Villanova gear soars along with its basketball team

Villanova University breaking its Sweet 16 drought has been a windfall for area retailers, from Modell's to the on-campus bookstore.

Since the Wildcats' upset over Kansas on Saturday to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, top-sellers such as the $24 "I Wanna Party Like It's 1985" short-sleeve T-shirt are moving fast. The shirt refers to the last time Villanova won the national championship.

Extra shipments of many items arrived Tuesday at sports retailers throughout the region, some of whom extended their hours to meet the demand this week.

A large FedEx shipment arrived at Villanova University Shop just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, containing hats and T-shirts.

There was close to a stampede after the shipment arrived, said Cadence Smith, the bookstore's general merchandise manager.

"It was driven by word of mouth with students, saying, 'I heard you have it,' " Smith said. "Whatever it was. They were just flooding in.

"Everything sold out within 90 minutes," she said.

Among the top sellers was the 1985 shirt with "Come on, Jay, Let's Do This" on the back - a reference to Villanova head coach Jay Wright.

Other items that went fast were the South Regional Championship short-sleeve T-shirt from Nike for $26; the Final Four short-sleeve T-shirt for $22; and the 2016 NCAA regional championship hat for $24.

Wildcats merchandise also is breaking national records. Sales are up 450 percent since Sunday, compared with the same days last week, according to Fanatics.com, a national online sports apparel retailer.

Villanova is now the third best-selling school for merchandise since the tournament began, according to the online company, behind the University of North Carolina and Syracuse University.

Villanova University Bookstore is staying open an extra hour this week, operating from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday, it will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., instead of the usual 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday is up in the air. "It depends on the game," Smith said.

Villanova will take on Oklahoma at 6:09 p.m. Philadelphia time Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Smith said the Nova items will all be replenished Wednesday. "We will just keep ordering all the way through until they win the championship game," she said confidently. "Then we really let all the orders go out."

Rally House, a specialty local sports apparel store, opened at 8 a.m. on Sunday - two hours early - after Nova sealed the Final Four deal, and immediately began selling Villanova Wildcats Final Four products at all six of its locations in the Philadelphia region.

Sales have been slower in recent years because the team hasn't been to the Final Four since 2009.

Kansas-based Rally House CEO Aaron Liebert said, "Villanova has had a tremendous year, and we are excited for their return to the Final Four."

At Schuylkill Valley Sports, which has 18 stores in the region, calls and walk-ins since Sunday have been robust, said Tom Varrone, retail manager at the store at Plymouth Meeting Mall.

Not too far away, at Modell's at the King of Prussia mall, an extra shipment of Final Four locker room T-shirts, $26 a piece, came in midafternoon Tuesday and went fast.

Ryan Mason, 21, of Holland, bought a $26.99 Villanova Final Four-bound T-shirt from Rally House in Fairless Hills just after noon Tuesday.

"I plan to wear this on Saturday," said Mason, who has been a Nova fan since high school, proudly holding up his shirt.

Mason's family has ties to Villanova star point guard Ryan Arcidiacono.

Mason's father, Skip, coached Arcidiacono at Neshaminy High School, and attended high school with Jay Wright.

"During the Kansas game, I got goose bumps, because I know Ryan going to practices with my dad," Ryan Mason said. "I'm definitely happy to see him end his college career on top."

sparmley@phillynews.com

215-854-4184 @SuzParmley