Play ball! April comps to get Fan Central boost

Opening day for Major League Baseball is April 5, and Target was on its promotional game this past weekend featuring assortments of MLB licensed products in its weekly ad.

In stores, the offering of men’s, women’s and kids MLB apparel, hats and accessories is merchandised adjacent to the sporting goods department under the prominent Fan Central banner. In the past, thanks to regionally correct offerings of team gear, Target has highlighted the effectiveness of the Fan Central program. That could be the case again this spring if unseasonably warm weather holds throughout Northern states and provides a boost to April sales, which also stand to benefit from Easter, a holiday now said to rival Halloween in terms of candy sales. However, apparel products offer better margins than candy, even after manufacturers pay MLB licensing fees, so right about now everyone at Target’s Minneapolis headquarters is a baseball fan eager to see the typically strong opening day turnout extend into the season and spur demand for Fan Central gear.