As IU football nears the end of a historic season, stores selling team-related merchandise say sales have been equally extraordinary.
With each milestone game that the IU team wins, new apparel themed around the victory is created and distributed to stores in Bloomington.
Products range from showing support for the team in general, honoring quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and celebrating momentous victories at the Peach and Rose Bowls.
Zoe Morrow is an assistant manager at the Indiana Shop on Kirkwood Avenue. She said that fans will flock to buy merch in the days leading up to a game – and immediately after one.
“We just got a 'Natty Bound' T-shirt in, so everyone's getting that,” Morrow said. “We actually put it out the night after we won. We were open for a few hours here, and for up to midnight.”
Morrow said this would usually be the store’s slowest time of year.
“Now we're busy all the time; it's insane. We're either answering the phone or having to put new merch out,” she said.
Joe Bender is the regional manager of the IU Bookstore. He believes the success of the football team will impact the popularity of IU merch for a long time.
“I think business will continue to boom,” Bender said. “I think we will see this momentum for quite a while.”
T-shirts and jackets commemorating the historic season can range in price from $25 up to $85.
