Golden State Warriors gear popular in Merced a day after NBA Finals victory
The doors weren’t even open yet Wednesday morning, but the phone rang and rang as Merced area fans of the Golden State Warriors looked for the latest gear to tout the world champions, according to Merced Mall staff.
The Oakland-based team won its first NBA title in 40 years Tuesday, and All-American Sports Fan in the mall was “bombarded” by shoppers and phone calls from fans who wanted the hats and T-shirts like those worn by the team inside the locker room after the game, according to Don Smith, the district manager.
But league MVP Stephen Curry jerseys have drawn the most interest. “Curry was definitely our top seller,” he said. “We actually sold out (of his jerseys) early in the series.”
That’s not surprising as the NBA reported Curry’s jersey was the second best seller all year, behind the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lebron James.
Smith said the interest has risen quickly for Andre Iguodala jerseys, the Finals MVP.
Those kind of sales have held true in the 11 stores around the state, he said, and especially in the Bay Area.
Smith said he expected his first batch of the charcoal gray T-shirts and hats, like those the team wore as they sprayed champagne on one another after the game, sometime late Wednesday. He said they will probably sell fast.
Cisco Jimenez, 40, of Merced searched for gear in the store with his son, 6-year-old Max. He said his family is full of Los Angeles Lakers fans and even a Cavaliers fan, so he was looking for a “Dubs” shirt to wear that would rub the championship in their faces.
He said he liked the feeling of his favorite team winning. He has followed the team since 2001 and has seen some some rough seasons.
“It was nice,” he said about the final game in the series. “It only scared me a little bit.”
Jimenez said he has started the Warriors fan indoctrination early with his son, who, if things go his way, won’t have to wait long for another championship. “Hopefully, it will be a repeat,” the elder Jimenez said.
The sales of Warriors gear seemed to be hot in other parts of the San Joaquin Valley. Stores in Modesto reported brisk sales for Warriors hats and high interest in the locker room gear.
It’s been a good decade for Bay Area sports, with retailers noticing spikes in sales after the San Francisco Giants won three World Series in five years. The San Francisco 49ers deep playoff runs in recent years have also driven sales.
Smith said Merced tends to be more of a baseball and football town, but the Warriors may have started to pull fans their way. “We’ve been getting calls all day,” he said.
The Modesto Bee contributed to this story.
Thaddeus Miller: 209-385-2453, @thaddeusmiller
This story was originally published June 17, 2015 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Golden State Warriors gear popular in Merced a day after NBA Finals victory."