So much Cubs World Series championship gear was "sold in the first 15 hours" after the team won its first title in 108 years that postgame merchandise records are "already being shattered," according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. MLB President of Business & Media Bob Bowman on Thursday said, "We had our best month ever today." Bowman said that more Cubs gear "was sold from when the team won the title" to 4:00pm ET on Thursday than the previous record for gear "sold in the league's best month of sales" -- November '10, after the Giants won the World Series. Fanatics said that Cubs gear is on pace to do $30M in online retail sales alone in the first 24 hours, which "would be roughly eight times what fans spent" on gear for last year's Royals championship team. Factoring in sales from the Chicago market, sources said that the Cubs' first 24 hours of sales should approach $70M in retail sales, which would make it the "hottest postgame championship market of all time" (ESPN.com, 11/3).
GET IN LINE: In Chicago, Doug Graham notes fans "lined up outside stores" to get their World Series gear shortly after the Cubs won early Thursday morning. At the Dick's Sporting Goods store in Vernon Hills, Ill., a line "stretched 800 feet" from the story's entrance Several suburban Dick's stores closed at about 2:00am CT or 3:00am only to reopen at around 5:00am or 6:00am (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 11/4). Sports World Chicago Owner Brad Rosen, whose store is located near Wrigley Field, said that police "closed his store" at 3:00am to "help disperse the hordes crowding the streets." In Chicago, Zumbach & Channick note Clark Street Sports co-Owner Jason Caref "closed stores near Wrigley Field" around 2:00am, when fans' "exuberance turned to rowdier drunkenness." Clark Street Sports already had "run out of the 'locker room' hats players wore as they celebrated on the field, which retailers expected to be among fans' most-coveted items in the postgame hours." Caref said that he was "expecting more to arrive in the next couple hours, and planned to place new orders for hats and other merchandise throughout Thursday" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/4).
HEY, BATTER BATTER: In Louisville, Marty Finley noted Louisville Slugger is "crafting commemorative World Series bats in honor of the Cubs' victory." The bats will have the team's "trademark blue and red color schemes" and will be available in "different sizes and styles." According to Louisville Slugger, 2,016 "sequentially numbered full-size bats will be made." The company also said that it is "designing special bats for online retail outlets" like MLB.com that will be "signed by Cubs players" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/3).
EVERYBODY LOVES KRIS: In Chicago, Phil Thompson notes Topps on Thursday signed Cubs 3B Kris Bryant to the "largest baseball trading card deal in company history," placing Bryant's autograph cards in Topps and Bowman products beginning in '17. He also will "grace the covers of Topps BUNT, MLB's official licensed trading card app, and next year's Baseball Series 1 pack." Financial terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 11/3). Meanwhile, Red Bull via social media on Wednesday released a cartoon ad starring Bryant, the beverage brand's first with a U.S. athlete (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" has booked Bryant for Monday, marking his "late-night TV debut" (DEADLINE.com, 11/3).
LOSERS NO MORE: Cubs Partner & Investor Andrew Berlin on Thursday discussed the Cubs' longtime label as “loveable losers” and how the brand changes after winning the World Series. He said, “This is so much better than being a lovable loser. We're loveable winners and this is a great team." He added. "I love being a lovable winner, and I think that's more valuable than a loveable loser.” CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera noted, “Amazing that numerous people would ask, ‘Is winning bad for the brand?’” CNBC’s Tyler Mathisen jokingly said, “You ruined your brand” (“Power Lunch,” CNBC, 11/3).
