By Hadassa Kalatizadeh
On Friday, the Yankees, Major League Baseball, and Nike announced a new merchandise agreement allowing several Yankees retail stores in the Bronx to stay in business. NY’s MLB team signed a new contract with Nike permitting several mom-and-pop stores near the ball park to continue selling the franchise’s branded merchandise, as per Crain’s NY.
In the old agreement, the Bombers had announced an exclusive deal with Nike for the sale of their official merch. As per News 12, that deal would have gone into effect on January 1st, prohibiting the sale of Yankees-themed apparel by anyone not in the “premium distribution points”. This would have put eight stores on River Avenue out of business, some of which have been in business for three generations. The stores in jeopardy included: Ballpark Sports, D & J Variety, Home Plate, Pinstripe Collectibles, Sammy’s, S & A Sports, Stadium Souvenirs and Stan’s Sports World.
The exclusivity would have left approximately 100 employees out of work. Local leaders and politicians applied public pressure to reverse the deal, and the Yankees went to bat for the store owners to land a new deal. “We are happy to announce today that Nike will restore these businesses within the new contract agreement, as premium distributors,” said Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, who represents the neighborhood. “Nike demonstrated that they were receptive to our concerns and began negotiations with MLB to restore these businesses to their licensed business development strategy.”
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Councilwoman Diana Ayala also praised the revised deal. “I am pleased to learn that the New York Yankees, Nike and Major League Baseball were receptive to public pressure to do the right thing, and have heeded the concerns of our business community in the area surrounding Yankee Stadium”, said Diaz. “As one of the richest sports franchises in the world, it was incumbent on the Yankees to do what was right and protect this small business community that almost exclusively caters to their fan base,” Diaz continued.
“We are pleased that Nike and Major League Baseball expeditiously moved to address this issue,” the Yankees said in a statement. “Constructive dialogue that was initiated by our local council members and partners in the business improvement district led us to urge Nike and Major League Baseball to work together on a solution that recognized the needs of those who live in the neighborhood surrounding Yankee Stadium. We are heartened by the swift resolution that will allow local business owners to continue to sell a wide variety of Yankees merchandise.” Adding, “The South Bronx is our home, and we take pride in being a productive member of our community.”
