Sun times article on Bears gamers

[Eric]

Worn-ing: Uniform prices pretty steep


December 15, 2006
BY BRAD BIGGS (bbiggs@suntimes.com) Staff Reporter
Still trying to find the perfect holiday gift for your favorite Bears fan? Game-worn uniforms from a handful of players have been made available to the public through a marketing agreement the team has with Game Exclusives. And the prices are shocking to some of the players whose threads were replaced and shipped off to the new company.

Hunter Hillenmeyer jerseys -- take your pick of navy, white or the orange alternate version he wore Oct. 29 against San Francisco -- are available for $1,499.99. That price, of course, includes the pair of pants.
''So that's why I've got a new uniform almost every game,'' one player said when told his stuff was being sold.
Rex Grossman, Bernard Berrian, Cedric Benson, Alex Brown, Brian Griese and Lance Briggs uniforms also were for sale Thursday at www.gameexclusives.com<.
''I would never have known about this unless you showed this to me,'' another player said.
The company has ads on the team's Web site as part of the marketing deal that also allows Game Exclusives to use the Bears' logo. The Bears are one of four teams listed as a ''partner'' on the Web site, along with Dallas, Seattle and Washington.
Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said the marketing agreement is not unlike what the team has with Comcast -- both companies receive product, Game Exclusives just happens to get game-used equipment. It also markets framed swatches of game-used jerseys and footballs.
Grossman's uniform was the most expensive, listed at $4,249.99, a price that raised even his eyebrows. Briggs' uniform costs $1,999.99, $500 less than the Benson and Berrian models. All uniforms come with a certificate of authenticity from head equipment manager Tony Medlin.
Like the others, Grossman declined to comment on the record. It's a touchy subject for the players, who do nt receive a cut of the money the team takes in from Game Exclusives. They do receive money from regular jersey sales -- 6 percent of the wholesale price -- which reportedly added up to more than $1 million last season for players such as Indianapolis' Peyton Manning and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger. The players do get royalties for the officially licensed items, such as the framed swatches that include photos, but those don't go for big bucks like the uniforms.
Uniforms and helmets are property of the team, but this marketing deal does not appear to be going over well in the locker room. As one player put it, it would be an expensive gift for him to purchase for a friend or relative because the uniform isn't his to give away. You can beat him to it, if you like.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/174196,CST-SPT-bearnt15.article

[indyred]

They do seem really expensive, but is the only place I've ever seen a orange Bears game used jersey surface. It looks like they have sold a couple, before they had at least four of them on there. Now I only see two. Do they ever get Urlacher stuff. I don't get the player's gripe. Not like they couldn't afford them if they wanted it. Don't most teams also let the player's have first shot at buying the jersey themselves? I know Meigray let's the player have first crack if they want to keep a certain jersey, before they will put it up for preorder.

[jake33]

Gameexclusives, does not have price intergrity, their Seahawks jersey from last year are now almost 50% less than what they originally listed them for.

I don't know why the NFL doesn't just sell off ALL (not jsut the handfull on their auction site) the teams game jerseys, either for charity or profit...

[CollectGU]

They do seem really expensive, but is the only place I've ever seen a orange Bears game used jersey surface. It looks like they have sold a couple, before they had at least four of them on there. Now I only see two. Do they ever get Urlacher stuff. I don't get the player's gripe. Not like they couldn't afford them if they wanted it.


I just saw that AMI has an orange Urlacher uniform in their current auction with paperwork from the team...

Regards,
Dave

[ChrisCavalier]

I just saw that AMI has an orange Urlacher uniform in their current auction with paperwork from the team...
Hello Dave,

I did notice the Urlacher uniform in AMI. It looks like a great piece. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I believe the uniform was sourced from Game Exclusives. The reason I say that is there is a line included in the description that reads "Authentication is concrete as Bears (Game Exclusives) certificates accompany validating each garment."

I think the prices Game Exclusives asks for these items are the direct result of the cost of acquiring them as well as collectors willingness to pay for items they believe are sourced directly from teams (I believe there is physical documentation regarding Game Exclusives agreements with the teams). I had also mentioned previously that I met with Joe White from Game Exclusives at their booth at the National in Anaheim. As I said in that post, it was amazing to see the wear on some of their jerseys. For those who didn't see that post, Joe told me they (Game Exclusives) were once set up at a show and the people in the booth next to them complained because the jerseys smelled so bad.

Personally, I thought the jerseys in the Game Exclusives booth showed amazing contrast to a number of jerseys I see in some auctions that have virtually no wear on them. In fact, the description of the Urlacher jersey in AMI includes the following in the description "The unwashed uniform shows consistent superstar wear with light grass stains covering the two-color tackle twill numerals on the front and verso. A solid red facemask scrape is apparent on the top of the left mesh sleeve." In addition, the description for the pants reads "Heavy dirt/grass stains characterize these pants." Judging from the picture that seems to be an accurate description.

In any event, from a collectors perspective, while someone selling bogus jerseys could certainly manufacturer counterfeit "wear" on them, I think the fact that Game Exclusives purchases the items directly from the teams does provide collectors with some added levels of assurance regarding an item's use and authenticity. As I have mentioned in the past, I think the only way to get to 100% certainly regarding an item's game use is to actually see the actual player wearing it. However, absent that scenario, I think the wear on the Game Exclusives jerseys, along with the contracts they have with the teams, would make a potential buyer feel pretty good about them as a starting point (obviously collectors should still always do their homework on every item). As for the price collectors are willing to pay for these considerations, I guess the market will end up making that determination.

Sincerely,
Chris Cavalier