NFl charging players to change numbers

[DUNCAN51NICK]

There's nothing new about a player paying a teammate to get him to give up a uniform number. But when Jerry Porter wanted to change his number from 84 to 81 last week, he was told he'd have to pay someone else: the NFL.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/070608

Most of the article is about new baseball caps, but this is part I found most interesting and the most ridiculous.

[imabored]

that's so dumb.

[badass316]

:laugh: such a dumb@ss idea. The NFL is trying to squeeze every drop of dime they can get.

[denkc]

Well i don't know if that's totally unfair. If Alex Smith changed his number, my jersey would lose its significance. Or half of it, anyway.

At least this way they have incentive not to change.

[TracyJordan!]

WHo cares about the number?

[Venom]

This seems very arbitrary and heavy-handed. I guess B-Will and M-Rob are lucky they changed before this went into effect.

[Venom]

i like the idea, then athletes can't change their number forcing fans to buy a new jersey.


They can still change but they have to shell out for it. Also, how are fans "forced" to buy a new jersey? Fans wear throwbacks and traded players' jerseys. Why not wear an old number?

[denkc]

They can still change but they have to shell out for it. Also, how are fans "forced" to buy a new jersey? Fans wear throwbacks and traded players' jerseys. Why not wear an old number?

I don't know if you own a jersey but you just get a certain attachment to the player when you own one of their jerseys. Alex's jersey is my first, even if it is just a replica. If they go and change their number, the level of attachment is lowered - and someone like me might hesitate before buying another jersey (especially since I want an authentic sooner or later) from Alex or other niners. This could affect their sales.

[DUNCAN51NICK]

I don't know if you own a jersey but you just get a certain attachment to the player when you own one of their jerseys. Alex's jersey is my first, even if it is just a replica. If they go and change their number, the level of attachment is lowered - and someone like me might hesitate before buying another jersey (especially since I want an authentic sooner or later) from Alex or other niners. This could affect their sales.

Weird.

[Venom]

I don't know if you own a jersey but you just get a certain attachment to the player when you own one of their jerseys. Alex's jersey is my first, even if it is just a replica. If they go and change their number, the level of attachment is lowered - and someone like me might hesitate before buying another jersey (especially since I want an authentic sooner or later) from Alex or other niners. This could affect their sales.

I've probably owned 30 or more over the years. I still wear old players jerseys and if I owned a jersey of a player with a different number, I would still wear it. Ad while I agree that some people would hesitate to buy a new jersey, most would not. If Brett Favre changed his # to say 7, every sports apparel store in Wisconsin would have a gaggle of cheeseheads waiting at their doors the next morning.

[denkc]

Weird.

Whyzat weird.

I've probably owned 30 or more over the years. I still wear old players jerseys and if I owned a jersey of a player with a different number, I would still wear it. Ad while I agree that some people would hesitate to buy a new jersey, most would not. If Brett Favre changed his # to say 7, every sports apparel store in Wisconsin would have a gaggle of cheeseheads waiting at their doors the next morning.

Yeah, that's true but that's for the big-name stars. Favre has already had his legacy and besides, the #4 already has a lot of meaning attached to it. If it were an up and comer it would be different.

[Sac-King_916]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/070608

Most of the article is about new baseball caps, but this is part I found most interesting and the most ridiculous.

Yup, that is ridiculous !

[Geoff Cactus]

I can understand it with kids, but I've never quite comprehended what compels a grown man to wear something with another man's name written on the back; however, the NFL's decision does strikes me as them trying to protect fans from having to shell out more cash.

Obviously there is no need to buy a new one if the player's number changes, but since a lot of people (especially kids) will immediately want to update, I think this is an example of a huge corporation for once giving a concession to their customers.

[Geoff Cactus]

i mean that was a nice try to put it all on kids as you put it. but its not kids, its society in general. just as everybody always wants that new car, people in general will always want the newer version. Americans in general always want whats bigger or newer and jerseys are no different.

I don't disagree that the urge exists in adults, but it's obviously stronger in kids, particularly when you're talking about an off-shoot of idolisation.

I'm not criticising an adult who would want to go and buy the updated jersey - one of my mates is forever walking around in an Arsenal soccer top with "Henry" plastered over his shoulders - I'm just saying I don't quite understand why.

[Geoff Cactus]

as a result of the situation we are describing, with players changing numbers and players changing teams, i have vowed to never buy another current players jersey again. i am sick of buying a players jersey and a year or two later he is gone and i'm stuck burning his jersey on opening day. i will probably buy throwbacks from here on out.

Yeah, man. I do agree with what the NFL are trying to do here - it's not like those things are cheap.

[Onyxdragon]

i like the idea, then athletes can't change their number forcing fans to buy a new jersey.
This has nothing to do with the NFL looking out for the fans. This is the NFL wanting to get the most money out of the fans. If Porter changes his jersey #, then the NFL would have to offer his old # at a discount price and most fans would buy the new # instead of the old one.

They even go over it in this article.

The Oakland Raiders receiver said Wednesday he would have to pay $210,000 to switch his uniform from No. 84 to 81 in order to reimburse the team and Reebok for the cost of the unsold jerseys.

NFL spokesman Steve Alic said Porter could wait until next year, when the supply of unsold shirts would be depleted and the cost would be less, before making the change.

"The more advance notice a player can provide when requesting a number change, the less chance there is of financial ramifications," Alic said.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/05/30/porter.number.ap/index.html

[denkc]

This has nothing to do with the NFL looking out for the fans. This is the NFL wanting to get the most money out of the fans. If Porter changes his jersey #, then the NFL would have to offer his old # at a discount price and most fans would buy the new # instead of the old one.

They even go over it in this article.




http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/05/30/porter.number.ap/index.html

Well, it's a nice side effect, even if unintentional.

[Fricker 4]

I completely agree with the guy that mentioned no one wants to wear and old jersey.

There is a difference between a throwback and an old jersey for a year before. Throwbacks have earned their 49er fame and are a common place with the fans. Montana, Young, Rice, Lott, Craig, Taylor, Jones etc etc.... These jerseys are people that have basically retired with the 49ers organization. Therefore its techinically suitable to wear their jerseys still.

Then you have the players like T.O, Garcia, etc,etc, and # changes, that just annoys me and alot of other fans.

I started off with a Garcia jersey, then i had a TO. So i pretty much after they both left bought my own name in a customized Authentic. This solved the problem for me. I dont have to worry about me ever not being a fan therefore im not switching my #. The way i look at it, if you dont wanna risk a number change just get a customized one and the worries are gone.