T1B

trev wrote:Poptart should have wrote:

BSmack wrote: You ever see someone wearing a jersey of a team they are not a fan of who wasn't in a rap video?

BSmack wrote: I haven't.
T-Shirts and hats are one thing. But jerseys are pretty fucking expensive to be wearing if you don't even like the team you're representing.

Posted 8/26/2005 12:26 PM Updated 8/26/2005 4:56 PM

Playing the jersey game a fun gamble for NFL fans
By Kevin Oklobzija, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — For the sake of the fans and the folks in charge of merchandising for the Buffalo Bills, J.P. Losman had better be good. Otherwise, a lot of money will have been wasted, and not just on the quarterback's salary.

J.P. Losman (7) and the Bills may generate even more jersey sales when they wear their throwbacks for certain games this season.
By Don Heupel, AP

The Losman No. 7 jersey was one of the hottest sellers in the Bills merchandise tent during training camp at St. John Fisher College, somewhat amazing since he hasn't ever started a real game in the National Football League.

"We're hoping he can lead the Bills to the Super Bowl some day," said Jean Rossignolo of Greece, N.Y., who was at the closing of the Rochester portion of training camp earlier this week.

She and daughter Julie, 21, both wore Losman jerseys.

"We're twins," Julie joked.

Julie Rossignolo actually owns two Losman jerseys, at about $70 to $75 a pop. She was lucky enough to have Losman autograph her first jersey and decided there was no way she could ever wear that one again. Thus, she needed another.

Playing jersey roulette

Two years ago, Richard St. Clair of Greece, N.Y., gambled and bought a Willis McGahee jersey shortly after the Bills selected him — torn-up knee and all — in the first round of the 2003 draft. St. Clair watched McGahee in college at the University of Miami and believed the Bills had drafted a future star.

"I took my chance with this," he said of the jersey he wore Tuesday. "Someone said to me, 'You bought that jersey? He hasn't even played yet.'"

St. Clair is lucky. McGahee may be on his way to stardom. But Steve Salerno, 18, of Greece, N.Y., wasn't so fortunate. He's trying to dump a Bledsoe jersey now that the former Bills quarterback plays for Dallas.

"It's still in my closet, but it will be on eBay soon," he said.

Fans aren't the only ones who get stuck when a player is traded. Teams and manufacturers do, too. Once a player is gone, the jersey is pulled off the rack. But when a star changes teams, it creates a nationwide merchandising bonanza.

"Randy Moss goes to Oakland (from Minnesota) and his jersey immediately goes to No. 1," says Eddie White, vice president for team sales for Reebok, the NFL's jersey manufacturer.

"But what happens to all those Moss jerseys in Minnesota? We (Reebok) have to eat 'em or give them to charity. And the retailers have to put them in the bargain bins. I'm sure the same thing happened to all those Drew Bledsoe jerseys in Buffalo."

Signaling favorites (or not)

Andre Nix, 12, of Rochester, N.Y., has a good start on his jersey collection, thanks to grandpa, mom and other relatives. He has a McGahee, Takeo Spikes, Eric Moulds and Lawyer Milloy from the Bills, as well as Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.

"But I usually always wear McGahee because he's my favorite on the Bills," Nix said.

Having one favorite player makes a jersey choice easy.

Tony Garofolo of Irondequoit, N.Y., was at camp Tuesday with son Jordan, 13. Dad wore the No. 51 of Spikes. His son wore a Moulds, whom dad also admires.

"Whenever he talks, he doesn't spout off and he's a good diplomat," Garofolo said. "He gets his point across without dissing anyone. He has class."

Garofolo can't say the same for Owens, whose contract dispute in Philadelphia created chaos in camp for the Eagles. Dad vetoed his son's request for the "T.O." jersey.

"I wouldn't let him get it. I'd use it for toilet paper."

The jersey craze can get expensive when you need variety, though. Mike Cooper, 17, wore a Milloy jersey on Tuesday but has a McGahee, Spikes, Losman and a wide receiver Lee Evans at home.

"They were $60 or $65 last year and they're $75 this year," Cooper said. "But it's worth it. These guys are my favorites, and when I go to Ralph Wilson (Stadium, home of the Bills), that's my mecca, that's my Holy Grail."

Fans such as Cooper pave a golden path to the bank for NFL teams, who share in merchandise revenue. The NFL sells an estimated 3 to 4 million jerseys per year.

Sales of all NFL-licensed products amount to an estimated $3.2 billion each year, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association reports. The NFL as a brand ranked behind only Disney, Warner Brothers, Calvin Klein and Polo Ralph Lauren in total sales of licensed products, according to SGMA research.

Bills are 'up-and-coming'

Although the NFL only releases the top 10 teams in terms of jersey sales, Reebok's White says the Bills were a respectable 15th out of 32. NFL spokesman Dan Masonson says the Bills could crack the top 10 this year.

"It's an up-and-coming team, plus you've got some good, young stars such as Willis McGahee," he said. "And who knows? J.P. Losman could create the same kind of interest that Ben Roethlisberger did last year. Roethlisberger was nowhere on the charts but went to No. 1 when the Steelers started winning. The same kind of thing could happen with Losman jerseys if the Bills have success on the field."

A lot of local fans are already banking on it.

jiminphilly wrote:Trick question but I'll answer it this way- While you'd never catch me buying or wearing a NY Giants or Dallas Cowboys or Washington Redskins jersey I still have a few jersey's of some non-Eagles players hanging in my closet that I'll break out for Thanksgiving football games with family and friends. Would I expect a Giants fan to buy a TO jersey? No. However fans of a team also are fans of other players on other teams and those fans will buy that players jersey.

BSmack wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:Trick question but I'll answer it this way- While you'd never catch me buying or wearing a NY Giants or Dallas Cowboys or Washington Redskins jersey I still have a few jersey's of some non-Eagles players hanging in my closet that I'll break out for Thanksgiving football games with family and friends. Would I expect a Giants fan to buy a TO jersey? No. However fans of a team also are fans of other players on other teams and those fans will buy that players jersey.

Its not a trick question. For instance, I go out to a bar on Sundays to watch the Steelers games. The people wearing jerseys at that bar are representing their favorite teams. At work (we have a VERY casual dress code) guys who wear jerseys are representing their favorite teams. I have never met these bandwagon fucks you speak of.

Andre Nix, 12, of Rochester, N.Y., has a good start on his jersey collection, thanks to grandpa, mom and other relatives. He has a McGahee, Takeo Spikes, Eric Moulds and Lawyer Milloy from the Bills, as well as Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.

jiminphilly wrote:You live in Rochester don't you? Why not look up this kid and his family-

BSmack wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:You live in Rochester don't you? Why not look up this kid and his family-

Why don't you suck off a grenade?

Anecdotal evidence only proves there are exceptions to the rule. You have yet to show me where Dawkins is getting his run.

But when a star changes teams, it creates a nationwide merchandising bonanza.

"Randy Moss goes to Oakland (from Minnesota) and his jersey immediately goes to No. 1," says Eddie White, vice president for team sales for Reebok, the NFL's jersey manufacturer.

jiminphilly wrote:Melt much?

If a family is buying their kid a TO jersey and he lives in Rochester NY you sure as hell can bet some kid in ATL is having his mommy and daddy buy him a TO jersey on top of the Vick jersey he got from his grandmom.

But don't take my word for it. Read the fucking article again.

How naive of you to think that fans only buy jersey's of the team they cheer for.

BSmack wrote:
You would mistake an asskicking for a meltdown. No matter, either way you're getting scorched.

More ancedotal evidence

And how stupid of you to think that some kid in Rochester is an indicator of buying trends in Philly.

jiminphilly wrote:I'll take what a vice president from Reebok says over what you spew any day.

How stupid of you to think that the people who purchased the jersey's for the kid in Rochester NY aren't an indicator of the buying trends of the rest of the nation considering the 2 jersey's mentioned in that article happen to be in the top 5.

jiminphilly wrote:How stupid of you to think that the people who purchased the jersey's.

BSmack wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:I'll take what a vice president from Reebok says over what you spew any day.

How stupid of you to think that the people who purchased the jersey's for the kid in Rochester NY aren't an indicator of the buying trends of the rest of the nation considering the 2 jersey's mentioned in that article happen to be in the top 5.

So, where's Dawkins on that list?

jackass007 wrote:who's the face of the Dolphins?

jiminphilly wrote:Why would he be on the list? I doubt, outside Philly, that most football fans will be buying his jersey.

But if you knew the history of the Eagles you'd realize it has always been about defense. Fans still talk about Buddy Ryan with reverence. To Eagles fans, having a dominating defense has always been more important. That's why he's the 'face' of the team. His style of play has always embodied what the fans want from this team.

BSmack wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:Why would he be on the list? I doubt, outside Philly, that most football fans will be buying his jersey.

The point is that not a hell of a lot of fans IN Philly are buying Dawkins jerseys. Where is the Cult of Dawkins you speak of?

BSmack wrote:

But if you knew the history of the Eagles you'd realize it has always been about defense. Fans still talk about Buddy Ryan with reverence. To Eagles fans, having a dominating defense has always been more important. That's why he's the 'face' of the team. His style of play has always embodied what the fans want from this team.

That is a very logical argument. But not what you said originaly.

BSmack wrote:I don't see that when I'm watching Eagles games on TV, that's for sure. And I don't see that when I'm looking at the sales figures. So I'm looking for you to show me something. If you can't, that's cool.

Diogenes wrote:Hopefully....



At least Bill made a list...
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/2001/0710/1224543.html

BSmack wrote:

BBMarley wrote:

BSmack wrote:

I think the Secret Service is looking for you for manufacturing counterfit Bode...

Raydah James wrote:

poptart wrote:

For Oakland, after all these years, it is still Al Davis.

Unfortunately, you are correct.

poptart wrote:You're a bonehead if you think #20 trumps #5 as the "face" of your franchise.

poptart wrote:If a network is pimping an upcoming game featuring the Eagles, who's face is more likely to be put up for all to see....?

poptart wrote:If a network is pimping an upcoming game featuring the Eagles, who's face is more likely to be put up for all to see....?

jiminphilly wrote:

poptart wrote:If a network is pimping an upcoming game featuring the Eagles, who's face is more likely to be put up for all to see....?

Well considering they want ratings OUTSIDE of Philly they'd go with the player with the most national appeal. That's not what is up for debate.


When the Eagles announce their starters at home games why do they always introduce the Eagles defense and why is Dawkins always the player introduced. Have you ever been to a game? have you ever seen his pre-game act?

There is a reason the team saves him for last.

BBMarley wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:

poptart wrote:If a network is pimping an upcoming game featuring the Eagles, who's face is more likely to be put up for all to see....?

Well considering they want ratings OUTSIDE of Philly they'd go with the player with the most national appeal. That's not what is up for debate.


When the Eagles announce their starters at home games why do they always introduce the Eagles defense and why is Dawkins always the player introduced. Have you ever been to a game? have you ever seen his pre-game act?

There is a reason the team saves him for last.

C'mon Jim! Bsmacked told us we can't discuss this legitmate NFL topic anymore because the mods told him NO! Of course- he was getting slapped up and down the thread at time... so who knows if we can believe him or not! :roll:

BSmack wrote:

BBMarley wrote:

jiminphilly wrote: Well considering they want ratings OUTSIDE of Philly they'd go with the player with the most national appeal. That's not what is up for debate.


When the Eagles announce their starters at home games why do they always introduce the Eagles defense and why is Dawkins always the player introduced. Have you ever been to a game? have you ever seen his pre-game act?

There is a reason the team saves him for last.

C'mon Jim! Bsmacked told us we can't discuss this legitmate NFL topic anymore because the mods told him NO! Of course- he was getting slapped up and down the thread at time... so who knows if we can believe him or not! :roll:

Why don't you PM Pinky and ask?

Felix wrote:Let me save you the time of a PM.

Twenty five posts about who's is the most popular jersey in Philly is kind of inane don't you think? Especially when you consider the title of this thread. Why you Philly idiots fall for B's trollin expedition is really the question.

Do you actually think B cares who sells the most jerseys in Philadelphia?

I'll give you a hint.....the answer is no.......

As I told you B, you drive these types of pissing matches and soon the thread derails off on some tangent unrelated to the original topic (typically called thread hijacking), much like this one has.......

rozy wrote: How is that off topic? :? We may be bro's and shit, but you're way off on this one.