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Do hockey fans care more about uniform design


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I went to a cool little store in the Columbus area today on a christmas shopping trip. It's called "The Hockey Stop". On the walls they sell basically every jersey of every team that has ever played in the NHL. This includes ugly 90's alternates, edge jerseys, WWII era throwbacks and more. They also have many sets of team pants. I was very tempted to spend $15 on the Tampa Bay Lightning breezers.

Anyways, on topic My dad and I got into a discussion with the owner of the store about Atlanta's alternate and how bad it is. We and many of the other employees spoke about the different league designs for 15 minutes. This is only one of many conversations I've had about hockey jerseys with other hockey fans. I don't know what it is, but I just can't have the same involved and knowledgeable discussion with NFL fans (without getting weird looks or being called a sissy) or baseball fans. It's like one of the few times when this board's sentiment exists in real-time face to face discussion.

Have guys experienced the same thing with other hockey fans?

Why do you think hockey fans are more interested in the league's uniform designs than fans of other sports?

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I really don't know the reasoning, but yes, I find that to be true. Hockey fans do seem to care more about uniforms than baseball fans or football fans. The fact that you're covered head to toe in a uniform is unique to hockey, other sports have short sleeves, plain colored socks, etc. In hockey the helmet, jersey, pants, socks, even gloves are colored to the team you play for, and can be customized to fit the style.

I think also hockey is the only sport that allows teams to break tradition and go wild (i.e. Everett Silvertips forest striping in the WHL, Rouyn-Noranda's gradient sweaters in the QMJHL). With more creativity also comes the ability to fail horribly (i.e. Atlanta's one arm stripe alternate, Florida's alternate-abomination).

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Where in the Columbus area is said store?

they have like 3 or 4 stores, but the best one to go to is on Bethel Road. The other ones are in ice rinks so they've consolidated their inventory to being mostly hockey equipment and figure skating stuff with some blue jackets apparel thrown in.

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Funny. Baseball used to be the sport who's fans were most passionate about their team's look.

Here's my favorite Sports Illustrated article of all time. I think it should be required reading for each and every single member of this forum. I was 11 when this came out, and already strangely in to uniforms, number fonts, etc. I must have read this article 100 times after I got the issue.

Fabric of the Game

"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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