December 17th, 2009 -- Posted in Jerseys |
Vintage Hockey Jerseys Still Very Much in Demand
In this day and age when every kid wants to be the next Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby it stands to reason that Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys are flying off the shelves. However, even though the demand for current NHL sweaters is high, the market for vintage hockey jerseys is just as hot. Whether it is an oldtimer who likes to remember the glory days of the NHL, or a youngster who wants to wear something a little different than his friends hockey sweaters from defunct NHL teams are surprisingly popular.
A team like the Hartford Whalers, who truth be told, was one of the doormats of the league during its relatively brief NHL tenure, probably never sold much of its merchandise outside of its own city while the team was actually still in the league. However, more than a decade after the franchise moved to Carolina to become the Hurricanes, Whalers gear is now hotter than ever. The same can be said of franchises like the Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Flames.
However, it is not only defunct NHL clubs whose throwback jerseys are in high demand. Legendary teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins are also seeing demand rising for their old school jerseys that were worn as long as a century ago. In fact, demand has been so strong that the Canadiens actually wore some of their classic jerseys during regular season play last year, and sales saw a spike following each of the games which featured those sweaters.
The Vancouver Canucks, who joined the NHL during its second expansion prior to the 1970-71 season have gone so far as to re-adopt their original look, and came out with a nhl jerseys that features the color scheme of their old hockey stick sweater. Other teams like the Buffalo Sabres have adopted the retro look for their third jerseys, and again have enjoyed a healthy sales boost from new fans who like the old look better.
December 14th, 2009 -- Posted in Jerseys |
Sports Jerseys – Symbols
Can anyone forget the image of Brandi Chastain celebrating the U.S. soccer team’s win over China in the 1999 Women’s World Cup by stripping off her sports jersey and dropping to her knees in her very demure athletic bra? The photograph of that jersey flying was displayed internationally and is a perfect depiction of what sports jerseys have come to signify – talismans of the athletic achievement to inspire elation; engage interest; tap emotions; and even to heal. Jersey wholesalers have made jerseys readily available to everyone, from sports figures to kids’ informal pick-up groups. But wholesale jerseys have also become a way for fans to satisfy their wish to be allied to well-known athletes and memorable moments in athletic history.
Jerseys have become associated with well-known wearers in the arena of elite sports figures. Fans know their favorites by jersey number alone. Who wears jersey #8 in the National Basketball Association? Maybe many guys do, but the response from a truefan will be L.A.’s “Kobe Bryant.” When the Lakers won over the Magic in the 2009 NBA Championship finals, jersey wholesalers were barely able to keep number eight available. Likewise, if a fan hears #7 and “Pittsburgh Steelers” — the answer is instantaneous: Ben Roethlisberger, prevailing quarterback of the Super Bowl. Feeling close to their winners by wearing sports jerseys helps fans bond their favorite sport.
Anecdotes are plentiful about the compassion of sports heroes who have given their own jerseys to individual fans, often children who have experienced illness. Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat and a first-place Olympic winner surpassed his own single- game scoring record … and then donated the jersey he wore on that occasion to a young boy who had lost his hands and feet due to a raging infection. On a bigger scale, sports figures often donate their autographed jerseys to organizations that use them asking for donations and for visibility.
Many of these famous sports figures have started charities of their own to convert their fame into help for children and others who are ill. Lance Armstrong, famous cyclist, has his own charity for children with cancer. When the baseball Red Sox were in the World Series, nurses at a nearby children’s hospital wore jerseys backing the team and Red Sox players visited entire wards of children to bring some amusement, energy and, yes, jerseys to their lives. Wholesale jerseys suppliers have done their part to give to such charities as well.
More could be said about the symbolism of jerseys and their role in sports and in the minds of the public. Wholesale jerseys and jersey wholesalers make the dreams available to an huge number of loyalists who just want the jersey they don to capture the power of sports to motivate.