Retailers in New Orleans "can’t stock their shelves fast enough" with Saints gear, according to Naomi Martin of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Retailers said that this year “has been particularly busy, with some even tripling their typical offseason sales.” Aside from the Saints’ "newfound popularity following their 2010 Super Bowl victory, retailers point to another phenomenon that has boosted sales: in recent years, women have overtaken men as their primary Saints shoppers.” The demand for women’s Saints gear “has especially soared, causing New Orleans stores to rush in more orders of women’s clothing and expand their merchandise selection.” Lauren Thom, owner of the Fleurty Girl shop in New Orleans, said she carries “mock jerseys” to avoid NFL copyright infringement. At $35 apiece, Thom said that they have been her “biggest seller this season.” The shirts have "puns on players' names," like "Rock ‘n’ sprol" for RB Darren Sproles, and "Moore of dat" for WR Lance Moore. There still "remains the issue of what to do with the products that don't sell, namely, the jerseys of injured players or those who were traded." Some stores "have been left with huge inventories of Reggie Bush jerseys, for instance," with many selling these items "at discounted prices" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 9/19).
FAN-FRIENDLY SHOPPING: The Saints and Ticketmaster announced Friday that fans can purchase tickets at the Superdome on gamedays through the NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster. Saints’ season-ticket holders can post their tickets for sale on the NFL Ticket Exchange, and will have the availability to connect directly with patrons seeking tickets to the sold-out Superdome. The ticket holder will determine the price of the seats, which are available and can be obtained by discussing availability with the Saints' on-duty ticket department reps (Saints).
