Roaring Success: Bengals Merchandise Sales Up 200% This Year

Palmer Jersey A Hot Seller Among Bengals Fans

With the Bengals off to a 7-2 start this season and tied for the AFC North lead, national sales of team merchandise are up 200% year-to-date, according to SportScanInfo data cited by Mike Boyer of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. SportScanInfo Dir of Marketing Neil Schwartz said sales of Bengals gear from January 1 through November 6 totaled $27.1M, up from $9.3M for the same period in ’04. Schwartz: “I don’t think there’s another team in the NFL that can show a 200[%] increase year over year.” Bengals Pro Shop Manager Steve Wolf, whose store is located in Paul Brown Stadium, said that merchandise sales this year “are ahead of last year’s record sales.” Wolf did not give sales figures, but said that business “has grown with every Bengals victory this year.” Boyer notes Bengals QB Carson Palmer’s No. 9 jersey and WR Chad Johnson’s No. 85 jersey are the “hottest-selling items,” while LB Odell Thurman’s No. 51 jersey “also has been a hot seller.” Schwartz added that Colts merchandise has risen 86%, $43M compared to $23M, from the year-ago period (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/17).