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Steelers gear for the Goodwill shelves
Kristin Natale carries a rack of Steelers' discount clothing
S.C. Spangler/Tribune-Review
Paul Paterra can be reached via e-mail or at 724-836-6220.
"It was chaos (last year)," said Marcia Hellman, president of Mike Feinberg Co., located in Pittsburgh's Strip District. "We couldn't get the merchandise in fast enough. Last year, they were lined up out the door. Security guards closed Penn Avenue."
What a difference a year makes. Steelers merchandise started selling at a discount in many retail outlets after the team ended their lackluster season.
"The sale of Steelers merchandise is significantly lower at this point in time than last year when they were headed to the Super Bowl," said Jeff Hennion, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Dick's Sporting Goods in Pittsburgh. "(That's the case) for every NFL team. It's true across all leagues, but especially in the NFL at this time of year."
Steelers stuff just isn't moving, even at a discount.
"Steelers merchandise has not been as popular as it was," said Dick Roberts, spokesman for Giant Eagle, which is offering 50 percent off. "The majority ... will be stored for next season."
"It's nothing like last year," said Debbie Gaab, manager of Dan Natale's Sporting Goods, in the Norwin Towne Square. "Schools would have Steelers Spirit days. People would buy Steelers jerseys, hats. Each game they won, there was more and more being sold. New shirts would come out every week and everybody would want them."
"There's no comparison," said Dan Albert, owner of Tees-n-Tops, of Vandergrift. "We were completely inundated last year. It was just nonstop activity."
Jeff Schrader, owner of A Plus Sports, took over the Mt. Pleasant store in September. Although prices on some items were reduced as much as 50 percent, "it still didn't generate much interest."
Not seeing their team in the playoffs was a letdown for fans.
"You get used to being in the playoffs," said Harvey "Mr. Steeler" Aronson, editor of Steelers Hotline, a fan Web site. "It's more mellow than anything else. People are disappointed. It hit me about halfway through the season that we weren't going to be there. You miss it."
This year is much more low-key for Latrobe Mayor Tom Marflak, who last year made bets with mayors from other cities that host professional football training camps.
"Obviously, there's no excitement," Marflak said. "Last year was a lot of fun. We had a good time. It was great for the city and all the residents. It added a little more excitement to every playoff game and the Super Bowl."
Mayor Kevin D. Burke, of Terre Haute, Ind., personally delivered to Marflak what he lost in the wager when the Indianapolis Colts fell to the Steelers -- Terre Haute's local beer and Clabber Girl cleaning products.
In the Steelers' absence, Marflak admitted to favoring the Colts in this year's Super Bowl. He plans to call Burke to wish the team luck.
"I was rooting for them," Marflak said. "Hopefully, they'll have the same outcome as the Steelers."
