"What had been a rising tide of excitement last week
has become a tidal wave of Flutie Mania across Western New
York," according to Mark Gaughan, who featured Bills QB Doug
Flutie's popularity on the front page of the BUFFALO NEWS.
Ty Ballou, Owner of Pittsburgh-based PLB Sports, marketer of
"Flutie Flakes" cereal: "We are virtually out of stock of
Flutie Flakes in Buffalo. We've sold just under 50,000
boxes in the past two weeks. That's probably two or three
times more than we expected over that period. ... The
problem is, we ran out of the actual boxes. We're having
50,000 more printed up." Last week, even before Flutie led
his team to a comeback win over the Jaguars, 60 $36.99
Flutie jerseys sold out of Buffalo's Laux Sporting Goods.
Retailers are back-ordered and Logo Athletic sales rep Dave
Kelly said, "Normally, we will ship a couple of dozen
jerseys to a retail store for ... top players. ....So this
has been a big response" (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/21).
NO MOSS: The Vikings have sold 99% of the 1,800 No. 84
Randy Moss jerseys and T-shirts in stock at the Metrodome
during their last two home games. Team merchandise sales
"are on pace to surpass" the almost $2M of Twins merchandise
sold at the Dome during the '87 World Series season, which
at the time was an industry record (PIONEER PRESS, 10/22).
