Bills Kelly era replicas by reebok

[ebod39]

just saw these on the Bills online shop. I know the nameplate font is wrong and it looks like the numbers are photoshopped on so it's hard to tell whether those will be wrong too. While I am glad to see these for sale, they could have at least done a little research and gotten the font right.

bills site

I just checked some pics and my APEX jersey that is from that era and the numbers they're showing are incorrect. The "2" the Bills used was slanted not blocked as they're showing.

I know it's just a replica but I am nitpicky about this stuff. It took me all of 5 minutes to

research it and get it right, why can't Rebok?

[Michigan Dave]

Check this out- I'm not a Bills expert by any means, but look at the "action" shots in the painting, and the "retirement" jersey. Did the Bills retire an incorrect jersey?

[ebod39]

I saw that too, it's a good illustration of the difference in the "2's".

So yes they did goof on the accuracy of the ceremonial jersey.

[VitaminD]

I saw that too, it's a good illustration of the difference in the "2's".

So yes they did goof on the accuracy of the ceremonial jersey.

The Bills didn't always wear the "Champion" style numbers. At the very beginning and the very end of the Jim Kelly years in Buffalo, they wore numbers approximating the ones on the retired jersey (if you find an old Joe Ferguson #12, you'll see what I am thinking of). But it's pretty clear that his best years were associated with the "Champion" (Apex One) style numbers with the slanted "2" and the compressed Helvetica name font. It would've been nice for the Bills to use that style, due to the strong association with the Bills' glory years.

[bulldogbarks55]

When Jim Kelly played for the Bills, they mostly wore the Champion jerseys made in Perry, NY. The Bills retro jerseys and the "throwbacks" for Kelly, Reed, etc. are made by Ripon Athletic in Wisconsin. The numbers Ripon uses are the old SandKnit font. Ripon is owned by a former SandKnit executive.

The old Champion plant is now American Classic Outfitters, who has all the Champion graphics and actually uses them on their own line of jerseys.

ACO is a contract manufacturer for Reebok, but as of now they don't make the Bills uniforms and Perry is only 50 miles from Ralph Wilson Stadium on Route 20A. Just pull out of the ACO lot, go left on 20A and keep driving until you hit Orchard Park.

The head of ACO is a good friend of mine and HE can't understand why they don't do the Bills uniforms. Go figure!

[VitaminD]

When Jim Kelly played for the Bills, they mostly wore the Champion jerseys made in Perry, NY. The Bills retro jerseys and the "throwbacks" for Kelly, Reed, etc. are made by Ripon Athletic in Wisconsin. The numbers Ripon uses are the old SandKnit font. Ripon is owned by a former SandKnit executive.

The old Champion plant is now American Classic Outfitters, who has all the Champion graphics and actually uses them on their own line of jerseys.

ACO is a contract manufacturer for Reebok, but as of now they don't make the Bills uniforms and Perry is only 50 miles from Ralph Wilson Stadium on Route 20A. Just pull out of the ACO lot, go left on 20A and keep driving until you hit Orchard Park.

The head of ACO is a good friend of mine and HE can't understand why they don't do the Bills uniforms. Go figure!

BB, I knew you'd get here sooner or later... What took you so long?

[brinkeguthrie]

always wondered why the Bills seemed to be a champion team, but kelly wore apex logos on his uni. maybe he had a personal deal with them? apex stuff rocked. i had a TON TON TON of Cowboys stuff.