Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Vick items fly from shelf to storage
Store owners are putting away Michael Vick merchandise.
The latest from The Ticker blog
Photo by Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times
Michael Vick merchandise at 4-Sports Memorabilia includes ESPN magazines and an autographed No. 7 jersey. Store owner Jason Jones estimated he pulled at least $2,100 worth of Vick items from the shelves, but his potential loss is much more.
A framed, autographed picture of Michael Vick in a Virginia Tech uniform leans against the wall at Tanglewood Mall's 4-Sports Memorabilia store. The price tag is $1,000.
A shelf holds stacks of Sports Illustrated Vick posters at $350 each. Also displayed are magazines and football cards featuring the heroic No. 7.
But these items aren't in the window or a display case anymore. They're now gathering dust in the store's stockroom. It could be years before they emerge, if ever.
Jason Jones, owner of this Roanoke County shop, estimated Monday that he pulled at least $2,100 worth of Vick items from shelves. His total investment and potential loss in Vick merchandise is much more -- $20,000.
Jones and other sports retailers in the Roanoke Valley no longer are selling some of what was once among their hottest merchandise after Vick, a former Virginia Tech standout and Atlanta Falcons star, pleaded guilty to federal dogfighting charges. There have also been allegations that he funded gambling activity.
Vick's charges are a financial blow to the sports retail industry and particularly for local stores where Vick was a coveted figure.
"Nationwide [there are] millions of dollars in lost sales ... because of this," said Ernest Daniel, who owns B&C Sports Cards and Collectibles stores in Lynchburg and at Valley View Mall in Roanoke.
Over the next six months, Daniel expects the store to lose at least $25,000 to $30,000 on the Vick jerseys and autographed merchandise that he has removed from shelves and racks. He's still hoping to receive a refund for his Vick jerseys from his supplier, Reebok International.
Before the news of Vick's involvement in the dogfighting operation, Daniel could not keep Vick items on the shelf. For example, he sold 200 bobble-head Vick figures. "I couldn't give one away now," he said.
B&C's Valley View store still has a few Vick football cards for sale. Associates removed four Vick Atlanta Falcons jerseys Friday, after Vick pleaded guilty.
"We kind of supported the issue of innocent until proven guilty," Daniel said. "Now there's just so much negativity out there. ... We're getting a lot of negative feedback from customers. We don't want customers getting upset because we have his jerseys."
Similarly, comments from some angry customers led Jones to remove all Vick merchandise from his store last weekend. Vick's situation also has hurt sales of Falcons gear, even if the items don't mention Vick, Jones said.
This year's Christmas season could look different for Jones. Last year, children's No. 7 Vick football jerseys were his hottest-selling items.
Now all No. 7 jerseys are folded neatly in a box in the stockroom. Jones no longer is selling any merchandise with the No. 7 on it.
While Vick items are sparse at area retailers, some people are using the situation to sell crime-related merchandise on eBay, an Internet auction site. On Monday afternoon, a dog toy with a tag displaying a picture of a bulldog chasing Vick had 11 bids, with the highest at $50.
There also are a variety of T-shirts for sale, including one with a dog image and "Falcons Dog Pound" at the bottom. At the top, it states, "If you hate Vick give me a ruff ruff."
Criminal convictions have affected sales of memorabilia for past sports figures.
Take O.J. Simpson, a former NFL player who in 1995 was acquitted in the killing of his ex-wife and her friend.
Jones, who has worked in sports retailing since 1993, said there was a huge run-up on Simpson memorabilia after the crime, but the interest and sales soon died.
Recently, the value of Barry Bonds' rookie card has decreased, likely because of a federal indictment for tax evasion and alleged steroid use. According to Steve Shea, a store associate at B&C's Valley View store, Bonds' card now is worth $40, down from $60.
But hope springs eternal among sports memorabilia retailers, just as it does in fans. Daniel said he hopes "to rebound off of some good teams." A World Series win from the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees could help recover lost sales from Vick items this year, he said.
Also, strong NFL seasons from the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys or Pittsburgh Steelers could drive a sales burst. Merchandise for these teams are some of B&C's largest sellers.
Still, if the NFL reinstates Vick, which could be years from now, Jones said he'll sell some Vick merchandise again: "People deserve a second chance."
