JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars gear is in high demand now that the team is officially AFC South Champions.
Fans are grabbing up jerseys, shirts, hats, and whatever they can get their hands on in anticipation of next weekend’s game.
It’s an emotional day for Matt Smith — the owner of Sports Mania in Jacksonville Beach — where Jags merchandise is selling like hotcakes.
“Jacksonville thank you for everything that you have done,” Smith said. “I’m eating my breakfast trying to hold the store together. You guys have been amazing. I am literally in tears.”
Fans arrived as soon as the shop opened to get their hands on Jaguars’ gear.
“The ham eggs and potato are in the oven right now,” Jim Schmid, a Sports Mania customer, said. “We’re down here getting some stuff for the Jags and Eagles and we’re ready to go!”
“I got two teams that I want in the Superbowl my Buffalo Bills and the Jags,” Bill Curry, a Sports Mania customer, said.
There’s already a big demand for championship merchandise. That’s what brought Jared Pankhurst and his son Riley into the store, they drove 16 hours from Maryland to watch the Jags play live in person at TIAA Bank field.
“I felt like I was run over by a truck after, but I was so happy — there were strangers hugging us,” Jared and Riley Pankhurst said. “It was weird but it was good! It was electric!”
Unfortunately, the father-son-duo is going home without champion gear. Shipments don’t arrive at Sports Mania until Wednesday and by the look of it — it is going to go fast.
Fans can also purchase AFC South Division Champions gear online at the Jaguars.com shop, the NFL Shop, Fanatics, and more.