citizens Bank Park. And just in time for the holidays, too.
"It's on fire, unquestionably," Jim Belbruno, vice president of marketing and advertising for Modell's Sporting Goods, said in a telephone interview yesterday. "I think it's been fueled mostly by their late-season play. There was a ton of momentum built in October, and people are excited. And the introduction of a new jersey at the right time, heading into the holidays, will only continue to fuel that. It really has not tapered since the late summer. It's pretty amazing stuff."
Belbruno said the new jersey, which retails for $189.99, should be a top seller.
"You definitely see a strong spike in sales whenever a team tweaks or modifies a jersey," Belbruno said. "There is a definitive spike in business. The core fan and even the casual fan, during the holidays in particular, want to have the latest. And certainly the avid fans need to have the latest and greatest, whatever it is they're going to be wearing on the field."
The authentic jersey business is a pricey one, but the hard core fan buys them. So I imagine they will sell. And sell well.
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A source said yesterday there is absolutely no chance the Phillies are trading for Melvin Mora, as had been reported elsewhere. It's kind of like the Scott Rolen rumor, although the Rolen rumor had even less chance than the Mora rumor. It sounds to me the Mora talk is wishful thinking on the Orioles' part. Mora has more than $17 million remaining on a contract that runs through 2009 and his numbers have been in decline since 2004.
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Pat Gillick continues to maintain the team's priority is finding another starting pitcher. The winter meetings begin Monday in Nashville. Maybe the Phillies get something finalized there. But Gillick warned the reporters who get to attend that there probably won't be a lot of action next week.
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Comments (8)
People are talking about the blue caps looking similar to the allegedly cursed blue caps from 1994.
An ESPN story tells the tale: "1994: On Opening Day, the Phillies debut a new blue cap (complete with matching batting helmets), which is intended to be worn for weekday afternoon games. After the team loses its first two games wearing the azure headwear, the caps are deemed bad luck. After a few more games, they're banished forever ..."
Todd, could you please tell the Phillies FO that we don't need any more bad luck?
And also to sign a decent 3B?
Thanks.
Posted by Suze | November 30, 2007 10:50 AM
Posted on November 30, 2007 10:50
The $200 jerseys are fine.
But I think the best bit of fanwear marketing has been the very affordable red t-shirts with players' names/numbers on the back.
The elementary school population is loaded with them at any given moment. That's the kind of early loyalty building connection that's needed for any brand.
People make many, many lifetime brand connections early in life, even before they can make purchasing decisions. Think about it every time you reach for Helman's mayo and not Hunt's.
It helps a great deal that the Phils have be competitive in recent seasons. But nothing beats a $10 t-shirt with a player's name and number a little kid can get excited about.
Posted by Joe in Haddonfield | November 30, 2007 12:29 PM
Posted on November 30, 2007 12:29
Are they rubbing it in that they are making a ton of money on this stuff, but wont put it back into the Phils payroll? They are gonna make a ton of money on this stuff. I'm surprised they dont do this every year to milk the fans dry!! The Phils cant watse this awesome core of players careers because they have some stupid budget. If the Phils spend a little more this year and next, dont they know the money will pour in from continued ticket/vendors/merchandise/parking/and you name it brings in money sales?? I wonder what all the players think about this so called budget??????
Posted by clinton, nj | November 30, 2007 5:39 PM
Posted on November 30, 2007 17:39
Sign me up for a $200 jersey that says "Eaton" on the back. If possible, by Christmas.
Posted by Eman | November 30, 2007 10:02 PM
Posted on November 30, 2007 22:02
YO ZO,
What's up w/ P-Gill's statement: that money is not the problem to build a WS team, it's the talent pool.
On the surface one could gloss over this; however, it appears to say that he could sign Lowell, Rowand, Wolf & Fuentes if he didn't overpay and made a realistic signing that Monty would approve of. Lowell is no longer out there, of course, but I only used that as an example of a deal that Monty ok'd.
This is his last year, and I can't see a logical reason for his statement unless it's to help bring talent to the team.
Note: he says WS team, not contending team.
Posted by Talvenada | December 1, 2007 3:22 AM
Posted on December 1, 2007 03:22
Z,
Phils chances of signing Wolfie ??
M
Posted by Michael | December 1, 2007 9:53 AM
Posted on December 1, 2007 09:53
Funny Eman. I wonder if they sold any Eaton jerseys. I guess Gillick will be Eaton that salary for the next two years!
Posted by s | December 1, 2007 2:02 PM
Posted on December 1, 2007 14:02
John Denny threw an inning at Phils Phantasy Camp when I was there, 4 years ago. I think I'd rather the Phils pick him up for 2008 than Randy Wolf. Maybe the Phils could structure a half-season deal for Wolf, kind of like Clemens' but in reverse. Sign him through June with an option for July on. He's always on the DL by that point.
Posted by frankenslade | December 1, 2007 3:35 PM
Posted on December 1, 2007 15:35