SOUTH BEND, IN - For the third straight year, the South Bend Cubs are one of the 25 top teams in licensed merchandise sales among all 160 professional minor league teams in the nation, as announced by Minor League Baseball yesterday. South Bend is one of three Class-A teams to make the top 25 and is the only team to make the list using the nickname of their major league affiliate.

"Just like the Chicago Cubs are in Major League Baseball, the South Bend Cubs are one of the most recognizable brands in Minor League Baseball," said South Bend Cubs Owner Andrew T. Berlin. "Three years after switching team affiliations, our iconic bear head and catching cub logos are just as popular as ever. The strength of the South Bend brand extends beyond the Midwest. It's a National phenomenon."

A new Minor League Baseball record was set in 2017 with $70.8 million in retail sales. That amounts to a 3.6 percent increase over 2016's total of $68.3 million, which had been the highest total recorded since Minor League Baseball's licensing program began in 1992. The numbers are based on total licensed merchandise sales from January 1 - December 31, 2017 and include the 160 teams in the domestic-based leagues that charge admission to their games.

"Whether you attend a Cubs game at Four Winds Field, Wrigley Field or at any other Major League stadium, there's almost always a South Bend Cubs hat or t-shirt in view," said Team President Joe Hart. "The fact that we are the only team to make the top-25 list three years in a row with a market size under 350,000, shows us that the South Bend Cubs brand is not just popular in Michiana, but one of the most popular brands in all of Minor League Baseball."

In addition to shipping to all fifty states, the Cubs Den Team Store shipped merchandise to Canada, Mexico, and Spain.

The Cubs Den Team Store, located next to the Ivy at Berlin Place near the corner of Western Avenue and William Street, is open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on non-game days. The Cubs Den is also open during all South Bend Cubs home games and select special events at Four Winds Field. Fans can also find the latest apparel and novelties online by clicking here.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the Class A minor league affiliate of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Over the past 30 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2005, and has captured 12 division titles. This year, Four Winds Field, home of the Cubs, was named Ballpark Digest's Best Single-A ballpark. In 2015, the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose sole shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.