Wednesday, August 6, 2003
Russell loses bid for MLB uniform contract
Associated Press
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. -- Russell Corp. will not provide
uniforms to Major League Baseball teams after 2004, having lost its
bid for the contract to Majestic Athletic.
Majestic, based in Pennsylvania, will be the sole supplier of
uniforms worn by the 30 teams after the 2004 season, the league
said Tuesday. Russell has a contract to make uniforms for 15 teams
through 2004; Majestic has the contract for the other 15.
"We made what we thought was an exceptional offer," Russell
spokeswoman Nancy Young told The Birmingham News. "It would not
have been sound business to increase it."
Sales of apparel with Major League Baseball logos, which Russell
will lose as a result of the deal, account for only 1 percent of
company sales, Young said.
But Russell sells thousands of youth and high school baseball
uniforms and can no longer bill itself as official supplier of
uniforms to the sport's greatest players.
Russell supplies uniforms to 180 NCAA Division I teams. Its
subsidiary, Spalding, also provides game balls to volleyball and
basketball leagues.
Russell has been concentrating on acquiring sporting goods and
athletic apparel makers as rivals have offered to pay more for the
right to supply game uniforms and sell replicas.
