Watch any NFL game these days and one thing will be immediately apparent. The vast majority of fans will be wearing merchandise and apparel. Many of those will be wearing replica jerseys. The background of the action on the field will consist of thousands of fans wearing exactly the same color jerseys as their heroes. But that hasn’t always been the case.
This fashion for football apparel is actually a relatively modern phenomenon. But we are so used to seeing blankets of uniform colors in the stadiums that it is now regarded as an NFL experience. That’s not to say that other sports do not enjoy equal shows of fandom. It is just that the images at a football field really stand out.
Fans may have a wide range of online football betting sites to choose from these days. But the colors exhibited on any given Sunday are set in stone. Even with the extensive ranges of merchandise available for all teams these days, the color jerseys reign supreme in the stadium – closely followed by the white alternative. But where did this fashion trend come from? And how did football foster such a close relationship with the world of fashion?
Homemade Jerseys
Rewind 50 years ago and the picture was very different to what we are used to today. The crowds at the games will have started to dress a little more informally by the early 1970s, but replica jerseys were still very rare. It is more likely that only the odd one here or there might be spotted in old photos.
If fans wore any kind of football jersey – either at the game or at home – they would have been homemade efforts. Either that or high school or college jerseys that the wearer would have had for their own games. Apparel and licensing deals were still a way off and football merchandising was limited to hats and other smaller items.
Licensing Deals
In fact, it wasn’t until the early 1980s that the first licensing deals were struck by the NFL. NFL Properties – the sector responsible for licensing deals – was launched in 1963 but there was very little done about any fake replica jerseys, as they were pretty thin on the ground. The first big deals were done in the early 80s.
That was when some of the apparel companies we know today were setting up shop. Businesses such as Starter began getting deals to make and distribute clothing – and the first official replica jerseys started to become popular. It was still nowhere near the sea of apparel we see at games today though.
Hip Hop Stars
By the end of the decade, official NFL replica jerseys and other apparel had become big business though. Hip hop had also started to expand from its roots in New York City and was the new sound of the young. Many of the hip hop stars of the late 1980s and early 1990s wore NFL jerseys in their videos – and the fans took notice.
It wasn’t just hip hop that embraced NFL merchandise and apparel – although the related trend for larger sizes and baggier clothes certainly helped. Replica jerseys were everywhere by the mid-1990s and the NFL had started to sign exclusive deals with manufacturers to supply all the teams in the league.
Women’s Clothing
It took women’s fashion a little longer to catch up though. Up until the early 2000s there had been a “pink it and shrink it” approach to women’s merchandise at the NFL. That meant smaller versions of shirts and jerseys and the curious desire to produce pink versions of everything.
But by the beginning of the second decade of the century, the NFL had realized that there was a demand from women for more authentic apparel and merchandise. There were still some adjustments to make but entire ranges were introduced – and sold and marketed in a way that the research showed women appreciated.
NFL Players in Fashion
From clothing that was thought to be just for kids, to the uniform of the game day crowd, NFL fashion has come a long way. But the relationship between the NFL and fashion has outgrown even the traditional sports world. These days the cult of celebrity has enveloped the top players – and they have become fashion icons themselves. Super Bowl ticket cost can also be a fashion statement, with exclusive VIP packages and luxury seating options that cater to the glamorous side of the NFL experience.
Sports stars in all major pro leagues can be regarded as celebrities these days, so it is not surprising that the general public would look at what the athletes are wearing as fashion inspiration. The salaries paid to the athletes also means that they are able to afford high fashion as well. This has resulted in an overlap and players like Odell Beckham Jr. becoming fashion icons as well as sports stars.
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Collaborations and Drops
One of the more recent developments in NFL fashion has been the introduction of collaborations and special drops. These fashion industry ideas have become incredibly successful for the league as it looks to grow merchandise and apparel sales and branch out further than its traditional fan base.
Streetwear is one particularly successful strand of NFL collaboration, where well-regarded brands team up with the league to produce limited edition garments. This may not have as much to do with the ubiquitous wearing of replica jerseys but it is a good example of the NFL broadening its horizon.
A Sense of Belonging
With such a strong economic bond between the fans and the teams, it seems unlikely that the fashion for crowds to wear the jerseys will disappear anytime soon. It is now part and parcel of the game day experience. It gives the fans a sense of belonging and being part of something bigger.
The relationship between fashion and football will no doubt evolve in the coming years. But watching the game with a backdrop of a sea of replica jerseys is something we should all get used to.
