Business & Tech
Giants Fans Support Their Team
Giants Fans stayed up late and got up early in order to get the latest NFC Championship gear.
Moments after the Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers for a trip to the Super Bowl, employees at Dick’s Sporting Goods on Route 18 were ready.
In anticipation of the win, Dick’s announced that it would stay open late (1 a.m.), and open early (6 a.m.) to meet the hat and T-shirt needs of ravenous Giants fans. However, even the special hours weren’t enough, said store employees.
“We had to open up five minutes earlier this morning because I had people waiting outside,” said Liz Kreher, softlines manager at the Route 18 Dick’s. “I had one guy covered head to toe in Giants gear, all in royal blue.”
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The customers were still rolling in hours later, even die hard fans.
“I’m usually one of the people here at midnight,” said customer Ryan Ciampa, at about 8 a.m. Monday. “I was more nervous this year than any other time I remember watching.”
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With a stack of NFC Championship caps in one hand, Ciampa said he’s been a long time Giants fan, and remembers watching Giants/49ers playoff games in the 80s. On Monday though, he only had thoughts of one other team, the New England Patriots, who the Giants will face on Feb. 5.
“I’m not big on predictions, I’m very superstitions,” he said. “But I really think we’re going to win. I really, really think we’re going to win.”
Kreher, who is a Saints fan, said she was here in 2007-08 when the Giants last went to the Super Bowl, and she has fond memories of seeing all the fans stop by following those games.
“I’m really happy the local team is in. If my team isn’t going I’ll root for the local team,” she said. “I went for them last time. It was so exciting. It happens so rarely, you remember it a long time. The customers are so happy because their team is winning. It’s special.”
Should the Giants win the Super Bowl in two weeks, Dick's representatives say they will have the same hours.
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