Mitchell Modell, the former CEO of Modell’s Sporting Goods, has launched MitchellModells.com, an online-only venture dedicated to sports-inspired merchandise with a charity component.
Modell stepped down as CEO in 2020 as the Northeastern chain filed for bankruptcy and liquidated its stores, with the venture described as his return to retail. The launch was timed to the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years. .
Modell’s statement read, “Everybody loves a comeback. This year, New York City is celebrating the Knicks’ long-awaited return to championship glory. Now, Mitchell B. Modell is celebrating a comeback of his own.”
The website’s launch product is a limited-edition New York championship T-shirt featuring a caricature of a New York City pigeon, which is described as a “symbol of resilience, grit, tenacity, and perseverance.” The shirt is available for $20 plus $10 shipping and handling at MitchellModells.com. Five dollars from every shirt sold will help fund free PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screenings for individuals who cannot afford prostate cancer testing.
“The Knicks are back, and I’m back,” said Mitchell B. Modell, in a statement. “This is a comeback story for New York, for basketball, and for me. I’ve spent my entire life serving sports fans, and now I’m excited to do it again in a new way.”
For Modell, the charitable mission behind the launch is personal. His father died from prostate cancer in 2008. His brother battled both testicular cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Modell himself survived stage IIIC melanoma after being given only a 20 percent chance of surviving five years.
“Cancer has impacted every member of my family,” said Mitchell B. Modell. “My father was a huge Knicks fan. Some of my greatest memories were going to games with him and sharing our love of sports. If we can help provide free PSA screenings and save lives through early detection, then we’re doing something meaningful.”
The launch comes during Men’s Health Month and is part of Modell’s effort to raise funds for free PSA screenings. His goal is to sell 100,000 shirts and generate $500,000 to help provide screenings for people who might otherwise go without them.
MitchellModells.com going forward will focus on non-licensed, sports-inspired merchandise “celebrating local teams, memorable moments, community pride, and winning traditions.” Future designs and collections will continue to support charitable causes.
Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV) acquired Modell’s Sporting Goods trademark, website domain, customer database, and jingle out of bankruptcy in August 2020, transitioning the historic retailer into an online-only operation.
Images courtesy Mitchell Modell
