Does team matter?

[legaleagle92481]

In today's age of constant player movement, how much does the team an item of a player is from matter to you? Some examples: Shaq is most associated with the Magic, Lakers and Heat but played for the Suns, Cavs and Celts as well. Would the fact that an item is from his stint with one of the later three teams affect your decision to buy or the price you would pay for say a jersey? Other modern examples are Karl Malone, Brett Favre, Tomlinson and now Peyton.

[flota89]

For me, if it is a player collection, I don't care much about what team the player was on when they used the item. I have Holliday bats from his time in Colorado, Oakland, and St. Louis.

[Mulligans]

For me, it is about supply. I would be much more inclined to go after a Tomlinson powder blue Chargers Jersey than a Jets Jersey. In some cases, NFL teams have watered down the supply so much that they become less desirable to me.

If I only collected Team Jerseys it would be a different story.

[frikativ54]

I collect items primarily from Astros players. Often, when I can't get a 'Stros gamer, I will buy a jersey or hat from an athlete's stint on another team. Yes - I would prefer an Astros item, but I still enjoy what I get from guys' stints on other teams.

[BULBUS]

I can only collect my favorite teams. I've tried having items from other teams, but they didn't last too long, I wound up selling them. My favorite players (i guess for a reason have only played for one team, B Williams, Rivera, Strahan, LT, Simms. An example of not being able to look at something, I bought a Paul O'Neill Reds bat. I couldn't deal with the red ring

[godwulf]

I have a few favorite players whose "other team" stuff I'll collect, to some extent, but they're the exceptions. When I first started out collecting - and I collect mostly bats and jerseys - as soon as a guy was signed, I would start looking around for bats and jerseys from his previous teams; I just don't do that any more. And most guys, when they leave the team, I don't follow their other-team careers to the point of collecting stuff from them. One player in fifty, I will.

[gingi79]

I think team matters to team collectors with rivalries and player collectors only care if it's a team you hate. For example, if Sami Salo signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Boston Bruins or the New York Rangers, those shirts would never be part of my collection. Similarly, I could never bring myself to own a Naslund, McLean or especially Pavel Bure Rangers sweaters. When Jeff Francoeur was sent to the Mets, I felt the same anger I did when Dale Murphy was sent to the Phillies. It make me wonder how angry Brett Favre fans were seeing him in Vikings purple.

My other thought is: Players associated with one team in the modern age who end their career with an unmemorable second team certainly don't hold the same appeal as their primary teams. Bobby Orr's Chicago sweater can't hold a candle to to a Boston sweater. A Rams Joe Namath is not going to garner the kind of attention a Jets would. A Joe Montana Chiefs would be a nice shirt but not as valuable as a 49ers. Michael Jordan's Bulls jersey or a Wizards? Patrick Ewing: NY Knicks or Seattle Supersonics (or Orlando Magic?)
Please excuse the lack of Baseball analogies as they are seemingly either Stan Musial or Octavio Dotel

[solarlottry]

I think team matters somewhat depending on the goals the collector has set for their collection.

I am mainly a 49ers collector but with regard to certain players, obtaining a jersey from each team they have played for, is something I am always attempting to do.

From my own collecting experience, purchasing post 49er career gamers from players like Ricky Watters (49ers, Seahawks, Eagles), Terrell Owens (49ers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bills, Bengals), Joe Montana (49ers, Chiefs) and Jerry Rice (49ers, Raiders, Seahawks, Broncos), can be more difficult and expensive, than finding and buying their 49er gamers.

Trying to find a genuine Eagles Watters gamer, an authentic TO Bills gamer or a genuine KC Montana shirt has been near impossible due to sheer scarcity. Sometimes when these shirts pop up, they sell for far more than their 49er counterparts because both team and player collectors are after them.

I have seen quite a few legit 49er Montana shirts with genuine team letters but, in my opinion, have NEVER seen a legit KC Chiefs game worn Montana shirt. If a legit Chiefs shirt popped up, price may actually be more expensive than a 49ers shirt as the serious Montana collector may have their 49er shirt and may only be missing his Chiefs shirt.

When I collect, I take team into consideration less so when it is a player that I personally do not have considerable interest in. I may pass on a jersey of an ex-49er if I consider it overpriced, but may jump at a post 49er shirt if I consider it scarce or fairly priced.

Roger Craig for example, is a player whose 49er jersey I spent a considerable amount on but would not spend a ton for his Raiders or Vikings gamers. If one popped up though and was reasonably priced then I would grab it.

Always buying 49er gamers and ALL 1994 49er GU items. Paying a finders fee of up to 500$.

Paul
garciajones@yahoo.com

[MLB~NUT]

I like to collect Cardinals memorbillia or players from other favorite teams. If a player played for a team I didnt like the team colors say the Bluejays or Athletics, I wouldn't collect it.


Todd Vernon

toddman26@sbcglobal.net

[Danny899]

Sure does matter. As a Rickey Henderson collector, you should see how long it took me to find an Angels jersey!