Anthony Maracciolo loves seeing the Buffalo Sabers and Buffalo Bills win — and not just because he’s a fan.
Marasciulo, owner of Buffalo Gift Emporium, said online sales and customer numbers at his stores in Tonawanda and Williamsville increase significantly the day after the win.
But with the Bills going through some struggles this season and the Sabers having a disappointing start, those wins have fallen far short of what fans expected this offseason.
“We absolutely do better when the Bills and Sabers are doing well and no one is tougher than us,” BFLO Store Owner Nate Mroz said.
Steve Eglin of Lockport examines some Bills and Sabers socks on display at the BFLO store on Transit Road in Clarence, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.
Derek Gee/Buffalo News
However, despite the fragile economy, rising interest rates and fears of an impending recession, people inside and outside Western New York are still shopping for the latest Buffalo sports equipment, dealers say.
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“With everything going on in the world today, you would think there would be a decline, but sales are strong and get stronger when Buffalo teams do better,” Maracciolo said. “When there’s an ugly loss, the topic of conversation with people in the store is, ‘That was a tough game, I don’t know if I should buy this?’
While Buffalo fans are known for their loyalty to their teams through thick and thin, it’s undeniable that their purchasing habits can change based on the success of their city teams.
That’s why the last two Sundays have been so big for stores selling Bills merchandise.
After the Bills held off their AFC rival Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 10 in a 20-17 game, business owners who depend on selling Bills gear, especially around the offseason, let out a collective sigh of relief. The team kept its playoff hopes alive and kept fans eager to buy Bills merchandise heading into Christmas. The team followed that win with a convincing 31-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to improve to 8-6.
“Since the win over the Chiefs, there’s definitely been more of a feeling of, ‘OK, we can still get Bills stuff for Christmas,'” Mroz said.
Wins certainly tend to change the mood around Dave & Adams Card World, a 40,000-square-foot store in Williamsville that offers not only sports cards and autographed memorabilia but also T-shirts, apparel and merchandise.
A Billy Buffalo snow globe is among countless memorabilia at the BFLO store on Transit Road in Clarence, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.
Derek Gee/Buffalo News
“Mondays after a Bills win are always great for our store…from a retail perspective,” said Chris Bandura, director of athlete relations at Dave & Adams. “Bills and Sabers items will always be popular with fans, but we want the teams to perform well, especially this holiday season.”
Sales at many of these stores have also been boosted by the introduction of unique Buffalo sports-themed products and increased interest in Sabers and Bandits merchandise beyond jerseys and hats.
Anything Josh Allen continues to be a bestseller – whether it’s jerseys, calendars, headers or bunting. Customers are also highly interested in items from Bills star receiver Stefon Diggs and rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid.
For the Sabers, interest is strong in players like Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Devon Levi.
Swordsmen and Bandits items pick up some power
The Bills remain king when it comes to sales, but the Sabers are starting to close the gap.
In recent years, swords have returned to the radar in Buffalo sporting merchandise, Mroz said.
Despite the slow start, there is growing excitement from the younger players on the team, and last season’s reintroduction of the goat’s head on the third jersey has been a game-changer, said Mroz, who owns stores at Transittown Plaza in Williamsville and Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga. and McKinley Mall in Hamburg.
Sales associate Maddy Graham checks on a customer at the BFLO store on Transit Road in Clarence, Thursday, December 14, 2023.
Derek Gee/Buffalo News
“In 2005 and around that time when the Sabers were really good, they were outpacing the Bills with a lot of buyouts, and now again you’re starting to see the gap getting closer as there’s more excitement with the younger Sabers players and their players and their availability has helped,” Bandura said. and social media content to grow their profile with younger audiences.”
Marasciulo also began offering more Sabers merchandise this year.
“Obviously the Bills are the real moneymakers, but there’s definitely a new love for the Sabres,” he said.
Totally Buffalo Store co-owner Mary Friona Celani has also seen a spike in sales of Bandit merchandise and orange and black Bandit-themed products, from hair ties and mugs to T-shirts. The Bandits recently started the 2023-24 season and are coming off a championship season.
About 100 Buffalo Sabers fans participated in a “fan cookout” Wednesday night inside the Lexus Club at KeyBank Center. They were asked to provide feedback on several arena menu items as part of a new Delaware North initiative to give sports fans at the venues they serve a more active voice in the food and beverage experience.
“Anything in the Bandits colors burns. People really like the Bandits,” she said. “They’re our only heroes right now and it’s really fun to go to those games.”
Online sales are growing
Friona Celani said the growth in online sales has been a boon for these stores.
“We ship all over the country all day, every day,” she said. “We try to reach out to people from all over to try to let them know we’re here and what we have, and they eat everything.”
And it’s not just Buffalo expats spread across the United States and Canada who buy products online. Studies have shown that there are between 9 million and 11 million people outside of Western New York who identify as Bills fans.
“That’s more than the entire population of Western New York. You don’t want to not be able to reach these people,” Mroz said.
However, it’s still in-store sales that drive this organization’s bottom line the most.
“I think people still want things to be in their hands to look at, and we saw that this holiday season,” Bandura said.
According to Mroz, in-store sales outpace online sales about 10 to 1.
A Buffalo Bills holiday ornament is among countless memorabilia at the BFLO store on Transit Road in Clarence, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.
Derek Gee/Buffalo News
More than t-shirts and hats
One item that has been a big hit this holiday season in many local stores is a small blue and red illuminated ceramic Christmas tree. Friona Celani said she has been shipping them nationwide since they came out a few weeks ago.
“I thought it was something different,” said Friona Celani, who owns stores in Orchard Park, Tonawanda and Niagara Falls. “We have a lot of Christmas-themed things, but I wanted to offer something that people could own for years, where they dig up each year and think about what a great place Buffalo could be.”
Buffalo Gift Emporium has had success selling an extra-large Bills hat with a foam liner inside called the Noggin Boss, a “Shark Tank” invention that Allen has worn this season during television appearances. Other popular items in the store include Bills jogging pants, Sherpa jackets and Buffalo plaid overalls.
“We look everywhere for unique items simply because in a market like Buffalo, where there is an imbued love for Buffalo sports, having a unique item is definitely beneficial,” Maracciolo said.
It helps to be partnered with Josh Allen. But only a few local businesses can say they’re associated with — or can afford — the Buffalo Bills’ star quarterback to promote their products.
As the “Official Retailer of the Bills and Sabres,” the BFLO Store carries a large variety of items representing the teams, including a holiday assortment featuring more than 100 ugly Christmas ornaments and sweaters, including one centered on a goat’s head Sabers in black and white. Red shirts and old starter jackets.
The jerseys have been a strong seller, along with autographed photos, pucks and mini helmets, at Dave and Adam’s.
“Gone are the days when you could just throw some stuff into a store and try to sell it at holiday time,” Mroz said. “You have to make sure your store is a destination.”
As we enter the holiday season, the success of Buffalo’s sports teams could have a significant impact on local businesses and holiday sales. With dedicated sports fans eager to celebrate their team’s victories, a winning streak by Buffalo’s sports teams could lead to increased spending on team merchandise, game tickets, and dining and entertainment options in the city. The excitement and energy of a victorious sports season could also boost community morale and create a positive atmosphere for holiday shopping and festivities. As the city rallies behind their teams, the potential economic impact of these wins on holiday sales is not to be overlooked.