MADISON, Wis. — Apparently, scissors can have one shining moment at the NCAA tournament, too. And one brand, above all others, emerges as a champion every year.
That brand would be Madison-based Fiskars, the official net-cutting scissors of the big dance. Yes, such a product really exists. When players on your favorite team are standing on a ladder ready to celebrate by snipping a few net strands, they'll be holding the Fiskars famous orange handles with the gold titanium blades.
How does a brand stake a claim as the official net-cutting scissors?
According to Fiskars public relations specialist Amanda Weibel, the story goes like this: A Fiskars vice president of brand marketing was watching the NCAA tournament several years ago and noticed players having a difficult time shearing strands of the net. The small medical-type scissors were cheap and not sturdy enough to easily cut through the nylon.
Thus, an idea was born. The VP called a contact at the NCAA and offered to provide scissors for the ceremony.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that Fiskars has been the official net-cutting scissors of the NCAA tournament. Fiskars provides scissors for the regional champions and national championships for men's and women's teams in Division I, II and III.
Each pair of scissors is engraved with a special NCAA logo and features an orange handle with serrated, gold titanium blades. The winning team gets to keep the pair of scissors to commemorate the achievement.
"These are 9-inch scissors," Weibel said. "They are more heavy-duty scissors than just your average everyday pair of scissors."
Fiskars makes a variety of tools for crafting, sewing, quilting and gardening. The company is named for the small village in Finland where it began in 1649. As for whether the brand has actually grown because of its partnership with the NCAA, it remains to be seen.
"I don't know that there is a ton of exposure for it," Weibel said. "Last year, we actually partnered with the NCAA to do a couple giveaways on Facebook. That was the first time that we had done anything like that. It's something we get very excited about internally. It's a fun way for us to show off our scissors."
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