Shopping sprees and swooshes: How fans reacted to first day of USC Nike sales

USC’s largest campus store wasn’t mobbed in the early hours of Nike launch morning, but there was a steady stream of passionate Gamecock fans ready to spend as the rest of Columbia woke up.

Dorothy Ham-Kisteneff was first to arrive at Russell House ahead of the 7 a.m. Wednesday early access window and held the No. 1 marked “golden ticket.” The passes were given out earlier this week to a group of fans at the USC-owned Golden Spur restaurant and granted them entry to shop for gear from USC’s new athletics apparel provider an hour before the general public.

“I’m number one,” Ham-Kisteneff said. “I’m going to be the first one in line to get this done.”

The ticket was secured by Ham-Kisteneff’s son, Willis Ham, who played wide receiver for the Gamecocks from 2000-2001 and came up to Columbia to secure a golden ticket before passing it off to his mom and traveling back home in Charleston.

Ham-Kisteneff made it clear she was shopping for her two grandchildren and her daughter-in-law as much as she was her son.

“If he thinks he’s getting all the stuff for him, he’s got another thing coming,” Ham-Kisteneff said.

Oscar Lee Howard Jr. was next to arrive and said he was happy to finally see Nike’s famous swoosh on garnet and black gear.

“I’ve been a Nike guy pretty much most of my life,” Howard said. “Pretty exciting to see our school transition to that. I think that 13 out of the 16 teams in the SEC are now Nike, so it’s exciting to be part of that.”

Zack Henderson, who came to the store with brother Caleb, father Gene and brother-in-law Evan Lusk, said he loved the new Nike apparel but held no ill will toward Under Armour.

Under Armour was USC’s athletics apparel provider for 19 years (2007-26).

“It’s like seeing a family member or old friends,” Henderson said. “It’s been with us, man, through the tough times, through the good times.”

Henderson said he’s noticed the much-discussed slightly brighter garnet hues of some products but he’s a fan of the new look. He thinks Nike also has time to adjust based on fan feedback.

“I like new colors,” Henderson said. “I’ve heard it took some time for Under Armour to dial that color in, and I’ve heard Nike might have to do the same. But I’m not a stickler on it if it’s a shade or two off. I think it looks clean. I think it looks good, looks strong.”

The biggest spender of the morning at USC’s on-campus store was Jessica Koumas, whose eight-item bill surpassed $500 as she shopped for herself, her two sons, two grandsons and two friends.

“No budget today,” Koumas said. “My boys ... they’re alumni and Carolina fans and they’re just like, ‘Make sure you get us some good Nike stuff.’”

Over on Assembly Street at Addams Gamecock Gear, which also opened at 7 a.m., there was a DJ, rally towels and exclusive shirts to celebrate their last major launch before moving to a new location.

Shopper August Potts, a longtime Gamecock fan, had already made a $300 dollar midnight order when the new products first became available. He still couldn’t resist an early trip to the store for a bit more.

“I have that instant gratification problem,” Potts said. “Instead of waiting on it to get shipped, I decided to come.”

Denzel Wright, who moved from Denver, Colorado to Columbia for work, said he hadn’t been a huge college football fan back home, much less a die-hard Gamecock fan.

Wright, however, is a longtime Nike customer and figured now was the perfect time to stock up and embrace some of his new city’s local culture.

“A lot my wardrobe is Nike anyway,” Wright said. “I’m excited to see throughout the seasons how they twist things up.”