National Football League (NFL)

It’s closing time for Bebe Stores.   The struggling apparel retailer said on Wednesday, June 7, that it reached agreement with substantially all of its retail store landlords to terminate their existing leases. The cost to terminate the leases is estimated to be approximately $65 million.  

Wayfair has tapped into analytics with an unusual goal: to rank its most enthusiastic football fans ahead of the Super Bowl.    By using analytics to tap sales data of its NFL merchandise, Wayfair pinpointed its most enthusiastic team fan bases — and where they reside. The online retailer’s results are based on overall sales of licensed merchandise sold on its NFL Fan Shop during the 2016-2017 NFL season (Sept. 8, 2016-Jan. 15, 2017).  

Under Armour has brought its “brand house” interactive store format to Boston, opening a location at the Prudential Center.   With nearly 19,000-sq.-ft. of retail space across two floors, the store delivers an immersive, engaging brand experience enhanced by state-of-the-art digital displays designed to both inform and inspire.   

Just in time to kick-off the 2016 NFL season, the Carolina Panthers are giving fans another reason to cheer.   The defending NFC champions upgraded the Carolina Panthers Official Shop, the team’s official online store — a move that promises “to pro-vide Panthers fans worldwide with an exceptional online shopping expe-rience,” according to a company statement.   

Papa John’s is the most recognized brand among fans of the National Football League and the chain intends to keep it that way, announcing it had renewed its multiyear deal as the official pizza sponsor of the NFL and the Super Bowl.   In that regard, Papa John’s is permitted to use NFL logos in its advertising and conduct integrated marketing campaigns involving the NFL Kickoff event and the Pro Bowl in addition to the Super Bowl.   

The Hershey Company is moving its popular store in Manhattan’s Times Square to a much larger location.   The company will unveil a new Hershey’s Chocolate World flagship at 20 Times Square in late 2017. The new store will be three times larger than the existing Hershey’s store, which has been a major tourist attraction since it opened in 2002. It will also feature even more bells and whistles, including a state-of-the-art digital billboard.  

The NFL Experience has become well known as a primary attraction of Super Bowl week in the big game’s host city. Now the attraction will go permanent in a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil at 20 Times Square, a mixed-use Witkoff development that will house the 39-story Edition Hotel.  

American Family Association has called on its members to boycott Target Corp. over the chain’s decision to allow transgender employees and customers to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

The group said it had gathered 172,494 signatures on a boycott petition by mid-morning on Friday.

For many business owners, the ongoing feud for control of the Republican Party has largely come, unfortunately, at their expense.

Over the last 10 years or so we have witnessed the balance of power within the party shift from economic conservatives and the business community - to social conservatives and the interest groups that serve them. I have labeled this fight as one between the "suits" and the "boots." Over the last two election cycles, the boots have clearly demonstrated that they are in charge.

Retailers surely expect to move a lot of salty snacks and beer ahead of Super Bowl Weekend, but candles too?

That’s just one of the more interesting items a new survey reveals as the product categories most impacted by the big game. IRI released data detailing the sales lift of various food, beverage and consumer product categories in the run up to Super Bowl Sunday.