Reebok Perseveres With Hockey Business Despite NHL Lockout

About one-third of The Hockey Co.’s revenue has come from team-licensed gear, “and that end of the business has suffered” during the NHL lockout, with retail sales of NHL-licensed apparel down about 50% from last year, according to Don Steinberg of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. The Hockey Co. was acquired by Reebok earlier this year. Retail chains including Modell’s are not “even displaying NHL jerseys in their stores.” But in equipment sales, The Hockey Co.’s Koho, Jofa and CCM brands “still do strong business in college and minor leagues.” Reebok Senior VP/Licensing & New Business John Frascotti, whose company is producing its first line of skates, said that the Reebok’s hockey gear “will hit retail stores around March.” Steinberg notes the CCM brand will continue while Koho and Jofa “will carry on in certain markets.” Frascotti: “With [the Reebok hockey brand], we will appeal more to the more expressive hockey player of the

Red Wings Are Not Immune To Struggling Merchandise Sales

future.” More Frascotti: “The last NHL lockout was in 1994, and at that time The Hockey Co. saw their sales go up.” But SportScanInfo estimates national sales of hockey equipment are down 18.4% this year (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/30).

YOU KNOW IT’S BAD WHEN ...: In Detroit, Kulfan & Aguilar report sales of official Red Wings jerseys, the “perennial leader of all NHL merchandise,” are down $10M this season compared to last season. SportScanInfo Marketing Dir Neil Schwartz said, “We’ve seen a number of sporting goods chains either stop displaying NHL jerseys or cut the amount they stock” (DETROIT NEWS, 11/30).