Corporate
Getting to know you U SPORTS athletics staff: Marlena Stubbings, Victoria Vikes
U SPORTS apparel and merchandise will no longer be limited to student-athletes and national champions with the launch of a new online store.
Fans of the national brand of university sports in Canada, including friends and family of varsity athletes from coast to coast will now have the opportunity to buy their very own U SPORTS-branded clothing and accessories through the store, which was officially launched earlier this month. The move makes for easier purchase of U SPORTS items previously limited to championship events, due to the demand seen throughout the years since the introduction of the brand.
“Whenever the athletes are given merchandise through our championships, there’s a lot of parents and spectators that will contact us and ask us how they can make orders,” said Charonne Thomasos, U SPORTS Manager of International Games Operations, who also oversees U SPORTS’ merchandise profile. “There’s been a demand for it.”
The store currently features a selection of U SPORTS fan wear produced by Adidas and Levelwear from shirts and hoodies to hats, jackets and bags, as well as SummerSkates flip-flops. In addition, the store introduces a range of Team Canada merchandise to support U SPORTS student-athletes who represent our country on the international stage.
“The feedback has been great, especially in terms of the Canada merchandise,” Thomasos said. “It’s a way to support the teams that are travelling overseas for the World University Championships and the FISU Universiades. It’s a way to get behind Team Canada.”
The demand seen for the products to be available online shows a tremendous growth in support from all areas of Canadian university sport. While the option of wearing your school’s colours will always remain a fan favourite, a desire to support the country’s university athletes as a whole will now be a part of the fan experience.
Having U SPORTS wear available all year round creates the perfect buildup for the national championships, with nation-wide competition on the minds and clothing of fans, family, and supporters of Canadian university sport throughout the year. As this builds, so will the store, as the brand looks to introduce more sport-specific merchandise throughout the upcoming season.
In addition, the store will expand to introduce a greater presence of athletic wear and other equipment.
The official online store of U SPORTS can be found at shop.usports.ca. Place your orders now in time for the upcoming 2018-19 U SPORTS season, which begins with football kickoff on Friday, Aug. 24.