Personalized Uniforms

[Warning Track Power]

May be a better topic for off topic, but will post here to start because it ties into the way the Major League Rosters look today...

 

What are everyone's thoughts on people who wear personalized Brewers jerseys, meaning they put their own last name on the jersey? Now in the past I really didn't have much of an opinion but as I get a little older I have begun to understand this more and more. Your own name on a jersey, while you don't play for the team or really have any affiliation other than being a fan, will never not be current as long as you are a fan of the team. Additionally, fans never know when a fan favorite who signed a long term deal with the team might be traded like Matt Kemp or leave via free agency like Prince Fielder. Buy a Carlos Gomez jersey today? What happens if the Brewers collapse and a fire sale happens around the deadline and Gomez is dealt? Also, you never know if the jersey of the player you bought might do something in their personal life you don't agree with like Ryan Braun and throwing the collector under the bus, and now you're stuck with a jersey you won't wear.

 

I guess as I get older I struggle to want to spend $200+ to buy an authentic jersey of a current Brewer who may or may not be there for long and/or may do something in their personal life I don't support. So why not spend the $200 and get a personalized jersey that will never go out of style?

[MrTPlush]

Player T-Shirts. I will never buy a Jersey.

[FVBrewerFan]

To each his own, but my gut reaction is to snicker at someone who puts their own name on a jersey. I am not a Brewers player, why wear a jersey with my name on it? With that said, as I've gotten older I really don't feel like wearing any player's jersey or shersey either.

 

I will wear generic Brewers stuff because I support the team, not an individual player. Yes players come and go, and we really don't know a player so I'm not going to fall into the Favre, Braun, etc. trap again. But again, that's just me. Just please, I beg of you, if you do get your name on a jersey don't be "that guy" who picks a certain number in the 60s.

[jerichoholicninja]

My Aunt got me a personalized Brewers jersey/shirt for Christmas a few years ago that I've worn only a couple times because I feel kind of ridiculous wearing it. I personally have no problem with people who have them though.

[Bikeage77]

My two cents is that around 12 should be the cutoff when you should get your own name on the back of a jersey. Little kids get a pass because they're little kids.

 

When you become an adult, if you want a jersey, buy one of a guy you like and if they are no longer on the team, either keep wearing it, or retire it.

 

The other option is to get a player who is already retired. Yount and Molitor jerseys are everywhere, but why not go with a lesser degree player? BJ Surhoff, Rob Deer, Jeff Cirillo, etc. That way it's a conversation piece and it's not a guy that will be traded or turn out to be a guy you can't stand down the line.

 

The other thing that makes me snicker, is tucking in jerseys. They look way better untucked and your not at work, let loose. Jerseys look stupid tucked in.

[RightFieldCoder]

The wife and I enjoy wearing our customized jerseys. They are the ones we bought to put on at the alter.

[Patrick425]

To each his own, but my gut reaction is to snicker at someone who puts their own name on a jersey. I am not a Brewers player, why wear a jersey with my name on it? With that said, as I've gotten older I really don't feel like wearing any player's jersey or shersey either.

 

I will wear generic Brewers stuff because I support the team, not an individual player. Yes players come and go, and we really don't know a player so I'm not going to fall into the Favre, Braun, etc. trap again. But again, that's just me. Just please, I beg of you, if you do get your name on a jersey don't be "that guy" who picks a certain number in the 60s.

 

I pretty much agree with this. Not only do I snicker at the guy with his own name on the back of the Jersey (although, perhaps it's from a fantasy camp...which would then be completely understandable..but how would you know?), but I also snicker at the guy with the Turnbow or Sabathia jersey/t-shirt. That's why I too tend to go with the generic Brewer garb sans player name. I guess if I were to get a Jersey and felt the need to put a name on the back it would probably be someone like Yount or possibly Molitor. Afterall my license plate is 19 HOF.

 

Speaking of names on Jersey, get this....Last week we were at Thursday's ST game at Maryvale vs. the Rockies. We were sitting out on the LF berm. In front of us was a guy wearing Brewer Jersey with the name "SATAN" and the number "666" on the back. He also had a tattoo of a pentagram on his left forearm. I didn't get a picture, but my son did. If I remember I'll have him email it to me and I'll post it here.

[pacopete4]

If I see a personalized jersey I feel as though that fan played t-ball and quit because they were horrible or were made fun of. Terrible of me to group certain people but it is just hard not to feel that way. You were never on the Brewers roster so don't get a jersey with your name on it. Sherzies (tshirt jerseys) are brutal too. Just get a standard Brewers shirt if you cannot afford getting a players jersey.

[torts]

I wouldnt spend $200 on a jersey with my own name on it, let alone one of a player on the team, I just dont see the point of spending that much money on a sports jersey of any sport. I buy my jerseys from China, $220 jersey for $40 with maybe a minor flaw? okay by me.

[Jimbo]

 

What are everyone's thoughts on people who wear personalized Brewers jerseys, meaning they put their own last name on the jersey?

I have two, about to get a third. I have no problem with it. People think I look cool in them. My motto is "If you look good, you feel good."

 

you never know if the jersey of the player you bought might do something in their personal life you don't agree with like Ryan Braun and throwing the collector under the bus, and now you're stuck with a jersey you won't wear.

I have a Lance Armstrong jersey that was a prized find after cowering the internet for a year. Now, I never dare wear it in public.

[reillymcshane]

If you like the idea of your own personalized jersey shirt, get it. No, you don't play for Milwaukee, but it' still your team. If having your name on that jersey is cool to you, then power to you. If you think it might be awkward, then you might want to reconsider. Myself, I've never seen a personalized jersey and thought anything strange or odd about the person or item. There might even be great personal story to the jersey - a gift or whatever.

[MrTPlush]

If I see a personalized jersey I feel as though that fan played t-ball and quit because they were horrible or were made fun of. Terrible of me to group certain people but it is just hard not to feel that way. You were never on the Brewers roster so don't get a jersey with your name on it. Sherzies (tshirt jerseys) are brutal too. Just get a standard Brewers shirt if you cannot afford getting a players jersey.

 

It is pretty easy to not feel that way...just hard for people like you. Someone didn't teach you right.

[SRB]

I'm personally a fan of the novelty/obscure player jersey. If another diehard sees you in a Hiram Burgos or Hernan Iribarren jersey, they know what's up.

[Dean Machine]

To each his own, but my gut reaction is to snicker at someone who puts their own name on a jersey. I am not a Brewers player, why wear a jersey with my name on it? With that said, as I've gotten older I really don't feel like wearing any player's jersey or shersey either.

 

I will wear generic Brewers stuff because I support the team, not an individual player. Yes players come and go, and we really don't know a player so I'm not going to fall into the Favre, Braun, etc. trap again. But again, that's just me. Just please, I beg of you, if you do get your name on a jersey don't be "that guy" who picks a certain number in the 60s.

 

I pretty much agree with this. Not only do I snicker at the guy with his own name on the back of the Jersey (although, perhaps it's from a fantasy camp...which would then be completely understandable..but how would you know?), but I also snicker at the guy with the Turnbow or Sabathia jersey/t-shirt. That's why I too tend to go with the generic Brewer garb sans player name. I guess if I were to get a Jersey and felt the need to put a name on the back it would probably be someone like Yount or possibly Molitor. Afterall my license plate is 19 HOF.

 

Speaking of names on Jersey, get this....Last week we were at Thursday's ST game at Maryvale vs. the Rockies. We were sitting out on the LF berm. In front of us was a guy wearing Brewer Jersey with the name "SATAN" and the number "666" on the back. He also had a tattoo of a pentagram on his left forearm. I didn't get a picture, but my son did. If I remember I'll have him email it to me and I'll post it here.

 

I saw him as well and took this picture for my wife.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v672/loveridge/DSCN6220.jpg

[Bikeage77]

LOLZ, thanks for sharing Dean!

[Patrick425]

Wow Dean...we must have been sitting just to the left of you guys! Unless you guys just took that as you were walking by.

[torts]

that is awesome

[Dean Machine]

Wow Dean...we must have been sitting just to the left of you guys! Unless you guys just took that as you were walking by.

 

I was waiting in line for a beer when I took that.

[Warning Track Power]

The worst thing about that photo is that MLB.com will make and print things like that but I can't create a Aaron 44, Molitor 4 or Yount 19 jersey. Ridiculous.

[pacopete4]

The worst thing about that photo is that MLB.com will make and print things like that but I can't create a Aaron 44, Molitor 4 or Yount 19 jersey. Ridiculous.

 

Is that cheaper to do than buying one from the MLB?

[Warning Track Power]

The ones they have on MLB.com for Yount and Molitor are pullovers from the 80s and not button ups like the current retro uniforms. They say there are restrictions and you cannot create them. Ridiculous.

[pacopete4]

The ones they have on MLB.com for Yount and Molitor are pullovers from the 80s and not button ups like the current retro uniforms. They say there are restrictions and you cannot create them. Ridiculous.

 

Buy a blank uniform, go down to your local embroidery shop and make friends with the people there. I know a couple in my local town that would make a jersey up in a heart beat.

[Bikeage77]

You can get that font from sporting/uniform stores like Burghardt's. The past few years during the Brewers rummage sale they would sell off numbers and letters for a buck each, too. Then you just gotta find a place to put them on.

 

But I agree, it's stupid that MLB won't allow a custom jersey for former players.

[Patrick425]

I guess I didn't realize that MLB was that restrictive regarding jerseys. I knew that there were some rules, but no former players? But you can put your own name? What if your last name is Yount? Is it team specific? If there was current player with the last name of Yount that played for San Diego and wore the number 19, could you get that?

 

Anyone know the reasoning behind these restrictions?

[SRB]

I guess I didn't realize that MLB was that restrictive regarding jerseys. I knew that there were some rules, but no former players? But you can put your own name? What if your last name is Yount? Is it team specific? If there was current player with the last name of Yount that played for San Diego and wore the number 19, could you get that?

 

Anyone know the reasoning behind these restrictions?

 

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing it has to do with licensing and agreements with the MLBPA/individual players, and either there is an agreement preventing MLB from profiting from older players' names, or the MLB has to pay more of the proceeds to those older players so it wants to incentivize fans to buy different jerseys by not offering the less-profitable ones.

 

(Alternatively, it may just be how the MLBPA licensing agreement is structured. Molitor and Yount are no longer in the union since they are retired, so whatever group license exists doesn't cover them, and MLBPA is probably just too lazy to negotiate licenses with retired players. If you sell a Yount 19 jersey, you have to negotiate an agreement with Robin Yount to be able to profit from that. When talking about MLBPA licensing I always remember how Barry Bonds opted out of the group licensing somehow, so he was never in baseball video games and there was always a pseudonymous stand-in )