Long wait for Tokyo 2020 Olympic souvenir market to pick up

TOKYO (AP) — These are lonely times for thousands of souvenirs in dozens of Tokyo 2020 Olympic stores, which are drawing few customers with the postponed games more than a year away and facing an unclear future.

And they're worrying moments for Tokyo organizers, who hope to generate $100 million by selling 5,500 “licensed”products including official Olympic chopsticks, Olympic umbrellas, and large stuffed mascots that can go for almost $200.

The pandemic and the uncertainty have emptied Olympic stores of customers. And one large question looms to increase the anxiety: Can the postponed games really take place?

Organizing committee President Yoshiro Mori has said if they can't go ahead on July 23, 2021, they'll be canceled — not postponed again.

Strangely, a cancellation might stimulate souvenir sales, driving demand for memorabilia from the 2020 Olympics that didn't take place — not once, but twice — because of the pandemic. Conversely, pent-up demand might also spur sales if the games are finally held.

Olympics have been canceled in war years — 1916, 1940, and 1944 — but never for a virus.

“If there are no Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the value of the already created 2020 merchandise will increase, and increase even more rapidly if the existing product is removed from retail,” David Carter, who teaches sports business at the University of Southern California, said in an email to The Associated Press. "The bottom line question being who will capture this official/unofficial revenue?”

“Many will view 2020 Tokyo merchandise as a novelty product representing all that 2020 stood for globally — a global conversation piece for those around the world," Carter added.

Organizers and the International Olympic Committee maintain the games will be held,...