Do you consider Mitchell and Ness Jerseys Authentic?

[BBTV]

A Mitchell and ness jersey is a replica. In many cases, a damn fine replica, but a replica nonetheless. I go to their home store every now and then and can pick out inconsistencies even with their home teams. No team that I'm aware of has ever taken the field / ice / court in a m&n jersey. That alone makes them just replicas.

[MarsHotel]

A Mitchell and Ness "1990" Ted Williams Boston Red Sox BP v-neck pullover jersey. Now, that is certainly nicer looking than anything Williams wore during his career and better than anything the Red Sox have worn in a generation, but Williams obviously didn't wear anything like this. He turned 72 in 1990 and last played in 1960. Would you consider this "authentic"?

Ted Williams was a spring training instructor for the Red Sox in the 80's and early 90's, so yes this is authentic.

[jigokusabre]

Authentic, in my definition, is from the company that manufactured the jersey. So, a Terrell Davis authentic has to be made by Nike (as the Broncos were outfitted by Nike at the time). Plus all the specs, fabric is pretty much as accurate as possible to what the players wear.

That's a real fine line. M&N to me is considered a replica. But compared to other replicas, they make a huge effort to be accurate and I give them a higher regard over other kinds

That's the same way I look at it. Nobody ever wore a M&N jersey on field, therefore it's not authentic, just a higher quality, higher priced replica.

Well... that's just not true. Mitchell & Ness made a bunch of the MLB TBTC jerseys.

Anyhow, the way I see it is that M&N (and Ebbetts Field, who's in the same boat) are "authentic" jerseys because they are officially sanctioned merchandise from their respective leagues from manufacturers that have made jerseys for their respective sports. They're in the same boat as Russell or Starter NFL jerseys from the 90s (back when a bunch of teams were permitted to make official NFL jerseys for retail).

[Tigers6884]

Mitchell and ness is not authentic, they remake retro stuff, and everything you said is a matter of opinion. this looks like a softball top not a baseball jersey, stop forcing us to look at this crap by posting it.

You call that crap? Mitchell and Ness makes some of the finest old school jerseys out there (especially the WAY back then flannels). If you want to see crappy softball-like jerseys, look at Tamp Bay's “fauxbacks".

[wonderbread]

Mitchell and ness is not authentic, they remake retro stuff, and everything you said is a matter of opinion. this looks like a softball top not a baseball jersey, stop forcing us to look at this crap by posting it.

You call that crap? Mitchell and Ness makes some of the finest old school jerseys out there (especially the WAY back then flannels). If you want to see crappy softball-like jerseys, look at Tamp Bay's fauxbacks".

I wasn't talking about M&N. I like M&N I have a hat from them and it's probably my favorite

[Tigers6884]

Mitchell and ness is not authentic, they remake retro stuff, and everything you said is a matter of opinion. this looks like a softball top not a baseball jersey, stop forcing us to look at this crap by posting it.

You call that crap? Mitchell and Ness makes some of the finest old school jerseys out there (especially the WAY back then flannels). If you want to see crappy softball-like jerseys, look at Tamp Bay's fauxbacks".

I wasn't talking about M&N. I like M&N I have a hat from them and it's probably my favorite

Oh, I see now.

[Wilt]

Authentic, in my definition, is from the company that manufactured the jersey. So, a Terrell Davis authentic has to be made by Nike (as the Broncos were outfitted by Nike at the time). Plus all the specs, fabric is pretty much as accurate as possible to what the players wear.

That's a real fine line. M&N to me is considered a replica. But compared to other replicas, they make a huge effort to be accurate and I give them a higher regard over other kinds

That's the same way I look at it. Nobody ever wore a M&N jersey on field, therefore it's not authentic, just a higher quality, higher priced replica.

Well... that's just not true. Mitchell & Ness made a bunch of the MLB TBTC jerseys.

Anyhow, the way I see it is that M&N (and Ebbetts Field, who's in the same boat) are "authentic" jerseys because they are officially sanctioned merchandise from their respective leagues from manufacturers that have made jerseys for their respective sports. They're in the same boat as Russell or Starter NFL jerseys from the 90s (back when a bunch of teams were permitted to make official NFL jerseys for retail).

Authentic means exaclty what players wear. What you are referring to are licenced replicas.

[MJWalker45]

The only true authentic Mitchell & Ness uniforms are the New Orleans Voodoo and Philadelphia Soul uniforms when they joined the original Arena League.

[Rays]

 

But do the new retail NBA "authentics" have the same detachable numbers that the on-court jerseys do? http://boards.sportslogos.net/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/tongue.gif

Nope, only the ones that were sold a few years ago had the real mesh numbers, those were sold in speciel boxes, the ones you can buy now has fake mesh print on the numbers

[Elwood]

I once requested jackets for the Japanese market, made as accurately as possible, but M&N was unable to replicate them and supplied us with fine "historical reproductions." The reason was, the original materials were long gone.

They were very kind and checked with many factory mills, but none of them had dead stock lying around. I remember the trouble they went through in finding the proper zipper and lining for the jackets.

Most, if not all of the Starter, adidas, Puma, Apex, Nike and Reebok tagged NFL team issued and game worn jerseys were made in Berlin, Wisconsin by Ripon Athletic prior to Nike becoming the official supplier of NFL uniforms. This is mostly from memory so there may be some mistakes. To me, team/game issued and game worn jerseys are authentic, the rest are reproductions.

Game worn Chargers and Ravens:

'93 NY Giants Lawrence Taylor game issued jersey made for Gerry Cosby and Apex by Ripon Athletic with "MADE IN BERLIN, WI U.S.A." interior tag:

'98-99 Colorado Avalanche Peter Forsberg Starter game issued jersey and interior tag:

[guest23]

Authentic, in my definition, is from the company that manufactured the jersey. So, a Terrell Davis authentic has to be made by Nike (as the Broncos were outfitted by Nike at the time). Plus all the specs, fabric is pretty much as accurate as possible to what the players wear.

That's a real fine line. M&N to me is considered a replica. But compared to other replicas, they make a huge effort to be accurate and I give them a higher regard over other kinds

That's the same way I look at it. Nobody ever wore a M&N jersey on field, therefore it's not authentic, just a higher quality, higher priced replica.

Well... that's just not true. Mitchell & Ness made a bunch of the MLB TBTC jerseys.

Anyhow, the way I see it is that M&N (and Ebbetts Field, who's in the same boat) are "authentic" jerseys because they are officially sanctioned merchandise from their respective leagues from manufacturers that have made jerseys for their respective sports. They're in the same boat as Russell or Starter NFL jerseys from the 90s (back when a bunch of teams were permitted to make official NFL jerseys for retail).

Authentic means exaclty what players wear. What you are referring to are licenced replicas.

By that definition it's nearly impossible to purchase authentic jerseys brand new for any of the big 4 US leagues. The only real feasible methods would be to purchase from an equipment room sale (which not every team offers) or know somebody who has access to the on field product as it's never intended to be sold nor is surplus product particularly common. Auctions would also be an option but that would be a secondary market.

For what it's worth M&N's throwback authentic jerseys are period specific reproductions of on-field product. I'd consider them being closer to matching on field versions (cut, stiching, etc) than I would modern retail authentics and on field uniforms.

[guest23]

I once requested jackets for the Japanese market, made as accurately as possible, but M&N was unable to replicate them and supplied us with fine "historical reproductions." The reason was, the original materials were long gone.

They were very kind and checked with many factory mills, but none of them had dead stock lying around. I remember the trouble they went through in finding the proper zipper and lining for the jackets.

Most, if not all of the Starter, adidas, Puma, Apex, Nike and Reebok tagged NFL team issued and game worn jerseys were made in Berlin, Wisconsin by Ripon Athletic prior to Nike becoming the official supplier of NFL uniforms. This is mostly from memory so there may be some mistakes. To me, team/game issued and game worn jerseys are authentic, the rest are reproductions.

Game worn Chargers and Ravens:

'93 NY Giants Lawrence Taylor game issued jersey made for Jerry Crosby and Apex by Ripon Athletic with "MADE IN BERLIN, WI U.S.A." interior tag:

'98-99 Colorado Avalanche Peter Forsberg Starter game issued jersey and interior tag:

Ryan Leaf???

[Elwood]

I once requested jackets for the Japanese market, made as accurately as possible, but M&N was unable to replicate them and supplied us with fine "historical reproductions." The reason was, the original materials were long gone.

They were very kind and checked with many factory mills, but none of them had dead stock lying around. I remember the trouble they went through in finding the proper zipper and lining for the jackets.

Most, if not all of the Starter, adidas, Puma, Apex, Nike and Reebok tagged NFL team issued and game worn jerseys were made in Berlin, Wisconsin by Ripon Athletic prior to Nike becoming the official supplier of NFL uniforms. This is mostly from memory so there may be some mistakes. To me, team/game issued and game worn jerseys are authentic, the rest are reproductions.

Game worn Chargers and Ravens:

'93 NY Giants Lawrence Taylor game issued jersey made for Gerry Cosby and Apex by Ripon Athletic with "MADE IN BERLIN, WI U.S.A." interior tag:

'98-99 Colorado Avalanche Peter Forsberg Starter game issued jersey and interior tag:

Ryan Leaf???

[guest23]

the hemmed sleeves were a dead giveaway

[Elwood]

I should've posted this one instead

[sc49erfan15]

A Mitchell and ness jersey is a replica. In many cases, a damn fine replica, but a replica nonetheless. I go to their home store every now and then and can pick out inconsistencies even with their home teams. No team that I'm aware of has ever taken the field / ice / court in a m&n jersey. That alone makes them just replicas.

Not so much. Mitchell and Ness provided game jerseys for the Eagles, Phillies, and A's off-and-on from the 1930s to the 1980s. I've seen more than one Eagles game-worn jersey with M&N tagging.

M&N's line right now, for the most part, is utter crap. Lots of inconsistencies, many examples of shoddy craftsmanship and cheap materials. Anything made before the mid-2000s is much better. They're focused more on apparel and hats now, because that's where the market is. Not as many people buying $250 jerseys as there were in 2005.

Anything not game-worn or game-issued is a replica. The quality between a "replica" or "authentic" vs. "game" "limited" or "elite" differs, but the only way to get a jersey made with the exact materials and/or to the exact specifications of a game jersey is to either get a game-worn or game-issued jersey.

[Anubis2051]

A Mitchell and ness jersey is a replica. In many cases, a damn fine replica, but a replica nonetheless. I go to their home store every now and then and can pick out inconsistencies even with their home teams. No team that I'm aware of has ever taken the field / ice / court in a m&n jersey. That alone makes them just replicas.

Not so much. Mitchell and Ness provided game jerseys for the Eagles, Phillies, and A's off-and-on from the 1930s to the 1980s. I've seen more than one Eagles game-worn jersey with M&N tagging.

I think they still do some throwbacks as well, at least for baseball. I know Ebbets does a lot of the ones that Majestic doesn't, but I think they still do a few a year.

[BBTV]

Really? I never knew that (phillies and eagles)

[ElwoodCuse]

The NHL does that same thing with covering up old logos when the manufacturer changes. The first batch of authentics after the lockout had the new league logo patch covering up the old one on the back hem, too.

The NHL also no longer sells "authentic" jerseys, the teams get ones from Canada and the retail authentics are made in Indonesia and are noticeably crappier.

[sc49erfan15]

Really? I never knew that (phillies and eagles)

Yep. I remember being surprised when I saw a 1970s (IIRC it was the style with 147 sleeve stripes like the ones worn in Invincible) Eagles gamer with M&N tagging. Of course, they were a regular ol' sporting goods store and high school/college type uniform supplier back then. Not an extreme reach that they'd supply a few pro teams.