Fake WFL Southern California Sun jersey?

[G1X]

This is a two-part post so I hope you have the time and patience to read it. The first part is about the jersey in question, the second part is an episosde that illustrates both the positive and negatives in sharing information with others in the hobby.

In case anyone cares to know, the Southern California Sun jersey listed on ebay is not a game-worn jersey. There are a lot of things incorrect about the jersey that makes it nothing more than a very inaccurate replica.

The 1974 magenta colored Sun jerseys had white numbers trimmed in orange. The middle sleeve stripe was white with a smaller orange trim stripe on each side of the white stripe. In 1975, the Sun jerseys differed slightly as they added a small white stripe to the end of each of the orange stripes. In other words, the stripe pattern from top to bottom in 1975 was small white, small orange, wide white (middle stripe), small orange, small white. And as Hassan accurately stated, no WFL team wore the league patch on their jerseys.

Surprisingly, there are some replica jerseys that exists for this league with most being poor or inaccurate reproductions made back in the 1970s. They are usually very easy to spot. Collectors such as Hassan who are aware that I started collecting WFL jerseys after the league folded in 1975 and have a wealth of reference material on the league (photos, game film, ownership over the years of jerseys from nearly every team, etc.) will occasionally approach me for my opinion. What I find disheartening is that the information I share occasionally falls on deaf ears, especially when collectors/dealers/auction houses/GUU Forum members/ebay sellers hear what they were hoping not to hear.

What makes it all worthwhile is when collectors do listen and avoid making huge mistakes which is what Hassan did when contemplating the purchase of a replica Portland Storm jersey being offered for sale last March. After Hassan forwarded photos of the jersey, I provided information to both Hassan and the Seller indicating that it looked to be a mediocre replica at best. Hassan assessed the facts provided and smartly passed on making the purchase.

A few days later, the Seller posted the jersey on ebay with the headline description saying that it was a game-worn jersey. While the text of the description left one scratching their head wondering whether it was or wasn't an actual Storm jersey, I was particularly disgusted at the ebay listing, especially since the Seller was well aware of the several major flaws with the jersey (including the wrong number font and incorrect neck/collar) and had been supplied several game action photos so that he could clearly see the proper number font. I even reviewed game film for the Seller just to be sure that no Storm player wore this style of font.

To make matters worse, the Seller mentioned to me at one point that it appeared that the tail tags may have been doctored. In our last email exchange, he asked me if I thought that it could at least be a salesman's sample. I told him that if it was my jersey, I would simply list it as a replica. Lo and behold, the ebay listing appeared a few days later with little of my information included.

I called the Seller immediately and asked what the heck he was doing as I thought that he had agreed that it was a replica at best. He stated that he saw nothing wrong with listing the jersey as game-worn in the headline title since he went on in the text description to point out that there were some issues with the jersey (such as the font). Hassan and I still beg to disagree with the Seller's assessment as we felt that the headline title was indeed misleading and the text only muddied the waters.

The story ends on a happy note. MEARS ended up with the Storm jersey and listed it for sale on their website. I told Troy Kinunen about the problems with the jersey and presented him with the same evidence I presented Hassan and the ebay seller. Troy wasted no time in immediately doing the right thing by removing the jersey from the MEARS website.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

[HassanWM]

What I find disheartening is that the information I share occasionally falls on deaf ears, especially when collectors/dealers/auction houses/GUU Forum members/ebay sellers hear what they were hoping not to hear.

Precisely why I posted this here. I mailed the seller through ebay on Sunday, put this up here yesterday, and guess what? This jersey is still there. What gives???

Mark, that Portland Storm jersey situation looks surreal now, if you know what I mean...

[HassanWM]

Allow me to correct myself, I e-mailed the seller on Saturday. Still up there more than three days later...

[G1X]

Hassan,

It looks like your efforts paid off as B&E did the right thing and removed the Sun jersey from ebay. A tip of the hat to you, B&E, and MEARS (Troy removed the Portland Storm jersey from their website as mentioned in my previous post) as actions such as these are great for the health of the hobby.

On the other hand, shame on the Seller of the Portland Storm jersey for the less than forthright ebay description of the jersey (refer to my previous post).

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

[flaco1801]

yes. the jerseys get removed, but they are not destroyed. they should be stamped(you insert phrase) if found lacking in authenticity. they will pop up somewhere else again. would be a good idea if a seller had the right to stamp a piece if cosigned and found unoriginal. that might stop a few from cosigning suspect goods to legitimate dealers, would also make the dealer a hero when auction is stopped and piece is stamped "replica".

[G1X]

The jerseys don't need to be destroyed, they simply need to be presented as what they are - replicas (poor replicas at that). The problem is not with MEARS, B&E, or anyone else who has jerseys such as the replica Storm and Sun jerseys in hand (or any replica for that matter). The problem is the people who take these items and put them up for sale without fully and honestly disclosing all the known information about these jerseys. Again, hats off to B&E and MEARS for removing these jerseys once they were presented the facts, and shame on the Seller of the Portland Storm jersey for his ebay listing.

Once the Storm jersey was listed on ebay as game worn in the headline title description, the listing was less than forthright in my humble opinion, especially since the Seller had been presented photos and facts about legitimate game-worn Portland Storm jerseys beforehand. (To clarify my previous post, the Seller first approached me through this Forum asking questions about the jersey.) Even if the jersey wouldn't have been listed in the title as being game worn, Hassan and I still would have had a problem with the listing as the description gave the impression that the jersey could have been/may have been/maybe wasn't/possibly was/but then again, maybe not/etc.

I was so disheartened when I saw the ebay listing of the Portland Storm jersey. But as previously stated, at least there is a good ending to the story.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

[flaco1801]

dont be so naive. you show a dealer something he can make money on,chances are they see the prospects of a payday. they are dealers first, maybe a collector, second. they might do a quick check if they have time. find the team colors, look at the label for the time period, then its off to the presses for sale. if nobody complains its a payday and the buyers remorse. these jerseys will be for sale again, maybe in a memorabilia shop, or even in an auction.