Royals championship T-shirts, caps, merchandise go on sale

The Kansas City Royals clinched the American League Central division title, and at least one retailer planned to reopen Thursday night to cash in fans’ hunger for championship gear.

Academy Sports + Outdoors said its Overland Park, Olathe, Belton and Topeka stores will reopen to sell the championship merchandise.

Boxes of the Royals American League Central Championship T-shirts have arrived at the stores. The stores will remain open until the last customer is served or the championship gear is sold out.

The company said new shipments will arrive daily as long as there’s a demand for the products.

Dick’s Sporting Goods said in an email that its Independence, Ward Parkway, Olathe, Zona Rosa, Merriam, Lee’s Summit, Leawood and Liberty stores would stay open pending the Royals clinching Thursday night.

Officials with Rally House couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.

Meanwhile, fans at Kauffman Stadium will be able to get championship gear. A limited supply of hats and T-shirts will be available at the stores throughout stadium, said Brett Salzenstein, director of merchandise at Kauffman Stadium.

The Majestic Team Store, the store behind home plate, will have the widest and largest assortment of championship merchandise, Salzenstein said.

The store will have several styles of hats, T-shirts, hooded-sweat shirts, bats, pennants and pins, he said.

The store will stay open as late as the fans are there. For diehard fans who couldn’t attend the game, they could access the store from outside the stadium. But because of the volume of fans leaving the stadium, Salzenstein said the best bet would be to wait for the store to open early Friday.

“If the Royals clinch tonight, we will be reopening at 6 a.m. for the general public,” Salzenstein said.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Royals championship T-shirts, caps, merchandise go on sale."