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Other, Lesser-Known Uniform Manufacturers


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Over the years, there's been a remarkable menagerie of sports uniform manufacturers: You got your Russell Athletics, Champions, Wilsons, Adidas, Nikes, Pumas, Starters, and so on. Those are some of the more well-known names in history.

 

But let's talk about some lesser-known companies that have made, or still make uniforms.

 

I'd like to mention Speedline Athletic. The only pro teams that they've made uniforms for was the USFL's Orlando Renegades in 1985, and a few CFL teams during the early 1990s.

 

No Fear, yes, the lifestyle clothing company, supplied some uniforms for the Arena Football League during the late 1990s. Of note, the interesting thing about those jerseys from what I have seen for sale, is that they have a tag that say "For Indoor Use Only". :D

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7 hours ago, AstroBull21 said:

USF wore Sports Bell for football from 1997 thru 2005.

 

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I have a University of Washington Sports Bell football jersey. :D

 

Another one: For a time in the mid 1980s, a Winnipeg-based company named Harv-Al Sportswear provided jersey to a couple CFL teams.

http://gamewornfootballjersey.com/winnipeg-blue-bombers.html - One such example, which you can see on this page, is the 1985 Blue Bombers John Hufnagel jersey.

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6 hours ago, orangefaniniowa said:

I want to know which manufacturing company made these you know with the crazy disturbing "A" on the left side on the shorts.

 

New Mexico v Fresno State : News Photo

 

That's gross.  An advertiser logo shouldn't be simply a letter in team colors.  It looks like a part of their uniform, not some other unrelated logo (which shouldn't be competing for attention with the actual team's logos and marks, but that's a different story.)  An advertiser logo should be clearly distinguished from the uniform so that it doesn't look like an actual integrated part of the team's identity.  That's my number one problem with the latest round of Nike NFL designs - the swooshes are done in such a way that they're integral parts of the uniforms, mostly because of the color balance tehy provide combined with their placement.  Remove a swoosh and teh team's look drastically changes (Titans and Jags are examples.)

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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16 hours ago, AstroBull21 said:

USF wore Sports Bell for football from 1997 thru 2005.

 

I wondered what happened to Sports Belle - they were a Knoxville-based supplier that seemingly vanished in the mid-2000s. They supplied Winthrop's basketball jerseys for a few years, and I have a few jerseys/shorts made by them.

 

http://archive.knoxnews.com/news/crime-courts/sports-belle-owner-paid-to-have-his-business-torched-federal-court-records-state-ep-786519672-353911601.html

 

https://www.wate.com/news/knoxville-man-sentenced-to-78-years-in-2008-sports-apparel-company-arson/792999625

 

Well, turns out the owner burned his whole operation down (literally) in 2008. I guess he saw the writing on the wall re: the big-name suppliers forcing him out of business, and tried to collect on the insurance $$$. That's one way to do it, I guess.

 

The first article includes some information I didn't know about the company - apparently Sports Belle started post-Title IX and became known for supplying athletic apparel cut specifically for women. Interesting approach with good foresight there. Also explains the "Belle" in the name.

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This is probably American bias, but I only know Admiral from their association with the currently defunct Rochester Rhinos:

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1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said:

and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags

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On 9/12/2018 at 7:21 AM, BringBackTheVet said:

 

That's gross.  An advertiser logo shouldn't be simply a letter in team colors.  It looks like a part of their uniform, not some other unrelated logo (which shouldn't be competing for attention with the actual team's logos and marks, but that's a different story.)  An advertiser logo should be clearly distinguished from the uniform so that it doesn't look like an actual integrated part of the team's identity.  That's my number one problem with the latest round of Nike NFL designs - the swooshes are done in such a way that they're integral parts of the uniforms, mostly because of the color balance tehy provide combined with their placement.  Remove a swoosh and teh team's look drastically changes (Titans and Jags are examples.)

Don't forget the Buccaneers and Nike's orange swoosh, far too noticeable!!

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I try to forget about the Buccaneers every single day.  If another team does to themselves what they and the Titans did, I might need actual medication to help deal with it.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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