Chicago Bears merchandise as hot as 7-0 team

Retailers, manufacturers finding it tough to keep up

(Crain’s) — Bears mania is steamrolling through Chicago and leaving retailers, distributors and manufacturers scrambling to keep up with increasing demand for logoed products.

“We’re getting Bears merchandise every day – coffee mugs, earrings, novelty items,” said Rexene Carlstrom, co-owner of Wrigleyville Sports at the corner of West Addison Street and North Sheffield Avenue and in Macy’s on State Street. “Whatever we get in goes out the door. Everybody in Chicago is now scurrying for Bears merchandise.”

Bears fans, from diehards to bandwagon jumpers, are buying up nearly everything they can get their hands with each subsequent victory. Bears jerseys, including middle linebacker Brian Urlacher’s, are the top three best-selling items on NFLshop.com, according to the Web site.

At this point in the year, fans better get it before it’s gone as some manufacturer are unable to produce more merchandise before the end of the football season. Knit gloves with the Bears logo – gone. A string of lights featuring miniature Bears helmets and a Bears fleece blanket — almost gone.

“When it’s gone, it’s gone,” said Marty Faierstain, president of SportsLine Distributors Inc. in Northbrook.

Loyal Bears fans may see the team as Super Bowl contenders at the start of every season, but the 7-0 season has caught even optimistic sports merchandisers off guard.

“We placed our orders eight months ago and we ordered three times more than what we normally do,” said Mr. Faierstain, who distributes professional sports items throughout the country. “We have gone back a number of times (to order more). We even had to air freight in some merchandise.”

SportsLine Distributors had to hire five additional warehouse and three extra sales employees to handle Bears merchandise requests from new client 7-Eleven Inc. A representative from the convenience store chain, which recently bought the White Hen Pantry chain in Chicago, was not available for immediate comment.

The phones began ringing at Pro Specialties Group Inc. in San Diego, an official licensee of NFL merchandise, after the second week of the football season. Now requests for more merchandise are coming in daily and sales are up nearly 50%, said Tommy Miller, vice president of licensed products for Pro Specialties Group Inc.

“Traditionally the Bears will sell well anyway, but when they’re winning…” Mr. Miller said. “We are actually a little bit short on merchandise and we are scrambling.”

Bears apparel is the top seller for licensee VF Imagewear thanks to the team's early success and undefeated record, said Randy Burdette, NFL brand manager for VF Imagewear, which supplies mid-tier department stores and mass merchandisers.

"Two weeks ago, Kohl's sold more Bears merchandise for that week than all NFL teams combined and last week at Wal-Mart, the Bears were number one for sales," he said. "Obviously, it's a very hot seller."

Unlike logoed merchandise including key chains and mugs typically made overseas, apparel manufacturers can react quickly with last-minute printing capabilities. VF Imagewear stocks 10 million blank pieces of apparel in its warehouses to fill rush orders for a popular team.

"We bring them in as we need them," Mr. Burdette said.

And a Bears fan happy about the undefeated season is apparently also a hungry one. Sales are going strong at Robinson’s Ribs’ two Soldier Field locations with customers gobbling up boneless ribs and foot-long polish sandwiches, said Charles Robinson, president and CEO of the restaurant. He said they are doing about 15% more in business than they were at this time last year.

“As soon as the gates open, people flock in and they start buying food,” Mr. Robinson said. “On Sunday, we were almost sold out.”

He’s banking on a good season even though the Bears will be on the road for most of November and aren’t scheduled to return to Soldier Field until the Dec. 3 – after this Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

“If they come back on a winning streak, then we’ll be fine,” Mr. Robinson said.

With nine games left in the Bears' regular season, sports merchandisers know it's a gamble to place more orders now for items that may take weeks to arrive. Anything can happen while products are in transit.

"You hope the team doesn't go into the cellar in between," Ms. Carlstrom said.