Are you a sports fan on a tight budget, making it difficult to validate the cost of purchasing an authentic jersey of your favorite player? Are you or somebody you know a bandwagon fan who changes favorite teams and players on a regular basis? Prepare to go easier on your wallet, because one company is now giving you a chance to sign up for a monthly subscription to rent player jerseys. It’s like Netflix for uniform enthusiasts.
Rep The Squad offers monthly subscriptions at a cost of $19.95 per month for adults and $16.95 for children, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN. Once signed up, members can setup a queue of all of the jerseys they wish to rent and will be shipped their jersey once it becomes available. Once done with the jersey, members return the uniform in a prepaid envelope so it can be prepared for the next fan in waiting. And once the return is successfully made, the next jersey in the queue will be shipped to you once available.
“How many jerseys can you really afford to own?” Rep the Squad founder Brian Watkins said. “Wouldn’t it be nice to not only wear the players on your favorite team, but also be able to wear the jerseys of the players on your fantasy team?”
First of all, no. That is a sin against fanhood. But there will undoubtedly be those who will sell their souls to support that fantasy football team nobody else gives a lick about. And sure enough, there is now an outlet ready to capitalize on those fans willing to pay for jerseys of players on their fantasy teams.
Because this is a new business, the availability of the jersey selection is limited. Essentially, at least for now, you better be a fan of a player on the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, or Detroit Lions. Those are the only three teams available, but there are thousands of jerseys available, and that includes classic players like Barry Sanders.
It’s an interesting idea, but you have to wonder just how far this business model can go. But $20 a month for multiple jerseys comes out to roughly $80 a year for jerseys of almost any player you want (from three teams), which still beats risking over $100 on a player that could be a bust. And considering your options include the 49ers and Lions, those odds are pretty good.
[ESPN]
