So far there hasn’t been much enthusiasm for football and the World Cup in Switzerland, and that hasn’t changed much since the opening game. This may be due to ongoing criticism of Qatar as to the location or unusual date of the event. Who likes to buy a new World Cup jersey when he has to hide it under his sweater and winter jacket for his favorite team?
Additionally, there are far fewer public viewings than when the event is held in the summer. And for your own seat, the 2020 national kit edition, ie the latest European Football Championship kits, is usually sufficient. This is also felt by sporting goods retailers, who are less overwhelmed than in previous years by original vests or fan shirts. World Cup kits threaten to be slow sellers? Initial assessment is mixed.
Brazil is in demand as always
While ordering the jerseys, most sports retailers were still optimistic, with few adjusting the number of jerseys purchased downwards. Like Stephan Heiniger (64), owner of the sports shop of the same name at Lyss BE: “We speculated that one jersey or the other would be given away at Advent at Christmas. So we got the same amount we got at previous world or European championships.” The initial result is pathetic: “We sell 50 percent fewer shirts than usual,” says Heiniger. “There is no trace of football enthusiasm.”
With one exception: “The jerseys of the Brazilian national team are selling well as always, better than the jerseys of the Swiss national team.” This probably has something to do with Seleçao being one of the biggest favorites of the world title.
Mail-order company Digitec Galaxus isn’t feeling any World Cup enthusiasm either. On the contrary: fewer national kits were sold in October than a year ago, when Qatar tickets were in question during the critical phase of World Cup qualifiers. One hope remains: if the Swiss national team makes it to the round of 16, it could trigger a boom like it did when sales exploded four years ago.
winter products on sale
SportXX, Migros’ specialist retail chain, is also cautious: When asked if it’s hard to predict, Blick says: “There probably isn’t a World Cup record when it comes to selling fan articles. Of course, that factor always depends on the success of the national team.” According to reports, SportXX has pulled back a bit this year when it comes to buying business.
The unusual staging time has caused many suppliers to expand their product range: For the first time, thick scarves and, above all, woolen hats are offered at a football World Cup. This also applies to 11teamsports: “We have already sold several thousand kits and are very happy with the start,” writes the specialist retailer from Zurich. 3 best-selling kits: ahead of Switzerland, Argentina and Brazil.
Ochsner Sport, the “official fan shop” of the Swiss national team, also sees no drop in sales: “To date, sales of Swiss jerseys have been comparable to figures achieved in previous major tournaments,” he said. on request. Winter products with the Swiss logo also sell well.