NEW ORLEANS — It isn't easy being green in the Big Easy. It's even more difficult to find green.

There was a major run on Hawai'i merchandise with several retailers selling out of caps, T-shirts, sweat shirts, feather scarves, pens and $10 beaded necklaces donning the Warriors logo.

Jon Raykiewicz, manager at the official store of the Sugar Bowl and BCS Championship Game inside River Walk shopping center, said he's nearly sold out of "anything green or with an 'H.' "

"As soon as we sold out of all the Hawai'i pens, they bought the one with both teams on it, just because it had Hawai'i," he said. "In all honesty, Hawai'i is the best traveling team we've seen as a company. It used to be Virginia Tech. But Hawai'i fans, we're going to follow them wherever they go."

More than three-quarters of sales at the official store has been Hawai'i paraphernalia. The rest is LSU, Ohio State and Georgia.

"Every vendor in town is just surprised at the Hawai'i support around here," Raykiewicz said. "They came out several days before the bowl game and just shopped all over. So, it's been very good."

A few days ago, one Hawai'i fan purchased $400 worth of merchandise from the store. That was after she spent $1,700 online.

"She said she had to buy for the whole island," Raykiewicz said.

In Hawai'i, shopping, eating and gambling are considered Olympic sports, so Warriors fans are enjoying New Orleans. There's also an island tradition of buying gifts or "omiyage," for friends, family and co-workers back home.

The merchandise table at the sold-out, $125-a-person Cajun-Warrior party attended by 4,000 Hawai'i fans late Monday, did have a few authentic Colt Brennan No. 15 jerseys remaining for $200 a piece. But there was only size left — XXL.

At Cap Land, all Hawai'i stuff was sold out, but it had an ample supply of Bulldogs stuff.

The shortage has frustrated many Warriors fans, who have invested several thousands of dollars just to get here.

"Ran out?" exclaimed a disappointed Gerald Yuh, of Honolulu, at the Sugar Bowl store.

It appears everyone has underestimated the support for the team, including school officials, who caused a ticket fiasco by accepting a reduced allotment and then asking for more.

At the official Sugar Bowl store at River Walk, located next to the Bulldogs' team hotel, there was a sea of red merchandise still available.

Raykiewicz says Bulldogs fans seem upset they're playing in the Sugar Bowl and not next week in the national championship. Whatever the reason, "They just don't want to buy Sugar Bowl stuff this year," he said.

The disparity in sales was noticeable to one Georgia fan, who asked what the store was going to do with all the merchandise after the game.

"We're going to use it for a bonfire," salesman Maril Gonzales replied.

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