Sports jerseys have been around for well over 100 years since about the introduction of uniforms for competing gymnasts after the “Father of Gymnastics”, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn popularised open-air gymnasiums in the 19th century.
Since then, we have seen a lot of development in the sports jersey market as customizing jerseys have become synonymous with creating a unique team identity in the competition world. But more than this, customizable sports jerseys have also become hugely popular in, and indispensable to, sport fan culture.
In this article, we will consider five reasons that customized sports jerseys exist, as well as introduce you to a few online stores ranging from very expensive to relatively affordable where you can purchase (and customise) your very own sports jerseys!
Why Customize Jerseys in Sports?
Sports jerseys have come a far way since their introduction many decades ago and have become far more inalienable to each team, therefore having important ramifications for all sports. The importance of custom jerseys in today’s era is numerous, but we will discuss this importance as attributed to five major reasons.
- Identity
To start, customized sports jerseys are important as they provide sport teams with a distinguishable identity. These jerseys help distinguish opponent from teammate during a fast-paced game when a player hardly has time to stop and evaluate the faces of the persons on the field to identify their teammates.
Distinctive colours or designs on jerseys make this into an almost instantaneous mental activity as teammates can automatically separate friend from foe. In accordance, it is understood that customized sports jerseys let other people know which country, school, or organisation a player is apart of.
Moreover, customized sports jerseys are beneficial to those watching, either on television or in person and allow coaches and commentators alike an opportunity to understand very quickly what is happening in the game.
- Functionality
The second function of customized sports jerseys is attached to a sense of functionality. As sport’s committees have the authority to establish guidelines for a player’s entire kit, it ensures that players will not face penalties for their attire.
This rule also mainstreams the number of logos and size of names and numbers allowed on each team’s jerseys. This may seem insignificant, but uniformity takes away the need to stress over easily avoidable stressful situations.
- Motivation & Unity
Nothing feels as good as being apart of a team. Feeling proud to represent your team by wearing their colours makes players feel proud and encourages them to perform for the team, and not just themselves.
This boosts confidence, willingness and motivates team members to give their best. Additionally, when the whole team matches, they feel a sense of unity amongst themselves. Despite individual differences, they are working towards a common goal. Afterall, there is no “I” in “TEAM”.
- Image
It is true that you only look as good as you feel and that you feel better when you look better. This applies to sports teams as well as they have a certain image that they wish to portray.
The right design is important to encapsulate the history, beliefs, and message of the team. When players’ ideals match the designs of their customized sports jerseys, it means that they can put their best foot forward when making first impressions.
Plus, with more popular teams, if it is a message that other people believe in, this can aid with jersey sales to fans!
- For the Fans
The ability to customize sports jerseys is not only beneficial to teams, but to fans alike. Following on from our previous point, sports jerseys carry an important message about what your teams stands for.
When fans believe in this message, it is likely that they would want to be apart of it! Fans can have sports jerseys customised in so far as having their own names put on the jerseys or by having them ordered in special colours or sizes. This is great for marketability!
Where to Get Your Customized Sports Jerseys
Now, let’s talk about where you can get your customized sports jerseys, from pro quality to more affordable customize shops.
Ninjersey provides “create your own custom kit” high end services. Here you can order fully customizable technical gaming apparel. You can even create the designs yourself with their 3D configurator! This is an Italian brand, but they take most forms of online payment and offer international shipping. A good option if you are interested in professional quality custom jerseys/ custom pro-jerseys. Prices start at €39, which is admittedly quite expensive. Let’s look at some more affordable options.
Amazon is a popular global online store where you can find almost anything, including customized sports jerseys! You can visit the Tee Miracle Store on Amazon by clicking the link above and here you’ll be able to personalise your own sports jerseys for $31- $36.
Wooter Apparel is another online store where you can get your custom apparel. They offer a free design or quote and the ability to customise every inch of your jersey! The pricing is surprisingly reasonable with a set (pants and jersey) going for $50- $40 and customizable jerseys ranging from $30-$25. We recommend you check out their page for your customization needs!
This online store offers quality jerseys at affordable prices. They promise no hidden fees and free shipping on all orders! Pricing is determined according to jersey order quantity (you pay less if you buy more). For example, you can pay as little as $4/shirt if you order 101+ shirts but $20/shirt if you order 1-5 shirts. This can be especially beneficial for those looking to place large orders.
To Conclude…
Customized sports jerseys have likely found a permanent spot in the sports world. These unique jerseys provide a sense of team identity, functionality, unity, image and allow the fans to feel like an integral part of the team.
You can check out the four online stores that offer customization services that we have linked above. These four stores range from relatively expensive to relatively cheap – so hopefully you will find the perfect one to meet your customization needs!