Still Chomping: UF Championship Merchandise Sales Remain Strong
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BCS Championship-Related UF Merch Selling
Well At Local Retailers |
The Univ. of Florida's win over the Univ. of Oklahoma in last Thursday's BCS National Championship game "continues to fuel sales of T-shirts, posters and other merchandise at area stores," according to Mathis & Pillow of the GAINESVILLE SUN. Gator Fever Owner David Bushnell said that the most popular items being sold at his store "are T-shirts with catchy slogans such as 'Sooner or Later You're Gator Bait,'" while other championship memorabilia "includes caps, polo shirts and magnets." Bushnell added that he has sold "10 to 15 times more merchandise than he normally does since the Gators returned victorious Friday." Bushnell: "Since we won the championship, we did in a day what we would do in a month." Gainesville-based screen printing company Silkmasters Office Manager Ambre Bonamie said that the company has sold "more than 20,000 T-shirts since Friday and anticipates selling 10,000 more by the end of the week." But Florida Bookstore Manager Nandy Ferguson said that "even though sales of Gators merchandise have increased by 30[%], they still have not topped sales of similar merchandise" after UF won the national championship in '07. Mathis & Pillow noted the "slumping economy has had an impact," as "extravagant gifts, such as an $185 mini-replica of the Waterford Crystal BCS Trophy, are not at the top of students' shopping lists" (GAINESVILLE SUN, 1/13).
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