Michigan State Fans Buying Jackrabbit Gear

The town of Brookings is buzzing as both the men's and women's SDSU basketball teams get ready to dance in the NCAA tournament.  Jackrabbit gear has been flying off the shelves at the campus bookstore, but it's not just Jackrabbit faithful hopping on the SDSU bandwagon.

From t-shirts to hats to sweatshirts, Jackrabbit gear at the SDSU bookstore on campus is selling fast.

"Usually I end up getting a sweatshirt, but today I'm supporting the Jacks and getting a water bottle and sweatshirt.  The whole shebang," SDSU freshman Kaylee Schirado said.

In the downstairs shipping area, workers have been busy boxing up orders, getting ready to mail them out.

"One of the interesting things is just where you see everything going.  We track that and it's all over the country," Bookstore Marketing Coordinator Stephen Brua said.

Brua says internet traffic to the bookstore's website has doubled and some of those orders are from alumni now living in Michigan. 

"We've had a couple of fans who want to make sure they get everything for Thursday, so what they're doing is paying $50 for overnight shipping just for some t-shirts," Brua said.

They say the two most requested items in the bookstore are hats and t-shirts.  Since appearing on ESPN, the sales have quadrupled.  Because the SDSU men play Michigan, some of the requests for Jackrabbit gear have actually been coming from Michigan's instate arch rival.

"We've actually have had some people, Michigan State fans calling in," Brua said. "Michigan and Michigan State are playing in the same arena, so what the people are doing, buying some stuff so they can go to that game and cheer against Michigan." 

Meaning, the SDSU men's team will have a lot of fans, even if some of blue and yellow faithful can't be there in person.  

"Yeah, I wish I was going," Schirado said.

Brua says they have more t-shirts on order to help recognize both the men's and women's teams for making it to their respective NCAA Tournaments that read, "It takes 2 to dance."