High Voltage: Bolts' Merchandise Attracts Nationwide Buyers

Lightning Fever Striking Throughout The Country

Sales of Lightning merchandise have "skyrocketed as a result" of the team's appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, according to Alan Snel of the TAMPA TRIBUNE, who noted sales are not "limited to the Tampa Bay area." Nationwide figures compiled by SportScanINFO stated that from May 16-23, fans purchased $126,576 in Lightning jerseys, compared to $2,446 during the same period in '03; $8,086 in hats, compared to $964 last year; and $145,472 in T-shirts, compared to $1,518 a year ago. In the four-week period leading up to May 23, all Lightning merchandise purchased in retail stores nationwide totaled $784,355, "more than an eightfold increase" over the $94,874 from the same period in '03. From May 16-23, Lightning merchandise sales revenue "represented 17.5[%] of all NHL merchandise sales revenue. Only [the Flyers] had a larger share" at 34%. SportScanINFO Marketing Dir Neil Schwartz said the data shows the Lightning are "starting to get some national attention. I suspect nobody in the country knew who they were before — or cared." Snel noted the Lightning have been selling about 400 jerseys a game during home playoff games, with the $150 Martin St. Louis black home jersey "the most popular Lightning jersey sold at" St. Pete Times Forum (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 5/31).

ALL IN RED: Also in Tampa, Carter & Erlendsson note the company supplying most of the Flames jerseys to local retailers, The Hockey Co., said that 85,000 Flames jerseys have been sold, "70,000 of them red. The company is shipping 2,200 a day and can't keep up with the demand. More than 165,000 Flames flags reportedly have been sold, adding to the sea of red in Calgary" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 6/2).