Monday, Jan 24, 2011 08:02 PM

Towel maker looks to provide for both Super fan bases

MADISON, Wis. -- A Wisconsin towel maker is stuck smack-dab in the middle of the Green Bay Packers-Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl tilt.

McArthur Towel and Sports, a WinCraft company, has been producing officially licensed sports towels for years, including the Steelers fans' beloved Terrible Towel, which the company began making in 1997. The hunk of yellow terrycloth has become Pittsburgh's battle flag and gets waved by fans at home and away games.

But company's president Gregg McArthur said he loves the Packers, and he's working on a Super Bowl towel for the green and gold, too.

McArthur said he's working on a new version of the "Titletown USA" towel, which the Baraboo-based company located about 135 miles southwest of Green Bay produced for the Packers' 1997 Super Bowl appearance. He hoped to have a design and a name approved by the end of the day Monday.

"I love our Packers," McArthur said. "We bleed green and gold in Baraboo. Right now we're working closely with the Packers to put together a product that will basically compete with the Terrible Towel. We've got a towel war going here between the Terrible Towel and the Packer towel."

The Packers defeated their archrival, the Chicago Bears, 21-14 on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. The Steelers beat the New York Jets, 24-19, to advance to the championship game.

McArthur also will manufacture the so-called trophy towel, handed to members of the winning team on the field along with T-shirts and caps.

The company also makes products for NHL, NFL and NBA teams.