The SU basketball team has beaten yet another top-25 team in #10 Florida, and "Orange Mania" is in full force. The 'Cuse is 9-0 to start the season and on the verge of the top 5 in the polls, and fans want to sport the gear to support their team. The owners of Manny's on Marshall St. and Papa's Sports on the northside of Syracuse say that anytime the Orange is on a roll, sales are way up. Add in the fact that the holiday season typically brings higher sales anyway, then you have a perfect storm of big time profits for local apparel stores.
"You know, we needed this at this time of the year. It has been a big boost to us and we're just grateful the team has done this as well as they have been doing for our economy here at the store. It seems like everyone here in Syracuse is coming to Manny's driving up here to the hill. Everyone's got to have something basketball, something with the players' numbers on it. It's just been fantastic for our business" says Manny's owner Bill Nester Certainly the phenominon isn't exclusive to the SU Hill, as fans all over Central New York are hoping for big things from the Orange, it seems like Orange gear is at the top of everyone's Christmas lists "It's great for the economy, it's great for everyone obviously to have a gift under the tree that's something Syracuse. But I really think this is something that's a big boost for Syracuse right now" said Papa's Sports owner Glen Miles.
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