Tacoma Rainiers Licensed Merchandise Sales Remain In MiLB Top 25
TACOMA, Wash. -- The Tacoma Rainiers once again landed on the list of Top 25 teams in licensed merchandise sales for 2016, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday. This marks the second consecutive year the Rainiers have cracked the prestigious Top 25 list.
After entering the Top 25 in 2015 for the first time since 1999, the Rainiers grew their merchandise sales by 29 percent to hold their spot among the group of top teams in Minor League Baseball in 2016.
"A few years ago, we bucked the trend - at least in our industry - and went traditional with the 'R' logo," Team President Aaron Artman said. "We married our brand with top apparel companies and designers from Nike, Columbia, and Under Armor. It's been fun to see things take off."
In March of 2015, the Rainiers revealed a new set of logo marks and additions to the club's uniform set. An updated version of the team's script logo, introduced in 1995, became the club's primary logo mark. A long-standing fan-favorite, the standalone "R" logo, became the team's secondary mark. These changes helped revitalize the Rainiers merchandise offerings to fans and catapulted the club's sales into the Top 25. From 2014 - prior to the brand refresh - to 2016, Rainiers merchandise sales grew a staggering 94 percent.
"We made a choice to move our clothing merchandise away from being just another ballpark souvenir to everyday apparel, and the reception has been incredible," Tacoma Rainiers Director of Merchandise and Baseball Operations Ashley Schutt said. "The fans' enthusiasm about our merchandise has allowed us to continue diversifying our options and develop a strong selection of one-of-a-kind items."
The merchandise sales Top 25 list is based on total licensed sales from January 1 - December 31, 2016, and includes all 160 teams from the domestic-based leagues that charge admission to their games.
Tacoma's Top 25 merchandise sales numbers are part of a greater trend of business successes from the club that helped secure the 2017 CHI Franciscan Health Triple-A All-Star Game, which will be hosted at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington on Wednesday, July 12.
Single-game tickets, season ticket options, group outings, and suite packages for the Rainiers 2017 season are available now and can be purchased by calling the Tacoma Rainiers front office at (253) 752-7707, online at www.tacomarainiers.com, or in person at the Cheney Stadium Box Office. The most up-to-date news and notes about the Rainiers leading up to and throughout the 2017 season can be found by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand) and liking the team on Facebook.