adidas yesterday said that its Boston tribute T-shirts have "raised more than" $1M for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, according to Roxanna Scott of USA TODAY. The shirts, with the "words 'Boston stands as one,' cost $26.60 and went on sale Thursday." The company will "donate all proceeds to The One Fund Boston." The shirts were "out of stock within a day" of going on sale. But adidas in a statement said, "due to overwhelming demand, we decided to further extend our support. Our goal is to raise as much money for those in need as possible" (USA TODAY, 4/23). In Portland, Allan Brettman noted adidas is "scrambling to produce more" T-shirts. adidas Corporate Communications Dir Katja Schreiber said that many T-shirts "have been shipped to consumers while there may be delays for others because of demand" (OREGONLIVE.com, 4/22).
SWEPT OFF THE SHELVES: AD AGE's Michael McCarthy noted Nike has "pulled T-shirts reading 'Boston Massacre' and designed to look blood-splattered from store shelves and online retails in the wake of" the Boston Marathon bombings. The T-shirts, designed for Yankees fans, "reference the Bronx Bombers sweeping the rival Red Sox during a key regular season series in 1978." Nike North America Senior Communications Manager Brian Strong yesterday said, "The shirts being referenced are older baseball shirts that were predominantly being sold through our factory stores outlets." Fanatics.com VP/Communications & Corporate Branding Meier Raivich also "confirmed the T-shirts were no longer for sale on the site" (ADAGE.com, 4/22).
STANDING TALL: In Boston, Christopher Gasper notes the response from the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics and Patriots after the bombings showed Boston is a city "championed by its sports teams and its athletes." After years of the city "rallying around its teams, those teams rallied around the city." Some of Boston's "biggest professional athletes were its biggest cheerleaders as the tragedy and agony of the Marathon bombings unfurled." All of the Boston teams have "donated more than $100,000 to Marathon victims." That is a "score that really counts" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/23).
