Do Leaf fans go to Roots to solely buy Leafs gear? No, but they might while they're shopping because it's AVAILABLE. The same could be said as a Sens fan who was shopping there and noticed Sens gear for sale. Did that really need to be explained?
However, imo it's more about representing/respecting the City you live/do business in.
And just to clarify, I'm not mad at Roots for doing it or anything like that (although I would have liked to hear that they had Sens gear as well), I'm just more surprised that some of you can't see why the people made the comments (or even that some are criticizing people for making them). It's not like they were outside picketing the store. They just pointed it out to their twitter/the staff.
I understand and even sympathize. Just thought it might be a consideration of the managers at Roots.
Point taken though about Roots having quality merch. Don't much care for it myself but there's no question on that score. That by itself would give them a distinctive angle to market NHL gear from a number of Canadian teams that would distinguish them from something like the Sens Store.
John mentioned the real issue being "who the F is buying NHL merch right now anyway?". Perhaps (perhaps) the good people at Roots have done a quick market analysis and determined that the only team worth manufacturing anything for at present is Toronto.
For other Canadian teams like Ottawa (probably especially Ottawa) it's just another reminder that the Leafs are "Canada's Team" whatever the heck that means. It's right that that should stick in their craw (not gonna lie, it makes me gag a little) but it may be purely a business thing. Sometimes businesses just don't give a **** - not always because they don't care but because they don't know they should be caring.
If this little scenario that I've built in my own head is at all close to the truth, maybe, if you guys complain loud enough, Roots will have to change their business plan.
