MLB licensees and licensed product retailers report that “if win’’ sales generated by a potential Cubs victory tonight in World Series Game 7 are trending five to one over that for an Indians win. “With a Cubs victory, we are looking at the biggest hot market in the history of sporting goods industry -- not just for baseball,’’ said WinCraft President John Killen, whose company will push out around 24 championship items immediately after tonight’s game. That includes pins, pennants and the official on-field towel, flag and lanyards. The company will follow that up with an assortment of 75 items. Lids President David Baxter said, “Our stores are skewed more heavily to Chicago, but we put Cubs product in all of them and our reports are trending along with the industry, which is generally five times for Cubs." That same ratio of Cubs to Indians “if win” orders was reported by Outerstuff Founder & CEO Sol Werdiger, whose company manufactures youth licensed sports apparel. “The Cubs represent a bigger market obviously, but even if it's Cleveland, we’re still looking at one of the biggest hot markets MLB’s ever had,’’ he said. MLB novelty licensee Forever Collectibles CEO Michael Lewis also expressed commercial optimism behind a potential Indians victory. “When a team wins for the first time in 70 years and its Christmas shopping season, everyone will buy some,’’ he said.
