NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

[scottishcowboy41]

I just watched the final episode of this year’s NFL Hard Knocks with the Cincinnati Bengals. It showed footage of nameplates being removed from all the game jerseys of the players who didn’t make the team during the final cuts to make the 53 man roster. As a collector of Cowboys game jerseys myself, this was uncomfortable viewing.

I know teams do this plate-change now and again and more commonly issue players with unused jerseys from previous years. For example a player could have worn a 08 tagged jersey in 2011. But in this Hard Knocks episode every jersey for every cut player had the nameplate removed so the jerseys could be recycled and used for future players that join the team.

Now these weren’t star players by any means, but surely you Bengals fans would have loved to have bought those game jerseys for your collections, even though they were just game used or game issued pre-season jerseys of the bottom tier players on the roster. Fullback John “The Terminator” Conner was cut from the team, but his game jersey would have been a nice addition to any collector of Bengals gamers. Or what about Aaron Maybin, an 11th overall pick by the Bills a couple of years ago, and a huge bust. I’m sure collectors of NFL gamers of former Penn State players would have snapped that one up. I sure did wince a bit as those CONNOR and MAYBIN nameplates were unstitched.

With the way the economy is these days, all businesses want to save money. So will this extreme recycling of game jerseys by the Bengals and other NFL teams become more prevalent in the future? I sure hope not! I know these were bottom tier players, but a game used jersey is still a game used jersey. I would have thought the teams would make more money selling these jerseys on via NFL Auctions, auction houses, companies like Steiner, the team Proshop or the team tent sale etc, than Nike would charge them to make new one’s etc.

[Anabolicollege17]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

I understand what your saying but there was no evidence of the jerseys being given to current players, or new players once removed. The jerseys could be one day auctioned with no name plates or given to season ticket holders for autographs.

[scottishcowboy41]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

I understand what your saying but there was no evidence of the jerseys being given to current players, or new players once removed. The jerseys could be one day auctioned with no name plates or given to season ticket holders for autographs.

I think it is more than likely the jerseys had the nameplates removed to be used again for future players. The jerseys would have much more value for auctioning or be much more appealing to season ticket holders with the nameplate on, so why remove the nameplate if your theory is true? I wouldn't have a game jersey in my collection with a nameplate removed. That would ruin the appeal of the jersey to me totally. So I would strongly suggest the recycling theory is much more realistic.

[ivo610]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

I just watched the final episode of this year’s NFL Hard Knocks with the Cincinnati Bengals. It showed footage of nameplates being removed from all the game jerseys of the players who didn’t make the team during the final cuts to make the 53 man roster. As a collector of Cowboys game jerseys myself, this was uncomfortable viewing.

I know teams do this plate-change now and again and more commonly issue players with unused jerseys from previous years. For example a player could have worn a 08 tagged jersey in 2011. But in this Hard Knocks episode every jersey for every cut player had the nameplate removed so the jerseys could be recycled and used for future players that join the team.

Now these weren’t star players by any means, but surely you Bengals fans would have loved to have bought those game jerseys for your collections, even though they were just game used or game issued pre-season jerseys of the bottom tier players on the roster. Fullback John “The Terminator” Conner was cut from the team, but his game jersey would have been a nice addition to any collector of Bengals gamers. Or what about Aaron Maybin, an 11th overall pick by the Bills a couple of years ago, and a huge bust. I’m sure collectors of NFL gamers of former Penn State players would have snapped that one up. I sure did wince a bit as those CONNOR and MAYBIN nameplates were unstitched.

With the way the economy is these days, all businesses want to save money. So will this extreme recycling of game jerseys by the Bengals and other NFL teams become more prevalent in the future? I sure hope not! I know these were bottom tier players, but a game used jersey is still a game used jersey. I would have thought the teams would make more money selling these jerseys on via NFL Auctions, auction houses, companies like Steiner, the team Proshop or the team tent sale etc, than Nike would charge them to make new one’s etc.

NFL auctions is for charity. They dont make money off of things there to my knowledge.
What auction house is going to want a bunch of players who never played in a regular season game? What, sell every teams leftovers? So 700-1200 jerseys? That will drastically lower the profile of any auction house. The cost to put a $50 item up for auction? yeah its not going to be worth the $20 they would get out of the few that sold. It would be a mess. The labor involved would be crazy.
Steiner terminated their deal with the cowboys because they couldnt sell lower tier players that actually played in games. The business model doesnt work.
Tent sale or Team store? Maybe but I already see NFL teams with game jerseys from no name players that are sitting on their website with no interest. Ebay is cluttered with them too, last week it was a bunch of panthers jerseys. Cowboys are one of the biggest fan bases in the league and their jerseys from no name players are a dime a dozen.
Teams recycling jerseys is the best for business, its quick and easy, and doesnt cost them anything other than the few moments of labor.

[Anabolicollege17]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

Scottish those jerseys have very little value. They are all bumbs. And John Connor is the biggest imo... I don't think its worth the Bengals time to sell them.

[scottishcowboy41]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

NFL auctions is for charity. They dont make money off of things there to my knowledge.
What auction house is going to want a bunch of players who never played in a regular season game? What, sell every teams leftovers? So 700-1200 jerseys? That will drastically lower the profile of any auction house. The cost to put a $50 item up for auction? yeah its not going to be worth the $20 they would get out of the few that sold. It would be a mess. The labor involved would be crazy.
Steiner terminated their deal with the cowboys because they couldnt sell lower tier players that actually played in games. The business model doesnt work.
Tent sale or Team store? Maybe but I already see NFL teams with game jerseys from no name players that are sitting on their website with no interest. Ebay is cluttered with them too, last week it was a bunch of panthers jerseys. Cowboys are one of the biggest fan bases in the league and their jerseys from no name players are a dime a dozen.
Teams recycling jerseys is the best for business, its quick and easy, and doesnt cost them anything other than the few moments of labor.

$50 for a 2012 Nike game used NFL jersey? Really?! I don't think many of us NFL game used jersey collectors have a Nike gamer in our collections yet. I collect Cowboys game used jerseys but I can't afford 4 figures for a Nike gamer. I'd be happy to have a pre-season Nike gamer of a long-shot player I liked and whose progress I followed throughout training camp but got cut at the last minute. I take on board what you are saying about the logistics of how and where to shift all the jerseys, but at the moment I would say there would be a high demand for these jerseys because of the move to Nike jerseys.

My main point however was I didn't like to see game used jerseys taken apart for re-use. As a game used collector and a fan fan, I thought it was a real shame. I have a game used Cowboys helmet, 5 Cowboys practice used jerseys, 10 Cowboys game used jerseys , 1 pair of Cowboys game used gloves and a Cowboys game used equipment bag. I consider myself very fortunate to own and cherish these items. Many football fans don't own any game used items and would dearly love to own a real game used jersey NFL, no matter how low a tier the player. Not everyone is as lucky as us. Something to consider for the average joe football fan...

[scottishcowboy41]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

Scottish those jerseys have very little value. They are all bumbs. And John Connor is the biggest imo... I don't think its worth the Bengals time to sell them.

I think any 2013 Nike game used jersey would have some decent value because of the recent move from Reebok. I don't see any 2012 or 2013 Nike gamers anywhere for sale for next to nothing.

We all have opinions on players. Not quite sure I agree Connor is a bum. He just joined the league 10 years too late, where real fullbacks are becoming extinct.

[Texans]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

Dont the team pay Nike for the jersey? If that is the case I can see why teams recycle jersey. Why waste there money if they can reuse it. Not worth it to sale a player cut from the roster for $100

[ivo610]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

$50 for a 2012 Nike game used NFL jersey? Really?! I don't think many of us NFL game used jersey collectors have a Nike gamer in our collections yet. I collect Cowboys game used jerseys but I can't afford 4 figures for a Nike gamer. I'd be happy to have a pre-season Nike gamer of a long-shot player I liked and whose progress I followed throughout training camp but got cut at the last minute. I take on board what you are saying about the logistics of how and where to shift all the jerseys, but at the moment I would say there would be a high demand for these jerseys because of the move to Nike jerseys.

My main point however was I didn't like to see game used jerseys taken apart for re-use. As a game used collector and a fan fan, I thought it was a real shame. I have a game used Cowboys helmet, 5 Cowboys practice used jerseys, 10 Cowboys game used jerseys , 1 pair of Cowboys game used gloves and a Cowboys game used equipment bag. I consider myself very fortunate to own and cherish these items. Many football fans don't own any game used items and would dearly love to own a real game used jersey NFL, no matter how low a tier the player. Not everyone is as lucky as us. Something to consider for the average joe football fan...

Sorry to disappoint you but most football fans don't get a sh*t about game used items. You know what they get excited about? Autographs. Show your $15,000 jersey and they shrug because it isn't autographed. Common jerseys are plentiful on eBay yet all these fans you talk about don't buy them. Packers have a tent sale, some of the best game used jerseys in decades are available. You know the big item was? Old seats. Most fans want nicknacks. If there was a demand for bum player jerseys then Steiner would have renewed their contract with the cowboys.

You should be able to get a conners jersey for a $100-$200 if you look around I'm sure. But you want the 2012 Nike one, which at the moment isn't as plentiful, but if all teams sold them they wouldn't sell all of them even at the dirt price of $50. Teams need the jerseys, the business model doesn't work to please a few fans. Unless you are willing to pay several hundred dollars you won't get a Nike jersey today. I'm sure they will be very plentiful in a couple seasons.

[commando]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

It's about time memorabilia resellers finally realized that newer common player jerseys ain't worth much on the resale market... Same goes for common player helmets, too (you can find a buyer for them, but not for the $800 to $1,200 that is asked). These resellers may have sold a few jerseys and helmets to hardcore collectors for high retail prices, and if and when these collectors try to move these items they'll get a small fraction back of what they originally paid.

Some of us may not realize how small the GU collecting community really is. In my dealings, I seem to cross paths with a handful of people over and over. And those collectors have limited funds to spend as they search the world over for their next treasure!

[jake33]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

That is very true.... NFL fans in general are not big into game used. I don't get that, I think NFL game used jerseys look amazing, way better quality than retail jerseys.

In baseball, players can play 10-15 years regularly, in the NFlL there is no minor league and there really isn't that many "prospects." It is a sink or swim league. And the few guys that are stars in the NFL are big for a VERY VERY brief periods of time, and then the value crashes.
Same with football cards, I don't know how people make money on football cards, one knee injury and a guys value and career is shot.

Also, defensive players are an issue. There are not that many Ray LEwis type guys out there. Guys like Javon Kearse, huge first season but never match his inital value again. I don't like that, the league is about stars and flash and raw emotion, all that doen't seem to hold well for run of the mill guys that can live forever..... Look at guys like Mark Lemke, Dan Johnson, Scott Brocious, Aaron Boone, Bucky Dent, Dave Roberts, guys with a blah career with major feats. Yes, that can happen in football (Larry Brown, Desmond Howard, and Chris Reis to name a few), but not nearly as muich as in baseball.


Football game used items, don't seem to hold weight and in my opinion they show more personality and story than most baseball game used items.

[Anabolicollege17]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

Lol anyone remember the John Beck jersey from NFL auctions? That says it all.

But yeah the average NFL fan is happy with a 30$ china knock off nike jersey because its stitched. Only a few of my friends can actually tell a game worn jersey from a fake. And thats because I've showed them what to look for. I like Game worn jerseys of stars like starting QB's because they tell a story about that game they played in, or the career year they had the year that the jersey was worn. Or if there is a special patch added like the awesome vibrant HOF patches last year.

[G1X]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

My friends Jake and Anthony said it well in their posts, and it bears repeating. In general, NFL fans are not big into collecting game-used jerseys and helmets, especially when compared to baseball fans/collectors. The game-used hobby is indeed very small in the grand scheme of things. As a collector of game-used football jerseys as well as being a dealer for nearly 40 years, I could spend hours on this subject, but I well keep it very short by stating a few things I have observed over the years that are relevant to this thread:

- "Recycling" football jerseys is nothing new. This has been done since the advent of the game.

- Football jerseys of common and lower tier players do not sell nearly as well as commons/lower tier baseball jerseys. This is especially so with linemen on both sides of the ball and defensive players in general.

- While most collectors in this forum are hard-core collectors and might never dream of wearing the jerseys in their collection, a number of my customers want to wear their jerseys, especially since the prices are usually lower than an authentic retail jersey. Modern-era jerseys are not conducive for wearing because of the cut and fit, especially lineman jerseys and others that have little of no sleeves, so they can be very difficult to sell.

- Jerseys that do not show game wear can be very difficult to sell. Why should the Bengals Team Store (or the Gridiron Exchange, for that matter) take up floor space for something that will most likely not move very quickly?

- Preseason jerseys of players who did not make the roster have very little retail value unless the player is from a large college that has several collectors who specialize in collecting items from that school. Again, why should the Bengals Team Store take up floor space for something that will most likely not sell very quickly?

- Most important of all, please keep in mind that the equipment managers for most teams could not care less about the small world of game-used collectors. I am assuming that they have a budget and are trying to control costs. If a jersey is still usable, what is the incentive to send it upstairs to the Team Store (the store probably does not want this "non-selling" item to begin with) when the equipment staff can simply re-plate the jersey and use it again. To them, it is just a commodity, and if it is still usable, why toss it out? Their concern is outfitting their team, not what Joe Collector is looking for to add to the collection.

The bottom line is that there is not a valid marketing reason for a team to actively pursue selling preseason jerseys of players who were cut. It is not practical to try to satisfy the wants of a handful of collectors. This might sound harsh to some collectors, but the priority of the equipment staff is to outfit the players, not to make collectors happy.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

[abstractheory]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

"Unless you are willing to pay several hundred dollars you won't get a Nike jersey today. I'm sure they will be very plentiful in a couple seasons."

Exactly! All these people in love with these new Nike jerseys (still not quite sure why) just need to wait a little. They will soon flood the market just like the Reebok gamers did. Just relax.

[Hoshal13]

Re: NFL Hard Knocks 2013 - Recycling of Cincinnati Bengals game jerseys.

Lol anyone remember the John Beck jersey from NFL auctions? That says it all.

But yeah the average NFL fan is happy with a 30$ china knock off nike jersey because its stitched. Only a few of my friends can actually tell a game worn jersey from a fake. And thats because I've showed them what to look for. I like Game worn jerseys of stars like starting QB's because they tell a story about that game they played in, or the career year they had the year that the jersey was worn. Or if there is a special patch added like the awesome vibrant HOF patches last year.

I wonder if that's the Beck I own lol, I didn't pay anywhere near that.