97% of fans want custom merch at live events, but operators lose sales to queues and stockouts

Avery Dennison study reveals a massive live event revenue potential from fan engagement opportunities for sports clubs and entertainment venues, but warns of lost sales if the customization process is slow or inventory management is poor

• 97% of fans want customized merchandise and 52% will pay upwards of $15 more for a personalization
• However, 63% abandon general merchandise purchases because of queues and stockouts
• Custom Studio turns a merchandise stand into a high-margin retail operation letting fans design and order personalized gear in minutes, while giving operators real-time control of their stock

The findings come from a survey of over 1,400 respondents across the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Benelux, Italy, Spain and Portugal, exploring what fans really want from event merchandise. The free-to-download whitepaper, entitled From the Stands to the Store: Unlocking Untapped Revenue in Live Event Retail, confirms that slow fulfillment and legacy inventory management are the primary bottlenecks holding back event retail yield.

The 20-minute break point

While there is clear demand for personalization, fan patience is low. The research shows that only 20% of fans would queue longer than 20 minutes for the personalization of merchandise during a live event.

Turn long lines into revenue

To solve this, new digital solutions are being introduced to streamline the ordering process and enhance the fan experience at live events.

Custom Studio by Avery Dennison is a connected platform designed to meet the operational requirements of on-demand merchandise customization at scale, cutting production time and maximizing labor efficiency. Custom Studio’s self-service ordering kiosks allow fans to browse, personalize and order merchandise in minutes, drastically reducing queue times. Powering this customization ecosystem is Embelex™, Avery Dennison's comprehensive apparel embellishment platform that brings brands to life through customization, personalization, and connected product technology.

The digital experience reduces queue times while allowing fans to commemorate a special event by personalizing items bought on the day. By combining the solution with the Embelex portfolio, brands and retailers can take customization to the next level — offering letters and numbers, patches, badges, woven labels and embroidery within one enhanced experience. Personalization extends beyond apparel and accessories to include ball and hockey puck engraving, giving fans truly unique mementos.

“Every minute in line cools the emotional pull that drives impulse purchases in the first place," says Sergio Shmilovitch, VP/GM Embelex, Avery Dennison. “Poor inventory management magnifies the situation, as too often a fan reaches the front of a line only to find their size or player name unavailable. The result is an abandoned sale and a disappointing experience. Custom Studio was designed to eliminate this friction.”

Clear Count from Avery Dennison is the RFID-enabled inventory system integrated into the Custom Studio solution, which helps operators optimize inventory flow to significantly reduce waste and drive increased profitability. RFID tags on stock packs make component inventory checks almost instant, helping ensure fans aren’t disappointed with non-availability of names and numbers on the day. Real-time stock visibility also helps reduce the need to hold excess components and minimizes the risk of unused inventory.

The results are already showing at scale. For the San Francisco 49ers, self-service kiosks and streamlined printing cut production times by more than 55%. Meanwhile, Clear Count integration has allowed the Dallas Cowboys to save 912 hours of labor annually.

“Fans want to express themselves through custom merchandise and are prepared to pay more for personalized keepsakes that take them back to a moment, game or experience. But speed and availability decide whether that sale actually happens," says Shmilovitch. “Custom Studio puts co-creation in the fan's hands and real-time inventory control in the operator's. It means clubs, brands and retailers stop losing sales they should be winning.”

The full research, including what fans want, what holds them back and how to maximize event retail yield, is available in the whitepaper.

Jack Gibson
Global PR Manager
jack.gibson@eu.averydennison.com

The research was conducted on behalf of Avery Dennison by Qualtrics. The survey of 1,456 respondents across the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Benelux, Italy, Spain and Portugal took place in June 2026.

Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are Making Possible™ products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste and mitigate loss, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience. Serving industries worldwide — including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive — we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2025 were $8.9 billion. Learn more at www.averydennison.com.