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Where Do You Get Your
Jerseys?
Going to
thirty-two games in thirty-one NFL stadiums as a home team fan presents
many challenges. Not the least of which is trying to find cheap
NFL jerseys of an elite quality that will allow me to represent the home
team in style. If you know anything about NFL jerseys, you know
there are several places to purchase them from, and several different
quality ranges based on where you buy them and how they're made. In going to
these multiple games in a home team jersey each time, I've bought NFL
jerseys on E-bay, through team stores online, and at the mall.
I've purchased the really bad Chinese knock-off jerseys and the stuff on clearance,
but absolutely nothing compares to the NFL Reebok-badged jerseys that
come new with tags or NWT. In my opinion, these are the premiere
NFL jerseys on the market. I've bought the Reebok NFL
jerseys that have silk screened numbers and I've paid $75.00 to get
them, but the absolute finest jersey that Reebok produces is the NFL
Reebok-badged Authentic or On-Field jersey. These NFL jerseys are
the closest thing you can buy to what the athletes wear on the field.
Retailing at nearly $300.00, these jerseys have sewn on numbers and letters (not
silkscreened) and are made of high quality mesh with spandex sides.
But I don't pay the $300.00 for every jersey I buy and I still wear
these sewn on "Reebok" jerseys to every game I go to.
Buyer Beware...
The
Asian-made jerseys are very cheap and some are of extremely high quality including the
sewn on numbers, high quality mesh, and spandex sides. This is due
mostly to the fact that these folks
are not subject to the copyright laws that bind many manufacturers, buyers,
and sellers of jerseys in the United States. You'll find
through some suppliers that you can purchase a jersey of a high
quality that has the appropriate Reebok badging and brand new tags for
as little as $65.00 - $90.00. Many people are more
than happy to wear a jersey of this type because they don't come with the
$300.00 price tag. The thing to be aware of is that if you
see these jerseys selling at around $70.00, they are most probably fakes.
They'd have to be, no reputable Reebok supplier is going to jeopardize his
relationship with the Reebok parent company to sell a few black
market jerseys at a lower price. The other thing to be aware of is that
even among the fake Reebok jerseys there is a notable discrepancy in quality.
If you go this route, be damn sure you're buying a good quality fake.
This type of situation is definitely a buyer beware because a seller can
post any picture they want and you won't know if you're getting a good
quality product or one of very poor quality. The "new with tags"
designation is a bit of a misnomer becasue in the day of adobe
photoshop and print capabilities anyone can create Reebok NFL tags
including the hologram. Again, just be aware of what you are
buying.
Can I help?
Of course! If you're are interested in some guidance on
jersey quality, including the options available to you in locating a reputable dealer, feel free to e-mail
me at
cheapnfljerseys @
nflfootballstadiums.com.
I have successfully navigated these waters before and can provide some
assistance on jersey selection, based on my wealth of knowledge in
maneuvering through pittfalls of
purchasing the poorer quality variety.
How to Spot a Fake
Jersey (click on Pics below)
Reebok produces several lines of varying style, quality, and price in
it's line of NFL jerseys. The intention here is to offer its customers
several options in price for those fans that want to purchase the NFL
jersey of their favorite player. we can't all afford the $300.00
authentic and with player movement and the free agent era in pro sports,
it's tough to make a large financial commitment to one player. The issue
with buying jerseys online is that you cannot see the item up close. You
can't touch the lettering or verify that stitching is done properly. You
can't examine the tags or feel the quality of the material. Some
sellers online will actually purchase blank jerseys and sew the numbers
on themselves, this is definitely not the type of product you want to
spend you money on. As you'll see below, many of the Reebok line of
jerseys look very similar, especially in a photograph so you want to
make sure you know what it is you're buying. Anyway, here is my
attempt to provide you with some information on what's out there and
give you my impressions of each.
Reebok Authentic
Series
 These
NFL Jerseys are the top of the line, highest quality jersey that Reebok
produces. The Reebok NFL Authentic series jerseys are the closest thing
you can buy to what the players on the field are wearing on Sundays.
Listing in stores from $250.00 to $300.00, they feature a heavy mesh
material, spandex sides, Reebok badging on the neck and hip, and sewn on
letters and numbers. The numbers themselves are generally made of a
satin or raised tackle twill material featuring a horizontal pattern.
 The
numbers on the front should be smaller than the numbers on the back (due
to NFL regulations) and they should have a raised appearance off the
mesh body. If you're looking to buy the best this is where it's at.
Reebok EQT Series
 The
EQT is Reebok's attempt to provide a more economically priced jersey for
those that really like the look of the Reebok Authentic Series, but
can't afford the $300.00 prices tag that generally comes with it.
Although this is a nice attempt, listing at $110.00, considering the
quality of jersey you're receiving, in my opinion it's not worth it. As
horrible as it sounds, I'd much rather purchase a high quality fake
jersey for my money than the Reebok EQT. The Reebok EQT is made from
lower quality materials to keep the price down, but the dead giveaway is
the single layer printed tackle twill numbers used in this jersey's
construction. Instead of a dual layer number in which each individual
layer is sewn down, the EQT has a single layer number, that although
technically "sewn on" the jersey, the top layer is actually silkscreened
and the "stitching" linking the top layer to the bottom is actually
drawn in, hence the "single layer". the material used to make the
numbers is also a very low quality thin material that feels like a
disposable vinyl tablecloth that you would use on picnic tables. From a
distance you really can't tell this is not an Authentic, but up close
it's clearly evident.
Reebok Replica Series
The Replica series is a solid product in the Reebok line. With these
jerseys, at least you know what you're getting To buy one, you're
looking at about a $75.00 price tag. The Replicas are made of good
quality materials with Reebok badging located at the neckline and on the
hip. The Replica Series features all silkscreened or printed numbers and
letters on all areas of the jersey. I've seen some sellers call these
jerseys "sewn on" by referring to the nameplate that features a
silkscreened name that is sewn on to the back of the jersey. the thing
to remember is that these jerseys prominently feature the Reebok badge
on the neckline.
Other Jerseys
NFL Replica Jerseys
These are the jerseys that you'll find hanging in racks at Wal-mart,
K-Mart, or your local grocery store. Retailing for around $20.00 -
$30.00, they're made from very cheap materials (usually a thin
polyester). These jerseys have silkscreened numbers and letters and
feature a silkscreened team logo on each sleeve. Distinguishing them
from the Reebok replica series is very easy because they will not have
the Reebok shield on the neckline or the tag at the hip. If you're
looking for something quick, this route is not too bad based on the
price, but I wouldn't recommend actually going out of your way to
purchase one of these.
Cheap Chinese
Knockoffs
I'm not sure what to call these. They are made of very poor quality
materials. Then number and letter fonts used in their construction are
usually incorrect and the sizes are generally off (they usually run
small). I bought a couple of these over the years and paid some money to
get 'em. I was not happy with any of them. They are not Reebok Jerseys,
they often have these really bad throwback tags, they're not al all
comfortable to wear, and they just look off. Recognize them, look at
them, but my advice is don't buy 'em.
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