It’s showtime for KC makers as demand for Super Bowl gear hits the jackpot: Go BTS with Charlie Hustle
January 30, 2024 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Even though the Kansas City Chiefs are headed to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years, Jordan Betts shared, fans are still snatching up merchandise like it’s the first time.
Charlie Hustle’s “Showtime in Vegas” tee awaits folding for an online order; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“These aren’t even winning-the-Super Bowl shirts,” said Betts, communications manager for Kansas City-based Charlie Hustle, referencing the apparel brand’s newly debuted “Showtime in Vegas” tee. “But fans are wanting this design like we already won the Super Bowl. That’s the kind of numbers we’re doing, which is madness to me.”
SHOP NOW: Here are 20+ must-see additions to your KC closet (Super Bowl edition)
The Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, setting the stage for the Feb. 11 Super Bowl rematch against the San Francisco 49ers. But by Tuesday afternoon, the “Showtime in Vegas” T-shirt was already sold out online, Betts said.
Next comes the shipping rush, she added, noting it was all hands on deck Tuesday at Charlie Hustle’s headquarters to get orders out as quickly as possible.
KC Heart Hands Tee from Charlie Hustle
“Our COO, our head of licensing, our head of finance, everyone is folding shirts right now to be shipped off for online packaging,” Betts explained. “So it’s a whole team effort. It’s absolutely madness. We have hundreds and hundreds of orders that we have to go through.”
“Not only did we do these new shirts, we also had the (Travis Kelce-inspired and now sold-out) KC Heart Hands shirts from last week and we had a ginormous sale Monday and Tuesday,” she said.
A limited quantity of the “Showtime in Vegas” tees were available Tuesday at Charlie Hustle’s storefront on the Country Club Plaza. Long-sleeved, crewneck and youth versions are still in stock online — for now.
Chiefs-inspired apparel sits ready for shoppers at Charlie Hustle’s Plaza storefront; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Betts also teased the possibility of another design before the Super Bowl.
The “Showtime in Vegas” piece was in the works for weeks before Sunday’s Chiefs victory, she acknowledged.
“The second they won, it was on our website,” Betts said. “Then we called our printers, ‘Hey, start printing this ASAP. We actually drove to Lawrence — where our printers are — Monday just to pick up the first few boxes, so we could send out the first few hundred. People are loving our Vegas shirts so much.”
Chiefs- and Super Bowl-inspired shirt designs from across the spectrum of KC makers; Click here for 20+ must-see additions to your KC closet
Charlie Hustle isn’t alone among brands that pounced on the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run as an opportunity to tap into fans’ appetite for fresh gear. Brands from across the metro went live early this week with apparel and other products featuring everything from nods to the iconic Las Vegas sign to the Chiefs new role as villains to Taylor Swift’s first Super Bowl.
“Whether you are a bakery, a jewelry company, or a clothing company, it is our Super Bowl time right now,” Betts said. “This is a ginormous opportunity for people to support small businesses, because this is just so huge for us. We can try to compete with the big companies, but it does so much good for us when our local teams win, whether it’s KU, K-State, the Royals, and now it’s the Chiefs the past couple of years.”
“I wish I could just hug every single (Chiefs player) and tell them thank you — not only for giving us this opportunity — but for just such a great atmosphere in our community,” she added.
@charliehustleco We’ve been to the big game so many times, it’s practically a residency! Viva Las Vegas, KC! #KansasCity #fyp #football #LasVegas #KCFootball ♬ …Ready For It? – Taylor Swift
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
LISTEN: Startup bites into early cancer detection for dogs
On this episode of Startland News’ new Plug and Play Topeka founder podcast series, we meet Preston Williams — founder of ProPetDx — whose company is giving veterinarians a powerful new way to detect disease in pets before symptoms appear. From the spark of an idea to building high-definition diagnostics, our guest shares how science, data,…
Advocates push Latino entrepreneurs to urgent action in the face of ‘innovation churn,’ civil rights challenges
Latino entrepreneurs are a powerful force in America’s economy, leaders emphasized Thursday from the UnidosUS stage, but systemic barriers continue to keep many from achieving financial freedom, they lamented. “Our superpower is an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Ruby Azurdia-Lee, president and CEO of Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES), speaking during the UnidosUS Annual Conference’s closing…
River Market’s iconic ‘Trolley Tom’ reopening with grab-and-go deli menu, specialty cocktails
A new grab-and-go eatery is rolling into River Market, filling a hole left when Donutology shuttered operations inside “Trolley Tom” — the circa 1947 Kansas City streetcar permanently parked at 426 Delaware in the popular retail and entertainment district. Car No. 551 is scheduled to open by mid-September with deli offerings and and drinks by…
KC on top: Hat maker’s best-seller spotted on ‘GMA,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ as brand shapes its national profile
Sandlot Goods wears the spotlight well, said Thomas McIntyre, noting each high-profile media close up of its signature dad hat is another step toward establishing Kansas City’s only hat manufacturer as a national brand. After being featured on the “Made In America Christmas” segment of ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, Sandlot was again…