With their playoff-clinching win Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens extended not only their season, but the holiday shopping season for Baltimore football fanatics.
“Everyone’s going crazy buying jerseys for [quarterback] Joe Flacco and [safety] Ed Reed,” said Mike Evitts, spokesman for Downtown Partnership of Baltimore.
“It’s one of the bright spots in an otherwise gloomy holiday season,” Evitts said. “The Ravens and their appearance in the postseason has provided a huge shot in the arm for the local business community.”
At the Ravens Team Store at the Sports Legends Museum in Baltimore, Flacco jerseys have been “flying out of the store” as the Ravens won five out of their last six games to clinch a wild card berth and a date with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
“Everyone is getting Flacco, Reed and [linebacker Terrell] Suggs jerseys,” store employee Justin LaRue said. “I think everyone already owns a Ray Lewis jersey.”
LaRue said most adult sizes of Flacco jerseys, which run $85 or $120, have been hard to keep in stock, and the store receives shipments of new merchandise daily.
The Ravens’ late-season success during the holiday season has been a winning formula for retailers. “It’s been phenomenal, especially during the holiday season,” LaRue said. “Football and the holidays seem to go together.”
LaRue said Ravens playoff gear was expected to arrive at the store by the middle of the week. The store has been receiving calls since the end of Sunday’s game asking when the playoff paraphernalia would be available.
At The Sport Shop at Towson Town Center, employee Jason Llerena said young contributing players such as Flacco and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata have been must-have jerseys throughout the holiday season.
“Just the way they’ve played recently, going on this little run is always positive,” Llerena said.
The Ravens’ success has also brought Baltimore neighborhoods and the business community together, Evitts said. “There’s really a lot of camaraderie, and people want to feel like they’re a part of what’s happening,” he added.
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In celebration of the Ravens, M&T Bank, which has the naming rights to the stadium, is holding “Salute to the Ravens Week” in all of its 92 branches. Until Saturday, the participating branches will distribute free Todd Heap posters — one per person — to anyone who visits a branch, while supplies last.
Top-Selling NFL Jerseys
1. Brett Favre, New York Jets
2. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
3. Eli Manning, New York Giants
4. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
5. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys
6. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
7. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
8. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
9. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
(From April through November)
Source: NFL.com
