Charlotte Hornets racking up higher merchandise sales

CHARLOTTE — This week, the Charlotte Hornets tip off a new NBA season. And, with fans allowed back at 100% capacity for the first time in 19 months, they’re hoping those fans will want to make more purple-and-teal fashion statements along the way.

Last season, the emergence of rookie sensation LaMelo Ball and the fashion flair of limited-edition mint-green jerseys helped the Hornets boost sales despite pandemic-induced havoc.

Among other gains, the team:

• Increased game day sales per fan by 150% over 2019-20 at the arena team store, the highest in franchise history.
• Broke franchise online sales records with a jump of 180% over the previous year for HornetsFanShop.com and a gain of 110% for global gear sales on the Fanatics site.
• Finished the season with four players ranking among the top 100 in jersey sales: Ball, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. That is a first since the NBA returned to Charlotte in 2004.

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(WATCH BELOW: Hornets stay busy off the court serving community)

Hornets stay busy off the court serving community

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