The NHL has "taken over a significant portion" of The Pro Shop at Gillette Stadium in advance of Friday's Canadiens-Bruins Bridgestone Winter Classic, and available merchandise includes 11,000 knit hats, 10,000 souvenir pucks, 107 styles of clothing and "other game-related products," according to Donna Goodison of the BOSTON HERALD. In addition to the Pro Shop and in-stadium souvenir stands, the league will erect two "special merchandise tents" at Spectator Plaza, "where the Winter Classic pre-game fan festivities will be held." The "top-dollar items" are the "throwback Winter Classic jerseys with players’ names," which go for $240. The "other end of the price spectrum" includes bobblehead dolls, pennants and "event-branded lanyard ticket holders." NHL Senior Dir of Consumer Products Licensing Dan Near said, "There will be a lot of things that we haven’t seen before -- a lot of ... arena exclusives.” That includes shirts "denoting the Winter Classic’s Foxboro location, and $100-$135 premium men’s sweaters." Near: "On game day, a lot of people want an ‘I was there’ product. We really focused on items you can wear. Things where you can be loud and proud.” Near notes memorabilia sales this year away from Gillette Stadium "will be limited to shop.NHL.com." Headwear, including "numerous styles of knit hats and baseball caps, are one of the product categories most developed by the NHL over the eight years of Winter Classics" (BOSTON HERALD, 12/30).
