Custom / Unlicensed Jerseys VS Licensed Jerseys – Everything You Need To Know
We often have to explain “custom” / unlicensed jerseys to customers. If you are a casual shopper / collector, you may not know what a custom jersey is, but often times people can tell something might feel cheap or off about them.
So what IS a “custom” / unlicensed jersey? A “Custom” jersey is just a term for an unlicensed jersey. Some people call them all kinds of different jerseys, but they are most commonly referred to as “custom” jerseys. A custom jersey is essentially a cheaper alternate to a licensed jersey (Nike, Mitchell & Ness, etc.) Signed custom jerseys are probably common than licensed jerseys most of the time as they are so cheap to manufacture, therefor dealers and promoters will order them so they can then sell them to you, the consumer, for a more affordable price. See below some examples:
Custom Jerseys
Licensed Jerseys
Custom jerseys are a polarizing item in the memorabilia industry and among consumers. Over the many years of us being in business, I have spoken to numerous customers that are on the extreme end either way. One extreme of the argument are customers that will almost never want to buy an unlicensed jersey because they look or feel cheap. The other argument is that often times, these jerseys get framed and not worn or felt, so the material or look of the jersey is not a big deal.
Here at Signature Collectibles we sell both and always will sell both, so here are the Pro’s and Con’s of each:
Custom Jerseys
Pros:
- Very cheap
- Can look decent if done right and depending on the team
- Will be displayed in a frame anyway, and if framed right, most people would never point out or see the difference
Cons:
- Poor quality and materials
- Certain teams with more intricate details in their jersey design do not translate well in custom jerseys
- Some athletes will not sign them (Athletes exclusive with Fanatics for example, because they have a deal with the company who is an official partner of the league)
Licensed Jerseys
Pros:
- Often high quality jerseys with the real-deal look of what you are used to seeing
- All athletes will sign these
Cons:
- Always more expensive, and depending on the style of licensed jersey, sometimes hundreds and hundreds of dollars more expensive
- A lot of licensed jerseys actually have screen printed numbers, not stitched numbers, and those are often inferior for autographs.
When to buy an autographed “custom” and when to buy a licensed jersey?
Like many others, you may have already made your mind up about these jerseys, but if you can see the pros and cons of both and are impartial, then this may work out best for your collection.
Certain teams have very simple jersey designs, whereas some have a lot of intricate details. For example, the Cowboys, 49ers, Celtics, Yankees, etc. have jersey designs that look just fine with custom jerseys (see examples below)
Other teams have a lot going on in their jerseys, and that simply does not translate to a custom jersey (Like the Ravens or the Bengals)
Therefore, custom jerseys are easier to accept on more traditional or simple designs for jerseys, and can be a cheap eyesore on what otherwise should be a prideful piece of memorabilia.
With elite level framing (like the framing we do at Signature Collectibles) your custom jerseys can still shine and look just as good as a licensed jersey! Here are some examples we have done over the years:
