Pro Sports See Sales Increase Online, In Stores On Black Friday

Black Friday Sports Merchandise Sales Up From Last Year

Black Friday "was a good day" for pro sports leagues, as the online shops for the NFL, NBA and MLB all saw sales rises significantly compared to the day after Thanksgiving in '07, according to Sarah Talalay of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The NFL recorded an 85% increase in sales at NFLShop.com, making the day the league's "third highest grossing sales day," as Sunday marked the shop's biggest sales day. The biggest-selling items since Friday have been a replica green No. 4 jersey of Jets QB Brett Favre and a youth green No. 4 Favre jersey, followed by custom-hooded Giants sweatshirts and Giants QB Eli Manning's replica blue No. 10 jersey. NBAStore.com "recorded its best Black Friday sales ever, more than doubling last year's figures." Sales at the online store were up 95% for the full weekend. Together, sales online and at the NBA Store in N.Y. "rose a combined 38[%] from last year." Hornets G Chris Paul's No. 3 jersey was the "top seller over the weekend, followed by NBA team logoed T-shirts." MLB.com, which sold select jerseys at 40% off, said that sales "were up 25[%] compared with 2007." Meanwhile, the NHL said that sales during the whole weekend at its NHL Store in N.Y. "rose slightly more than 10[%] from 2007" (SUNSENTINEL.com, 12/1). CNBC.com's Darren Rovell reported Jets sales "are up nearly" 400%, while NFL Giants sales "are up nearly" 200%, compared to '07 (CNBC.com, 12/1). Meanwhile, the NBA set a record for sales from its online store yesterday during Cyber Monday, as sales were 28% above '07 levels (THE DAILY).

GREEN GIANT: The chart below lists the top-selling NFL players jerseys and team merchandise from April 1 through November 30 on NFLShop.com, which includes orders placed on Black Friday (NFL).

TOP SELLING NFL PLAYER JERSEYS (APRIL 1 - NOVEMBER 30)
RANK	PLAYER	RANK	PLAYER
1	Jets QB Brett Favre	14	Eagles RB Brian Westbrook
2	Cowboys QB Tony Romo	15	Bears WR Devin Hester
3	Giants QB Eli Manning	16	Broncos QB Jay Cutler
4	Vikings RB Adrian Peterson	17	Raiders RB Darren McFadden
5	Cowboys RB Marion Barber	18	Falcons QB Matt Ryan
6	Colts QB Peyton Manning	19	Redskins TE Chris Cooley
7	Cowboys TE Jason Witten	20	Steelers WR Hines Ward
8	Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson	21	Saints RB Reggie Bush
9	Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger	22	Patriots WR Randy Moss
10	Steelers S Troy Polamalu	23	Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware
11	Patriots QB Tom Brady	24	Saints QB Drew Brees
12	Cowboys WR Terrell Owens	25	Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
13	Bears LB Brian Urlacher

TOP TEN SELLING NFL TEAM MERCHANDISE (APRIL 1 - NOVEMBER 30)
RANK	TEAM
1	Cowboys
2	Giants
3	Steelers
4	Jets
5	Bears
6	Redskins
7	Patriots
8	Packers
9	Colts
10	Broncos