Many St. Louis-area stores opened early yesterday morning "to accommodate fans on the hunt for World Series gear," according to Kavita Kumar of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Majestic Athletic President Jim Pisani, whose company is the official on-field uniform provider for MLB, said, “Right now, the St. Louis market is really on fire.” Majestic Athletic set up a “temporary supply chain in St. Louis and contracted with about five area printers.” The Cardinals' store at Busch Stadium “more than doubled its normal staff on Monday -- and plans to keep it that way throughout the week.” It did not “have a huge selection of World Series-related merchandise in stock yet on Monday -- mostly some shirts, hats and pennants.” At one point, the store had “sold out of the short-sleeved NL Championship T-shirts that the Cardinals wore in the locker room after the big victory.” Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation, “which has already raised more than $210,000 for a playground through its initial Rally Squirrel T-shirt, is planning to distribute its newest ‘Squirreled Serious’ shirt to stores by about noon today” (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/18). In St. Louis, Kristen Gosling noted due to the “incredible hype around the furry friend and the generous support of thousands of people in St. Louis, more than two-thirds of the costs for the new playground above the Bob Costas Cancer Center has been raised.” The project “will cost $300,000” (KSDK.com, 10/17).
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Taco Bell sponsoring towels and ticket lanyards
to be given out during World Series |
WHERE'S TOWELIE? MLB and its top corporate sponsors have finalized gate premiums for the World Series, which opens tomorrow night at Busch Stadium. Count on seeing a surfeit of rally towels. Game One sees Taco Bell putting its brand name on towels and ticket lanyards, fashioned after a sauce packet found in their restaurants. During Game Two, Chevy is sponsoring towels and a souvenir pin. When the scene switches to Rangers Ballpark Saturday, State Farm will have its name on branded rally towels and pins, while Anheuser-Busch is sponsoring Stand Up to Cancer placards to be used as part of a nationally televised TV stunt on Fox during Game Four, while rally towels will also be handed out. Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Woodinville, Wash., is MLB's "Preferred Premium Supplier" (Terry Lefton, THE DAILY).
