Oh Boy... The Orgin of Mid-90s Double-Tagged Champion NBA Jerseys

[commando]

Here is a full-page advertisement from the July, 1996 issue of Sports Cards Magazine (Krause Publications). The company featured in the ad was Overtime Prowear of Huntington Beach, California. The authentic basketball jerseys are of particular interest, as they were double-tagged and available with up to +3 extra length.

This certainly helps to explain why so many mid-90s "game" jerseys can be found in strange sizes.

[Mattapan03]

Wow. This brings back memories. I remember this ad.

[commando]

Even though they don't show the tags on the authentic football jerseys, I'll bet that the five NFL teams they were supplying at the time (Bears, Bengals, Bills, Jets, Saints) are indeed double-tagged with exclusive tagging similar to the basketball authentics.

[trsent]

I'm guessing, since i have never seen mixed sizes, that they only sold the Champion brand jerseys in the same sizes wore by the players. Back then I only every saw Michael Jordan jerseys size 46 +2. The ads are cool, but I'm pretty sure they were only selling pro-cut jerseys not custom order sized jerseys.

These jerseys are technically game issued (not team issued) jerseys as they are tagged ready for game use.

Upper Deck Authenticated had many, many pro-cuts like these back in the 1990's - I owned many Michael Jordan and Anfernee Hardaway jerseys from them all pro-cut tagged.

[trsent]

I see the ad says custom jerseys, but I have never seen a pro-cut for Michael Jordan by Champion that wasn't 46 +2 which I guess makes sense that no one would ever order a size that wasn't Michael Jordan's size for that money back then it wasn't cheap.

[trsent]

Just received an email from an associate who remembers much more than I do. Two statements he made about this discussion:

1. They only made the jerseys in the players actual sizes. They didn't custom order sizes. Any player could be ordered from Champion if you had the right account.

2. Champion never made football pro cut jerseys for the public.

Interesting...

[commando]

I see the ad says custom jerseys, but I have never seen a pro-cut for Michael Jordan by Champion that wasn't 46 +2 which I guess makes sense that no one would ever order a size that wasn't Michael Jordan's size for that money back then it wasn't cheap.

My mistake... I thought I had seen discussions here in the past regarding sizing inconsistencies, but it might not have been regarding these double-tagged Champions.

Many thanks for the added info!

[trsent]

I see the ad says custom jerseys, but I have never seen a pro-cut for Michael Jordan by Champion that wasn't 46 +2 which I guess makes sense that no one would ever order a size that wasn't Michael Jordan's size for that money back then it wasn't cheap.

Duh, Michael wore 46 +3 not 46 +2!

[hairyangryfella]

1. They only made the jerseys in the players actual sizes. They didn't custom order sizes. Any player could be ordered from Champion if you had the right account.


Interesting...

Wonder how many have been deemed/sold as game worn by auction sites/houses... If my Shaq wasn't so sweat-stained I'd be worried. Anything pre-Meigray I'm suspicious of and wouldn't touch nowadays.

[trsent]

Wonder how many have been deemed/sold as game worn by auction sites/houses... If my Shaq wasn't so sweat-stained I'd be worried. Anything pre-Meigray I'm suspicious of and wouldn't touch nowadays.

Yeah, as long as you believe your jersey is genuine, all is well.