ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) – The lines continue to stretch as people try to get their hands on Milwaukee Bucks NBA Championship attire across the state. That’s certainly been the case at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Ashwaubenon.
“It’s been fun, crazy, exciting…Pure joy. If you’re from Wisconsin, you know something about Wisconsin sports where it’s kind of a thing that we get close, but never quite there. It’s joyous, it’s relief, it’s just fun,” said Store Manager Steve Draxler. “We do this every time there’s a championship in the state. We had Packer parties last two years we were ready for. That unfortunately that wasn’t a go, but this time we were ready and they brought it home.”
Draxler says he hosted a watch party and ordered pizza for his team members. Once that buzzer went off, they went to work.
“We had employees here last night, we stayed open until about 1:00 a.m. with fans coming in. They were loving it, they were thankful, and they were having a good time,” Draxler told WTAQ News. “There’s about 10,000 shirts in-store and we have plenty more on the way. Hats are on the way, we have different styles coming in today, tomorrow, all throughout the week, we have tables set up. Lines are long, but we are staffed to handle it.”
But not everybody stormed the doors immediately following the trophy celebration, leaving plenty for shoppers who walked in on Wednesday morning – still processing the events of the previous night.
“I don’t even know, it doesn’t really feel like it’s real. Giannis finally got his ring,” Colin said. “Maybe two weeks from now, I’ll be sitting there realizing that we won. There’s no more basketball, it’s over.”
“I waited 50 years. I was thirteen years old when they won in 1971,” Jerome said. “When it goes through my head, it’s a long time waiting. There was a little nervousness when they lost the first two in Phoenix.”
Both of them walked out with championship apparel. As did Aislinn, who had her arms full of shirts for her kids and husband, who had a similar reaction to many other fans.
“So he’s been super pumped about it. Last night, there were tears in his eyes as he was watching the game,” she said. “Speaking for my husband, I would say it’s surreal.”
Another fan walked in already decked out in a Bucks hat and quarter-zip. Not unlike others, he seemed a bit tired – but the excitement was keeping him going.
“I was actually at the game last night, so it was pretty amazing. I had goosebumps from tip to the end,” Sean told WTAQ News. “It was one of the most amazing things. I’ve been a fan for a very long time, and just how loud it was in there and how excited everybody was, it was magical…it was magical.”
He says the line to buy apparel at Fiserv Forum Tuesday night was, as you could probably predict, a very long one. That’s why he decided to drive home to look for his championship gear.
The emotions of each shopper, and really every Bucks fan, can be encapsulated in one last comment from Sean.
“The amazing thing about sport, is how it can create highs and create lows. And we’ve experienced that with the Bucks,” he said.
The Bucks were 15-67 in Giannis’ rookie season back in 2013. In 2015, there were rumors and serious debates surrounding whether the team should be moved to Seattle. Now, in 2021 – the Bucks are NBA Champions.
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