Slowing fan gear sales reflect basketball record

Early season expectations drew a steady clientele wanting Carolina shirts and basketball jerseys for local retailers.

But as the basketball team lost games, customers came less often.

“This season, sales are definitely down. Business is not good,” said Chapel Hill Sportswear Manager Holly Dedmond.

The men’s basketball team’s less-than-stellar performance has not only resulted in disappointed fans, but also in a perceived dip in sales of UNC gear from local stores.

Lack of NCAA Tournament play , which is still too early to predict , could further hurt sales, store owners said.

Owner of Carolina Pride Sportswear John Hudson said though the poor economy is an obvious culprit, this January is especially slow. Sales from the national championship last year accounted for 25 percent of the store’s total revenue, he said.

“People’s expectations of the team definitely affect sales,” he said.

Hudson said customers are less excited to buy merchandise than they were pre-season, when UNC was ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll. Now the team is unranked after losing three straight games.

“On a day-to-day basis, our cash register sales are down,” Dedmond said.

Of course, the losses are coming in the wake of a national championship year, which makes for a harder transition.

Hudson said for the national championship last season, he hired more workers who worked more hours.

“My mother even came in to help,” he said.

Even with declining sales, Carolina gear stores are in no real financial danger.

Heather Frazier of Johnny T-shirt said her business has not yet experienced a decrease in sales, because the usual customers continue to come by.

“I have seen the same people for eight seasons now,” she said.

The wins from the 2005 and 2009 national championships each accounted for half a million dollars in sales, according to UNC’s Trademarks and Licensing division.

But it’s too early to compile numbers from this season, said Derek Lochbaum, director of trademarks and licensing.

Despite the basketball team’s performance this season, Lochbaum said that the school will probably not experience a large decrease in revenue.

“Athletic success always helps, but UNC has a very mature trademark and licensing program,” Lochbaum said.

“We don’t experience large swings in revenue that other schools may experience with wins and losses.”



Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.