No Vick jerseys at Dick's Sporting Goods

Michael Vick’s No. 7 Philadelphia Eagles jersey won’t be sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. as the largest publicly traded U.S. athletic store weighs public reaction to his return from a dogfighting prison term.

“We have not seen enough demand from Eagles fans to stock the jersey,” Jeff Hennion, chief marketing officer of the Pittsburgh-based retailer, said in an interview. “We have no problem stocking the jersey if the demand is there.”

Vick, 29, signed a two-year contract with the National Football League team last week following his May release after serving 18 months in prison for conspiring to run a ring that bought, trained and fought dogs in Virginia and other states. The NFL reinstated the quarterback in July.

Dick’s is tallying customer service calls, search queries on its Web site and inquiries at Philadelphia-area stores to gauge consumer interest in Vick’s jersey, said Hennion. The retailer has about 400 stores in 40 states.

Brian McCarthy, an NFL spokesman, declined in an e-mail to comment. The league is selling Vick jerseys through its nflshop.com online store, he said.

Adidas AG’s Reebok holds an exclusive agreement with the NFL to sell officially licensed apparel. A Reebok spokeswoman, Jenny Shanley, didn’t immediately return a voice-mail message seeking comment.
Hennion said Dick’s may decide later to begin stocking the Vick jersey.

CNBC reported the news earlier.

Dick’s added 63 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $20.11 at 12 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares rose 38 percent this year before today.

By Greg Bensinger • Bloomberg News • August 19, 2009