|
Rivalry Takes College Sports Passion to the Next Level
October 12, 2009
For many people, college football is a way of life. For Stephen Craw and Jeff Urbanski, it is also the foundation on which they built their business, Rivalry. The longtime friends have traveled all over the Midwest to catch marquis college football match-ups. Michigan and Notre Dame are two of their favorite stops—as well as the schools that helped get Rivalry started.
“We’re two guys who love college football,” says Craw. “We launched Rivalry in 1998 with a tailgate chair. At the time, we had three licenses—Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State.”
In the decade since, Rivalry has added more than 40 schools and expanded its product line to include a director’s chair, stadium seat, cooler bag and canopy. The big news from Craw is the debut of the tailgate hitch seat. “The basic premise was to combine with a cargo carrier with a folding-frame chair,” he says. “The tailgate hitch seat is amazingly functional. It’s sturdy, can tip up and has a back rest and foam inserts.”
|
Like all of Rivalry’s products, the tailgate hitch seat is geared to college sports enthusiasts. To that end, the company focuses primarily on campus stores, though it has recently begun to explore other vendor options. “School bookstores and the Mom & Pops are our bread and butter,” says Craw.
Rivalry also hangs it hat on unmatched quality and customer service. “We’re not a fad,’ says Craw. “We’re in it for the long term. We stand behind our products, and we listen to our customers. They can always count on us. They can call us anytime at 877-474-8258.”
