Ohio retailers cash in on the Bengals Super Bowl run

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)–For apparel company Homage, a new NFL partnership means big business ahead of the big game.

“The NFL is a huge unlock. There’s a global ‘fanhood’ of the different NFL teams and we now get to access that,” said Nathan Okuley, the VP of Brand Marketing for Homage.

Local Bengals fans have been flooding Homage stores for weeks hoping to snag the latest items hot off the playoff press.

As Super Bowl, Sunday approaches the store’s inherent commitment to honoring the past that is attracting worldwide customers for the future.

“We saw the demand jump not just locally, but all over the country,” said Okuley.

Last month Homage announced an official licensing agreement with the NFL.

The boom in business continued as the Bengals moved deeper into the playoffs.

“We saw explosive growth,” Okuley said. “Bengals fans all over the place were reaching out to us saying, ‘How do I get the gear? Can you get it here in time for the next game?’”

For Okuley, a higher level of accountability comes with an NFL licensing agreement and creates a world of opportunities.

“Basically, gives us the opportunity to create products, so apparel in our world, that is officially NFL sanctioned,” Okuley said.

That means official team names, logos, and phrases are all fair game for the Columbus-based business.

“We’ve got some really cool designs. Homage is kind of known for a unique aesthetic,” Okuley said.

The Bengals trip to the Super Bowl is the first opportunity to capitalize on a hometown team’s success through the new deal.

Like it or not, Okuley said a lot of Rams fans are even heading to their website snatching up shirts before Sunday.

“At this point, it’s just all about making sure that shelves are stocked at our locations, that we’re getting people products in time for the big game,” says Okuley of the mad

While there are some restrictions for “Moment-in-Time” releases, Okuley assured that creative minds are already brewing ahead of the game.

“We’ve got designs we’ve been sitting on, and some ideas that we’ve been brewing on even prior to the playoff run,” Okuley said. “You can expect to see some newness coming.”

While you might not see the famous Homage “H” on the SoFi field in L.A., designers will be watching.

“We’re going to be active. We’ll be online, we’ll be on social media and we’re always looking for ways to engage and even grab ideas from what happens in the experience,” said Okuley.