Fans of the country's sportsmen and women can expect to have a closer relationship with their heroes in the build-up to next year's Olympic Games in Rio, with the signing of an agreement between the T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) and The Fan Club, retailer of authentic apparel and branded souvenir gift items.
The agreement, signed last week, will allow for The Fan Club to market, distribute and sell T&T Olympic-branded merchandise at its three locations in MovieTowne, Trincity Mall and Gulf City Mall.
Fans can expect branded T-shirts, polos, shorts, water bottles, coffee mugs, key chains, pins, jackets and track outfits.
TTOC president Brian Lewis described the initiative as another positive sign for his organisation, noting that not only will the constituency of Olympic fans be brought closer to their heroes, but it demonstrated the TTOC's commitment to finding ways to increase its revenue earning capacity.
Lewis said that it was no secret that T&T fans were passionate, and wanted to identify with the athletes who represented them on the big stage.
"Fans have been asking about this initiative for sometime, and we have finally found a partner whom we believe can execute this process in a meaningful way.
"We know The Fan Club is a place where authentic fan apparel and gift items can be found. And we have no doubt that this relationship will bear fruit."
Director of The Fan Club, Mikhail Singh, noted that the store already had a relationship with the T&T Football Association, and was associated with the sales of Red Steel jerseys for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) earlier this year.
"The TTOC is our signature sporting body in Trinidad and Tobago and we are very pleased to be associated with this project. We are hoping that fans can start getting their Olympic merchandise and branded items by November."