Mitchell Modell, the former CEO of Modell’s Sporting Goods, was forced to take down his recently launched e-commerce site, MitchellModells.com, due to a cease-and-desist letter received from the current owner of Modell’s. Nonetheless, Modell on Wednesday, July 1, launched a new site, mitchymos.com, selling similar offerings.
The news was first reported by the New York Post.
Modell, who served as CEO of Modell’s Sporting Goods from 2001 until the chain’s bankruptcy and liquidation in 2022, launched MitchellModells.com on June 22 after “being inspired by the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years.”
The website’s launch product was a limited-edition New York championship T-shirt featuring a caricature of a New York City pigeon. MitchellModells.com is expected to focus on non-licensed, sports-inspired merchandise “celebrating local teams, memorable moments, community pride, and winning traditions,” with a continued charity component. The launch was heralded as Mitchell Modell’s return to retail.
According to the Post, however, the site was taken down after Modell received a cease-and-desist letter from Raj Gupta, Modell’s current owner and CEO of Omni Retail Enterprises, who acquired Modell’s in 2023, and Modell’s now exists solely as an online site selling a wide range of items in addition to sporting goods.
According to the Post report, Modell’s had attempted to reacquire the business in 2024 and again in late 2025, with Gupta reportedly agreeing to sell it for $1 million plus in 2024, plus a 5 percent equity stake in the company and a share of profits. However, the negotiations fell apart.
Modell’s new e-commerce business, mitchymos.com, currently sells seven T-shirts, five referencing the Knicks’ win, one calling out Philadelphia, where Modell’s once also operated stores and a “Go USA” shirt in honor of the FIFA World Cup.
The site includes a “Sign the Petition” section that seeks one million signatures “to restore the iconic Modell’s name to New Yorkers,” while touting Mitchell Modell’s “expertise in delivering fan merchandise.” The Modell’s chain was long viewed as the “go-to place for sports fan gear” in its markets.
Mitchymos.com’s “About Us” section states, in part, “Mitchymos.com has no relation or affiliation with Modell’s Sporting Goods or modells.com.
“Mitch Modell — the legendary former CEO of Modell’s Sporting Goods — is back, and this time he’s moving at the speed of culture.
“At Mitchy Mos, we live and breathe what’s hot right now. Whether it’s the Knicks hoisting the NBA Championship trophy, the World Cup final, the Stanley Cup, or whatever moment has the world buzzing — we’re on it. Fast.
“Our mission is simple: get you the freshest, most relevant gear before the moment passes. We drop limited runs tied to the biggest events in sports and pop culture, then move on to the next big thing. That’s the game, and we play it better than anyone.”
Image courtesy Mitchell Modell
