Raptors F Charles Oakley and G Mark Jackson are "miffed
because they've learned that they can't buy a Raptors jersey
at the Air Canada Centre's Sports store unless it has Vince
Carter's name on it," according to Craig Daniels of the
TORONTO SUN, who notes that Nike has the license for Raptors
jerseys. Jackson: "What do I do if I want to buy a relative
a Charles Oakley jersey, for example?" When told that there
is a "choice of nearly a dozen different names" on Maple
Leafs jerseys sold at the arena, Oakley said, "That's bull--
--." Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Dir of Consumer
Products Jeff Newman told Oakley and Jackson that he can't
get more Raptors jerseys from Nike because there "isn't the
same demand in Canada for basketball as there is for
hockey." Newman said that in Toronto, "about 30% of
merchandise sold is basketball." Newman added that while he
is "able to make Leafs jerseys by purchasing blank sweaters
from CCM and then printing his own," he has been unable to
get blank jerseys from Nike. But Newman also said, "Nike,
to its credit, has produced a Raptors hockey jersey this
season and it has been a big seller" (TORONTO SUN, 11/21).
