OSU merchandise is an undisputable hot seller

January 14, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

BOARDMAN

After a late-night national championship victory, local Ohio State football fans got up early Tuesday to seek the same scarlet and gray gear players sported after beating Oregon 42-20.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Boardman opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday — three hours earlier than normal — for fans to buy T-shirts, hats and hoodies emblazoned with “Undisputed Champions.”

Jim Cecil of Campbell visited the store in the afternoon to buy shirts for his friends in California and Texas, but he discovered the store already was sold out.

“I was going to come out this morning, but I was expecting them to still have them [in the afternoon],” he said.

Cecil said OSU proved itself in the championship game. “We showed everybody that we belong there,” he said.

Cecil said Ohio State’s victory means a lot to the Mahoning Valley.

“We got nothing to root for [in the Valley],” he said. “Ohio State’s the best [sports team] we got.”

Among the morning shoppers at Dick’s was Tom Borton of Mineral Ridge, who bought shirts for his dad, brother and himself. He even came back again in the afternoon to buy another shirt but found a nearly empty display.

Borton said it’s all part of the “Buckeye spirit.”

“It’s contagious,” he said.

Another shopper, Joe Mineo of Struthers, said he saw the shirts online but wanted to check the store to see if they had any left.

The store often sees a demand in merchandise whenever there is a championship win, said Ben Shank, the company’s community marketing manager.

“Across the state [of Ohio], it has been pretty crazy,” Shank said. “We don’t have anything remaining in [the Boardman store] as far as championship gear goes.”

The store could see more merchandise on the shelves as early as today. Other hot items included shirts promoting the eighth championship win for the Buckeyes, license plate holders, hats and other merchandise.

Many stores in the Columbus region opened after the game concluded.

“We had associates in the stores watching the game and waiting for the outcome,” Shank said. “We will be getting shipments in at various times. We will look at sales and gauge demand from that.”

The items also are available to purchase online.