Caps gear nowhere to be found in local sports stores

On a recent trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods in Hagerstown, Md., I noticed some Orioles merchandise, Nationals gear and even a DC United T-shirt, but no Caps gear.

Confused, I stopped the nearest associate I could find and asked them why.

“Um, I just don’t think it sold that well the last time we had it in,” said Emily Cardone, a sales associate.

In fact, the Caps gear generated the fewest sales out of all the local sports teams they had in stock, according to manager Rod Bumbaugh.

“We had a few shirts and Ovechkin jerseys last season,” said Bumbaugh.

“We ended up having to reduce them to clearance and even then we had a hard time getting rid of them. If they do well this year then we’ll see, but unfortunately we just can’t stock them if they arn’t going to sell.”

Even a trip to the Sports Authority in Frederick, Md was in short supply on a recent trip and their associate said the same thing.

“It just doesn’t sell well, so we don’t stock it.”