"I’ve never seen anything like this" - Deion Sanders' recent fame amazes Colorado management as sunglasses and merch sales hit an all-time high
Deion Sanders is doing the seemingly impossible: Turning the Colorado Buffaloes football program around. A team that went 1-11 last season is currently 3-0 and ranked No. 19 in the nation. The Buffaloes have also become a commercial success, being one of the most-watched teams in the 2023 season.
Coach Prime's personal gravitas and acumen have drawn the interest of the national media. ESPN and Fox have been to the Boulder campus to get reactions from Sanders. Per ESPN, 9.3 million people saw the Saturday encounter against rival school Colorado State.
Colorado famously hired Deion Sanders to a $29.5 million contract that the school reportedly didn't have the money to pay for. According to Front Office Sports, CU received $28 million in donations after the Week 1 upset over TCU.
The Buffaloes merchandise sales have skyrocketed by 819% compared to last season, proving Deion Sanders to be a sporting success and a commercial hit for the school.
Allison Hartel, the assistant director for marketing and outreach for the school's bookstores, recently told the Wall Street Journal:
"The Prime gear merchandise was definitely a hot seller and a big draw, I’ve never seen anything like this. … I really do hope all the momentum continues."
Last week's verbal duel between Sanders and Colorado State's Jay Norvell also became a financial hit for the coach. Norvell criticized Sanders's attire during public appearances, especially his use of sunglasses.
Turns out, Coach Prime's sunglasses line, "PRIME 21," launched in collaboration with Blenders Eyewear, received $1.2 million in pre-orders as of last Friday.
There's also been a rise of "It's personal" merchandise, inspired by a quote Shedeur Sanders said to his father halfway through the Nebraska game in Week 2. The star quarterback was quoting his father, who used the same phrase during his pre-game speech to the team.
Deion Sanders and Colorado face Oregon
For Week 4, the Buffaloes face their most serious challenge as they travel to Oregon to face Bo Nix and the No. 10 Ducks. They will have to do so without their two-way star player WR/CB Travis Hunter, who came down with a lacerated liver after a serious tackle by CSU's defensive back Henry Blackburn in Week 3.
If the Buffaloes win this game, they may creep into some people's playoff discussions.