You win some, you lose some.
Modell’s shelled out $500k in now worthless Patriots AFC Champion apparel, which was put up in select stores the eve of the AFC Championship game.
The NFL prints gear for both teams in advance–but mostly, the loser’s stuff is kept far from shelves for this exact reason. The gamble of Modell’s wanting to have the gear in stores early failed after the Patriots lost to the Broncos 26-16.
“We took a tremendous risk, but you know what? People expect us to have the merchandise,” a source told the Boston Herald prior to the game. “We printed up everything: hats, shirts, T-shirts, novelties, pennants — you name it — for men, women, kids.”
The unsold merch will be donated to a third-world country, since it cannot be sold.
H/T Yahoo! Sports