South Bend Cubs ranked among top 10 in merchandise sales nationwide
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Minor League Baseball (MiLB) announced today that the South Bend Cubs of the Midwest League have entered the top 10 in merchandise sales among all 160 professional minor league teams in the nation. Top 10 status is considered one of the strongest symbols of fan affinity and association for any professional team.
"When we announced the Chicago affiliation in September of 2014, I talked about the Cubs as one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the world," said Andrew T. Berlin, owner of the South Bend Cubs. "We knew fans in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan had a historic bond with Chicago. But even we were surprised at the level of enthusiasm witnessed for this South Bend team all across the country. Not only can you feel the enthusiasm at Four Winds Field, you can see it in all 50 states where fans are increasingly wearing South Bend Cubs merchandise in record numbers."
South Bend Cubs merchandise is marketed to fans across the country and around the globe 24 hours a day at SouthBendCubs.com. International sales to-date include Canada, New Zealand, Saint Croix and Sweden.
"It's an exciting barometer of success," added Joe Hart, President of the South Bend Cubs. "When you see someone in Niles, Fort Wayne, Minnesota, Alaska or one of the four nations around the globe where our logo-wear is being purchased, you realize our South Bend team is now part of a global brand."
As a Cubs affiliate, the team sold more merchandise during its first month of sales in December 2014 than all merchandise sales combined for the previous two years. Team store hours have been expanded since that time.
"It's also exciting to see staff and players for the Cubs organization in Chicago wearing some of our South Bend logo-wear," added Hart. "Obviously, it's a choice. And I think their choice has a lot to do with preserving the legendary Cubs logo while adding a distinctive South Bend flair at the same time."
"This is also another financial success story for the city," added Berlin. "South Bend keeps all of the state income tax on merchandise sales from the team because the South Bend Cubs are a professional team. Normally, that tax money goes directly to Indianapolis for the general fund. But the city benefits from something called the Professional Sports Development Fund and is allowed to keep all of the sales tax income. So, the more merchandise sold here and around the world, the more the city of South Bend earns."
About Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball clubs through their farm systems. Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information about Minor League Baseball, visit www.MiLB.com.
About the South Bend Cubs About the South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs are a Class A minor league team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. Over the past 28 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2005, and has captured 12 division titles. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose sole shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.