Follow the Leaders

Felicia Ruiz, an account executive for the Atlanta, Georgia-based company affirmed this was a strategic move to ease customers’ ordering

in what has become a high-demand sector. “We have definitely seen an improvement in cheer/dance related product sales since the implementation of our Cheer Catalog. The same products were available before … but having all those related items in one place makes everything so much simpler,” she said.

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL

Thanks to their inherent aptitude for leading crowds (it’s historically proven, see first paragraph), cheer and dance teams are a natural starting point from which suppliers can create entire fan-gear programs. Product popularity has progressively extended to the parents on the bleachers, said Trollinger. Plus, “All booster clubs utilize these styles, [and] college bookstores and fraternities use them,” he added.

However, even in one big, happy family of team spirit, each contingent of wearer has distinct needs. Because of the athletic nature of cheerleading and dance, their accompanying apparel needs to incorporate performance elements. “Four-way stretch allows for increased mobility, and as you know, these girls are moving a lot during their competitions,” Trollinger said. “Also, the moisture-
wicking and antimicrobial properties work together in keeping the athlete cool and dry and to keep odor-causing microbes from growing,”
he affirmed.

Ruiz was also quick to point out that for squads especially, style is not to be sacrificed: “Cheerleaders and dancers are looking for the trendiest items to distinguish themselves from other teams/sports.”

By contrast, fan gear on the whole is a little more casual, and the category a little more broad. It can include crossover items such as hats, T-shirts and outerwear styles, as well as blankets and even “accessories,” such as crowd-enhancement props. Ruiz said, “Other fan wear is more focused on team names and colors.”