CFP championship items were in "high demand by Clemson fans" yesterday, as sporting goods stores "tried their best to keep their shelves stocked with Tiger gear," according to a front-page piece by Jessica Imbimbo of the Florence MORNING NEWS. Clemson fans did "not hesitate to grab championship gear wherever they could find it." Dick’s Sporting Goods at Magnolia Mall in Florence, S.C., "opened its doors right after the end of the football game and remained open" until close to 2:00am ET. Store Manager Chad Huggins said, "We sold out this morning, and now we’ve reloaded some inventory. We opened two hours early this morning so we could be available for the community." Academy Sports in Florence also "opened earlier than usual Tuesday to keep up with the demand for national championship gear." Manager William Lowery said that the store had "hardly any items left" (Florence MORNING NEWS, 1/11). In Charlotte, Mark Barber noted Academy Sports in Rock Hill, S.C., "opened for three hours at midnight." As the fans shopped and waited at registers, dozens of people "started shouting Tiger chants." Academy has "already sold thousands of Clemson shirts and hats in Rock Hill." Even if they run out of sizes, store clerks are "making sure fans still get their gear." They are "using scanners to special order sizes requested by customers" (WSOCTV.com, 1/10). ESPN.com's David Hale noted at the Tiger Sports Shop in downtown Clemson, championship gear "flew off the shelves, with store employee Stephen Vaughn guessing they'd done as much business Tuesday as a typical home game." The store "opened its doors late Monday night after Clemson clinched, and a hefty portion of the more than 5,000 fans who'd gathered to watch the game poured inside for their first crack at merchandise" (ESPN.com, 1/10).
UBER BOWL: In South Carolina, Mike Ellis noted Uber drivers "delivered championship gear to people's doors" yesterday afternoon and early evening in the Clemson and Greenville areas. Drivers "carried hats ($28) and T-shirts ($25), and users could pick the memorabilia through the Uber app by selecting a certain ride option and paying through the app" (Anderson INDEPENDENT MAIL, 1/11).
