Get Clemson championship gear at stores as soon as the game’s over — if the Tigers win
The wait will not be long for Clemson fans to get their hands on championship merchandise — if the Tigers beat the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Several sporting goods stores in South Carolina have the title gear in stock and are planning to sell it as soon as the College Football Playoff championship game is over. In most cases, that means reopening the stores once the title game is done.
But it would happen only if Clemson pulls off the upset and beats defending national champion Alabama. The Crimson Tide are a 5.5-point favorite to win, The State reported.
Select Academy Sports + Outdoors and DICK’S Sporting Goods have confirmed their plans to The State to reopen.
Both DICK’S locations in Columbia said they will close at the normal hour of 9:30 p.m., but will open their doors after the game is over to sell the Tigers’ gear. That could be either very late Monday, or extremely early Tuesday morning, depending on the length of the championship game.
One of the two Academy Sports + Outdoors in Columbia, the Sand Hills location, is planning to do the same should Clemson prevail. The other Academy store told The State it has the championship merchandise in stock and will begin selling it at the normal opening time of 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The merchandise available for sale will include “official Locker Room T-shirts and hats” similar to what the Clemson players will wear on the field should they win, WHNS reported.
Academy stores in Anderson, Easley, Greenville, Rock Hill and Spartanburg will also be participating in the bonus sales hours, according to the TV station.
The merchandise is inside boxes that read “Do not open. Hold for Clemson win,” WYFF reported.
But don’t expect to get a collectors’ item if Alabama wins.
Customer service associates at both Academy and DICK’S told The State that the Clemson gear is only for sale should the Tigers win. In the event of a loss, it will be shipped back to the manufacturer.
The losing team’s shirts and hats from the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball are generally donated “to the disadvantaged,” often in foreign nations, according to an MSN report.
This story was originally published January 7, 2019 at 4:59 PM.
