The Benefits of Brand Name Uniforms

This is kind of a complementary post. It works best in conjunction with my last one, though you can read either one 1st.

What unequivocal benefits are there in buying well-known brand name unis & stuff versus some lesser known brands. (Again, I always adhere to the credo, "There is no definitive answer to the question 'What's the best uniform?'" The only answer is :'Depends on a LOT of factors') But, that said...

Brand name sportswear is a competitive multi-billion dollar industry. It's a fierce marketplace. It's serious. And brand name manufacturers play to win.

But what's all that mean to the average purchaser of team uniforms on the Internet?

The most obvious benefit is quality assurance. Believe me when I tell you I've samples or surveyed or worn something from every manufacturer you've ever heard of out there and, to be perfectly frank, if it's a well-know brand, it's gonna be pretty damn good.

True, a MFTR is gonna have different products for different price points (and their buyers) within their target audience, but the brands you know in this biz generally deliver on the quality promise (whether they deliver on time is a whole other problem for a different posting). If you KNOW of them --not "think I heard of them"-- but KNOW you KNOW them, you're in good shape.

And, an Internet merchant's Adidas, Under Armour, Wilson is the SAME EXACT THING as that available in the "brick & mortar" world. PHHHHHewwww! Took a long time to get to that simple point, huh!

While there is --absolutely-- some great stuff at great prices from MFTRs you have never heard of or are vaguely familiar with, there's also a noticeable dollop of crap. Poor design, lackluster sewing, dyes that fade before your eyes and so forth. But there isn't really the reciprocate.

By that I mean, if you stick with well known brands, there isn't any awfulness waiting to rear it's ugly head after the first washing or post-season.

Sure, you're gonna have PREFERENCES. Different people like different things about their unis. Whether fit, fabric or function related. But that's not a QUALITY issue. Again, it's a preference.

Probably the biggest tangible value you get buying brand name stuff from a reputable Internet merchant is...peace of mind. When you have players, parents, board members and so forth, just waiting to chime in with their ...uh, "unique perspective" on the unis you bought, it's kinda nice to not have to repeat the MFTR's name 2-3 times because no one's ever heard of them before.

"Look, they're made by Russell Athletic (Or Under Armour or Wilson or Reebok, et al)" It can get you out of any "spirited discussion" about the unis this year!

AAAAAAAAAhhhhh.....Peace of Mind...........Priceless!


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

When Brands Go Bad

There's no denying the simple fact that well-known brand name uniforms and apparel have some distinct advantages over second tier, "non-brand" name goods. For one, the brands have a brand name to protect in the RETAIL channel (vs. Team) and they do so through quality. Ergo, your average Under Armour uniform, irrespective of the sport, is going to be of a better quality than a 2nd tier brand's. Duh.

Let's take price off the table and say --not matter what the price-- which is the better uniform for my team or school? Well, that's where it starts to get a little tricky...

If you're buying "Blanks" (un-decorated --i.e., no team name, numbers, etc.) then yeah, the brand name goods are gonna be --on average better. And, again on average, be a little pricier. After all, you are paying for the brand. Again, Duh.

If you want to get the best quality and the selection and convenience of buying via the Net, blank brand name purchases are a very comforting way to go. You'll lose no sleep, because a web merchant's UA, Russell, Reebok, etc. is gonna be the exact same as the local dealer or retailer. Even if you buy direct from the manufacturer (evil!) A brand is a brand is a brand.

But most folks prefer a turnkey solution. They want decorated unis. And, that said, the value of brands becomes a little more nebulous.

Suppose your brother in law has a t-shirt shop and you're upgrading your unis from tees to --well, almost anything is an upgrade-- but let's say your new travel squad wants a well-known brand name. (And bro-in-law still wants his piece of the business too!)

Uh-oh.

Today's performance fabrics are very different than t-shirts. Know how to precisely deal with them is a scientific skill and knowledge set. Nothing againist your in-law, but he is officially "out of his league" at this point. (Those really cool tees he did for the Big Jamboree last month notwithstanding)

So, in this example, the benefit of the brand becomes non-existent. Let me explain.
Most errors in the team uniform biz are a by-product of the decoration (screening, embroidery, sublimation, etc.) The core product --the blank jersey-- can be fantastic. And yet, it can be likely rendered virtually unusable through shoddy decoration (numbers that fall off, team names that "melt" and so forth.)

A brand name uni in this case is just penny wise and pound foolish. Or the opposite, I've confused myself. But I think you get the point.

If you have a "local guy" who knows how to work with sports team uniforms and new-ish performance fabrics (ASK to see samples of his/her work!), then sure, go with the brand name blanks. But when in doubt, go turnkey.

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Basketball Uniforms and Fashion

No team sport's uniforms seem to be more driven by or conversely affect general sportswear attire more so than basketball's. While one could argue the golf's tepid trends rule large over the “corporate casual” domain, for the youth (and young at heart)nothing compares to b-ball's domination of what drives fashion
(for young men in particular).

Think about it. Haven't the length of men's & boy's short --in general-- reflected the fashion of at or below the knee length shorts that first cropped up on the court?

True, for a while an little ways back, the football jersey in it's “throwback” form was fashionable. But so were basketball jerseys at the same time. Fortunately, both these trends, much to the chagrin of the fine folks @ Mitchell & Ness (a leading manufacturer of throwbacks). FYI: They're also based in Philly!

Baseball jerseys are cool to wear at the ballpark, but are suspect anywhere else. And the push to the ankles and beyond of recent baseball pant styles are even regretable in MLB. I may be getting old or just be old school, but when a new kid comes up from the minors and he's sporting traditional just below the knee pants, I find myself rooting a little extra for him.

Soccer suffers from several maladies in crossing over into mainstream sports wear "fashionability". The dominance of Adidas and it's ultra strict "3-stripe hegemony" renders --at least to American consumers-- virtually unwearable. I will say that in Europe, N. Africa and other locales, Adidas is enormously popular as "street" attire. It does not make it or those choosing to wear these jerseys any more fashion forward.

No. Basketball uniforms, both jerseys and shorts, play a significant yet little noted or appreciated role in the trend-setting of general sportswear. Let's all breathe a sigh of relief that competitive swimming's latest fashion trends will forever be relegated to the pool. "Love how you look in that Laser!" isn't going to be a catch phrase any time soon.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Nike Allegations

While the root of this story involves one Chinese track team member, it also involves the Internet and, well, NIKE, so it's "in our wheelhouse" here @ SUS.

Seems as though the sportswear behemoth felt a little threatened by — I kid you not — the words written by ONE blogger. In China.

That reminds me of one of my favorite quips about China (I read it in Tom Friedman's "The World is Flat"). The saying goes, if you're "one in a million" —in China 2,500 people just like you.

Anyway, I saw this NIKE conspiracy theory at GAWKER.com

It's disturbing no matter how much of it is fabricated (or not) just from the company's reaction. Like...huh?


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Performance Wear - Be "Me, Too" Mania

It wasn't so long ago (think 5 years) when the words "performance wear" & Under Armour were almost synonymous. The wicked hot, Baltimore-based company (founded in 1996) had virtually invented the category and ruled the roost and justly so.

While they still rule (with good reason) the category they created has run amuck with contenders and pretenders, posers and...well, some nice additions.

What's a coach, AD or average "Joe-buyer" supposed to do...?

At this writing, every respectable sports team uniform manufacturer in the free world has some variation to promote in the "performance" category. If I never hear the word "anti-microbial" again, I will die a happy man, but I don't suspect that'll happen. Same goes for "moisture-wicking". Nonetheless, the "performance fabrics and processes" (yes, there are two separate things) are here to stay. And they definitely are worth paying attention to.

They feel very good. They DRY very quick. They have tremendous value for just those reasons.

For that reason and much more....I will continue to expound on this subject for weeks/months and perhaps years to come...Please feel free to join the conversation!


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

The "Best" Uniform for My Team

You'd think that "What's the best uniform for my team?" would be a fairly straight-forward question. Maybe a few questions asked (How much can you spend, when do you need them, etc.) & answered would suffice. But that is not usually the case. Why?

As with so many things in team sports, the devil is in the detail. There really isn't a singular answer to a series of linear questions to determine what ultimately is the best team sports uniform for your team or school.

As disheartening as that may seem, it is true. The devil really is in the details.

First off, ususally is budget. But this simple metric is mitigated by the question: "How long do you want/need these uniforms to last? There's some really awesome unis that look fantastic -- cost accordingly -- and will NOT last more than 2 seasons for an intense elite/travel team. For some teams, (i.e., elite/travel U16-18 teams) that's the "best" option. When those SAME EXACT PLAYERS are playing for their school teams, ikt'd be frankly CRAZY for them to be wearing the same uniforms.

Yeah...same exact players, different circumstances...the "BEST" uniform solution is going to be DIFFERENT.

It ain't rocket science...but it sure helps to talk to some one that knows.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Olympic Uniforms

I'm gonna be keeping a keen eye turned toward trends and representations/manifestations of team sports uniforms the world over come THIS Friday night. Any one else gonna be taking this --admittedly unusual-- albeit profoundly valid perspective when 'the Games' start?

Keep an eye peeled for the ---guaranteed--- TOTALLY OFF THE HOOK team outfit from some previously under-appreciated country (think Senegal, Tajikistan, et al.). You watch!

Or just check back with moi.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Soccer Uniforms -- New Brand on the Pitch

Soccer presents something of a contradiction. It's the world's most popular sport, in part because there is so little --in terms of money-- to participate. Shirts & skins and a ball, some goal markers and you're pretty much good to go. Paradoxically, when it comes to soccer uniforms, you'll find no more brand name conscious sport out there.

I had one soccer company guy (not a soccer uniforms manufacturer, but a goals & equipment guy) say to me:"If I walk into a store and don't see Adidas, it ain't a soccer store." No question Adidas is the undisputed brand of soccer the world over. As much as NIKE may argue, that's the truth.

Close -- but not THAT close -- 2nd tier brands are Umbro, Diadora and the like. But those companies have had a world of trouble getting distribution in the US. True, league play (as opposed to Travel & Elite) gets a lot of attention from Far East manufacturers that sell direct (e.g., Score), but thats kind of a whole different ball of wax.

The big news for the coming Fall & Indoor seasons is that Under Armour, the biggest toughest new kid on the block has decided to flex it's marketing and manufacturing muscle on the pitch. Under Armour is doing soccer uniforms. And doing so in a big way. Their advanced and hugely popular fabric technologies gives them a big edge on all the other also rans of years past.

With UA on the pitch, there's sure to be some shaking going on.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Football Uniforms - Heat is the Enemy

Looking for Under Armour Football Uniforms? Click Here!

I remember the Under Armour ad campaign "Cotton is the Enemy". Well, since they've recently come out with a new product line that "Feels like Cotton, Works like Performance Fabric" (or something like that) they've kinda backed off that contentious campaign. By the way these cotton-esque Under Armour products are the BOMB.
I love performance wear and UA is still hands down the best, even if EVERY manufacturer has some version of it these days. That said, I love the feel of cotton, too. It's buttery softness. And, no matter how good most performance wear is, it can still feel a little polyester-like (Uh...because that's what it is...in large measure.) So this new fabric blend from Under Armour is awesome. Go to my company's site, give us a call, we'll get you out some samples....But I digress. (Sorry I am an entrepreneur/small business owner.)

Football training camps are staring us in the face. It's great. And it sucks, too. My personal recollections, even 20 + plus removed are ones of abject misery. Exhaustion. Sweat. Pain. Sweat. More pain. Much more exhaustion. And, yes, gallons upon gallons more of sweat.

Football training camps at any level are many things. Pretty ain't one of them.

From a coach's point of view, the experience is, however, invaluable. The concentration level, the singularity of focus, the bonding, the....well, you get the idea.

But with the advancements in fabric technology in the past few years (along with proper hydration) , football players in training camps need not be candidates for heat related illness or injury. The thinking man's football coach looks at addressing the potential problems from the inside out.

Start with the body --again-- keep your athletes hydrated. No exceptions. Next, utilize quality performance wear underneath shoulder pads. Here's a link to a study that proves this point beyond a doubt.

Risk of Heat Illness in Football Players...
(Thanks, "Mom's")

Then, strongly consider upgrading to performance (i.e., moisture-wicking) uniforms. Jerseys in particular. I know, me being who I am, that this may sound self-serving. But the simple fact of the matter is that heat stroke is serious and can even be life-threatening.

Football uniforms as a whole are designed for performance. Their purpose is functionality in an intentially violent enviroment. You wouldn't think of going without a helmet, shoulder pads and other protective aspects. Performance fabric in your team's uniforms should be added to that list.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com