University Board sold nearly 3,000 Homecoming shirts and sweatshirts in total for the 100th Homecoming celebration.

This year’s theme was “100 Never Looked So Good,” and these shirts are usually sold to promote spirit and a piece of memorabilia.

The shirts, which came in blue, grey and black, were sold at $5 and the sweatshirts only came in grey and were sold at $15.

The sweatshirts were in grey because the deal was a limited offer for the 100th Homecoming.

Alexis Lambert, the UB Homecoming co-chair, said the organization did not sell shirts during Homecoming weekend because they had sold out.

Lambert said they had been selling the shirts since the beginning of the semester. She said they endorsed the shirts during move-in weekend and then Family Weekend.

“The 100 homecoming is a big deal and we shipped shirts across country to alumni who have moved far away and couldn’t make it at all,” Lambert said.

Lambert said this is the first time they sold out before Homecoming; she said the majority of the shirts were sold during family weekend.

Lambert said UB usually does not sell t-shirts in conjunction with the sweatshirts, but one reason the sweatshirts keep coming back is because in 2013 UB sold out of them quickly.

Lambert said 2,500 t-shirts and over 400 sweatshirts were sold. The profits went to the UB and compensate for the making of the shirts, which come out of their budget.

“The reason why we sell so many is because they are the cheapest shirts you’ll find year-round,” Lambert said. “You’re never going to find another Eastern shirt for just $5.”

Lambert said many people were excited because the shirt featured the retro Billy. She said people were also just excited to celebrate the 100 year, so UB wanted to give them something else to be excited about, a reasonable price for a memorable shirt.

“We get a good price for them so we don’t want to tax the students, alumni or anyone a ridiculous amount of money for a shirt that has a lot of significance behind it,” Lambert said.

Lambert said the money also helped with setting up for Homecoming because there was no money that would help them as much as the t-shirts did.

“Without the profits from the shirts there would be no way we would be able to throw all of the free events that we do for the entire Homecoming week, it just wouldn’t happen,” Lambert said.

Nathan Wehr, the adviser to the UB Homecoming Committee, said the affordability, design and the occasion helped the fast selling of the shirts.

He said the board selectively picked things to match the 100-year.

“Each year the design of the Homecoming shirt is strategically thought out and designed to appeal to students, faculty and staff, alumni, and the Charleston community,” Wehr said. “We definitely take our time in choosing a design that will appeal to everyone.

It is a long process to get the designs for the shirts through. With meetings being held biweekly, Lambert said the Homecoming committee included many people who drafted their ideas on what the shirts should look like.

“We sat in those meetings and attempted to create something that would be simple yet nostalgic for alumni and community members,” Lambert said. “And something that would be good for students that wouldn’t be boring or plain.”

T’Nerra Butler can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]