When should I place orders for major sport events and holidays? This calendar follows events with primary brands and their lead times.

Sport Events:  These are often utilized as trips for VIP clients or top sales people. Sales incentive programs are always started off with promotional items related to the grand prize or theme. 2nd and 3rd tier winners may win related item such as a football or golf clubs. (The 2nd and 3rd tier gifts are usually bigger orders due to their quantity. In 2009 we saw a lot of canceled trips and these recipients received very high merchandise gifts as an alternative to the trip.)

Top winners will be awarded the trip. Pillow gifts could be a higher value football. There is almost always an award dinner were gifts are laid out on a table, up to 10 items, and participants write down their mailing address next to their choice. The banquet gifts generally are not related to the event and could be electronics, watches, sunglasses, etc.

January

1st - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

1st - Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, LA

4th - Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, AZ

5th - Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens, FL

7th - BCS National Championship, Pasadena, CA

18th-31st - Australian Open Tennis, Melbourne, Australia

31st - NFL Pro Bowl, Miami, FL

February

7th - NFL Super Bowl, Miami, FL - October 31st Last day to order Wilson Super Bowl Balls.

12th-27th - Winter Olympics, Vancouver, BC, Canada

14th - Valentine's Day

14th - NASCAR Daytona 500, Daytona, FL - Allow 90+ days for custom Char-Broil grill order.

15th - NBA All-Star Game, Dallas, TX - Allow 1 month for bulk Wilson basketball orders.

March

18th-21st - NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, 1st and 2nd Rounds, Various Locations

21st - Superbowl XLV flat layouts ready for review.

25th & 27th - NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament - Allow 1 month for bulk Wilson basketball orders.

• East Regionals, Syracuse, NY
• West Regionals, Salt Lake City, UT

26th & 28th - NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

• Midwest Regionals, St. Louis, MO
• South Regionals, Houston, TX

April

3rd & 5th - NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, Final Four, Indianapolis, IN

5th-11th - The Masters, Augusta, GA

May

1st - Kentucky Derby, Louisville, KY

15th - Preakness Stakes, Baltimore, MD

23rd-June 6, French Open Tennis, Paris, France

30th - IRL Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis, IN

TBD - NHL Stanley Cup Finals begin

June

3rd - NBA Finals begin

5th - Belmont Stakes, Elmont, NY

11th-July 11th - FIFA World Cup, South Africa

14th-20th - U.S. Open Golf Championship, Pebble Beach, CA

18th - Limited Superbowl XLV samples available for presentations.

21st-July 4th - Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Wimbledon, England

July

4th -Independence Day - Char-Broil grill orders should be placed by May 31st.

12th-18th - British Open Golf, St. Andrews, Scotland

13th - MLB All-Star Game, Anaheim, CA

25th - NASCAR Brickyard 400, Indianapolis, IN

August

9th-15th - PGA Championship, Kohler, WI

30th-September 12th - U.S. Open Tennis, Flushing Meadows, NY

September

Casinos and other consumer focussed businesses should start buying for Thanks Giving promotions. Hamilton Beach Electric knives are very popular this time of year.

1st - Superbowl XLV Football order deadline for December deliveries.

October

1st - Superbowl XLV Superbowl XLV Football order deadline for January deliveries.

1st-3rd - Ryder Cup Golf, Newport, Wales

3rd-9th - National Fire Prevention Week - Many insurance companies and Boy Scout groups use this an a a fundraising event. Allow 30-60 days for Kidde custom.

26th - MLB World Series begins

31st - Halloween

November

25th - Thanksgiving

December

1st-9th - Chanukah - Nambe will have special items for this holiday.

25th - Christmas - Swarovski collector's ornaments should be announced in October.