Random jerseys at games

[LetsGoCaps]

Okay, so we all here have the hockey jersey bug. I've seen discussions on various boards where some people swear that you should not wear any jersey to a game other than that of the two competing teams.

As a collector, I love seeing all different kinds of jerseys at games. We're all hockey fans. What's the problem with wearing a Thrashers jersey at a Sharks vs Ducks game (or any other random combination)? I have jerseys of over half of the NHL teams, plus various minor leagues, juniors, IIHF, Russian, etc. I'd like to be able to wear any of my jerseys to any game without fear of a beatdown.

Now, I understand that if there is a strong rivalry, you have to be careful. Someone who shows up in Pittsburgh in their Caps Ovechkin jersey can expect some grief.

Anywhere, what are the thoughts here??

Cheers!

[Jordan's House]

I completely agree that you should be able to wear what you want, but if you decide to sport an away team's jersey at any arena, I think you should definitely expect a hard time. Honestly, I think most hockey fans are more likely to jeer, heckle, and boo you, rather than give you a "beat down" though.

I can't speak for all cities, but I went to the Winter Classic in 2008 with a bunch of my cousins from Pittsburgh. We all had Penguins gear on, and I even wore my Crosby jersey. Sabres fans were talking smack and yelling at us left and right. We had endzone seats, and we were completely surrounded by the Buffalo fans. When we first got to our seats it seemed like the whole section was booing us. They did talk trash during the game, but never threatened us with violence, even after we jumped up and cheered for the shootout game winner. We even celebrated the victory in the parking lot afterwards, and no one gave us any trouble.

I also went up to a the first game of the Caps/Pens regular season series in Pittsburgh this season, and I was "rockin' the red". I felt pretty safe. I had a few obscenities directed at me, but nothing too terrible. I expected it.

As far as wearing a team's jersey that is not playing, I think that's cool too. I've had Capitals season tickets for a while now, and I always love seeing random Red Wings, Bruins, Sharks, etc. jerseys throughout the season. Think about the people that relocate to an area, and love hockey, but never get to watch their team live. I think it's perfectly alright.

[DaNoobie]

Doesnt happen much where I live since Vancouver is isolated from other teams and since its a hockey first city, most locals are Nucks fans.

I have seen a guy show up in an Oilers jersey at a Sens/Canucks game, which I thought was the most randomly funny thing ever though.

[JeffB]

I've always wondered why someone would wear a Sabres jersey to a Wild vs. Rangers game. I see that all the time though. Go ahead and wear your Flyers jersey to a Blues vs. Avalanche game if you want to show you are a hockey fan, but don't expect me to understand it!

On the subject of wearing a jersey from the visiting team to a game, I've done that plenty, but with the focus of my collection being the 90's, it's pretty easy for me to wear a style that is no longer current of a player that is no longer on the team. It's not like I'm wearing a current red Ovechkin Caps jersey to a game where he's playing. The most compliments I ever got on a jersey was my old school original Capitals jersey with the stars down the sleeves and Peter Bondra's name on it after he was no longer on the team.

I've also sported my Ziggy Palffy Islanders Fisherman jersey to a game but gotten cussed at, so I guess it all depends on which drunks you encounter during your walk around the concourse.

[akteon]

My take is, if it's an NHL game then the jersey I wear should have some significance to the teams playing that game. The jersey can be of a farm team of either of the two NHL teams playing, or a national jersey of one of the players etc.

However, I feel if it's a college/AHL/ECHL hockey game, then really all bets are off. I still like wearing a jersey that has some significance if possible, but I'd rather wear a jersey that's not related than no jersey at all.

I may be biased because I'm a Rangers fan who lives 650 miles away from New York - so that puts a serious limit on the jerseys I could wear if I couldn't wear Rangers jerseys except when I was watching them.

[gs6769]

I saw a Lemaire #25 Canadiens jersey at a Wild game earlier this year. I thought it was a neat idea, especially since the young woman wearing it was either not yet born or very small when Jacques retired. I suppose we won't see the same thing at the Xcel next season.

[devilsfan26]

If I'm at a Devils game I always wear a Devils jersey, but if I'm at some other game and I either don't care much who wins, or don't have a relevant jersey, then I'll wear whatever. I don't see a problem with it. I used to love going to Trenton Titans games and seeing all the random jerseys people would wear there.

[Brilliant!]

Oh man, I miss the Trenton Titans. They held me over nicely during the lockout...especially since they won the Kelly Cup that year.

[Curry1fan]

For a little bit in December and January, I wore my Crosby Rimouski Oceanic jersey to WBS Penguins games. Good stuff; especially since that's a hard jersey to get and people around me at games were always asking me what team the jersey represented.

[devilsfan26]

Oh man, I miss the Trenton Titans. They held me over nicely during the lockout...especially since they won the Kelly Cup that year.

Yea definitely, it was great walking up to the box office a few hours before the game and paying $20 for second row seats on the goal line for a conference finals game. I finally made it down there for a Trenton Devils game when they retired Scott Bertoli's number last month. It's just not the same anymore, it's such a shame, and this is coming from a Devils fan too. I recently picked up a Titans jersey off ebay, now I can't decide who to get put on it...

[PensJerseys]

For a little bit in December and January, I wore my Crosby Rimouski Oceanic jersey to WBS Penguins games. Good stuff; especially since that's a hard jersey to get and people around me at games were always asking me what team the jersey represented.

Rub it in, why don't ya! :-P

I kid, I kid.

[ZoomZoom18]

I grew up with the minor leagues, so I was used to seeing jerseys of all kinds come into the Coliseum when the Ice would play. I always thought it was cool seeing what jerseys other fans may show up in and especially seeing how those jerseys looked in person. This sometimes lead to me deciding to get a particular jersey when I saw how nice it looked...anyway though...

Personally, I'm indifferent. I've been guilty of both. I didn't start getting into the Coyotes until 2007, and it was not unusual to see me wear my Avalanche jerseys at games where I was watching the Coyotes play a team NOT the Avalanche. However, in time, I started to feel guilty wearing another team's colors into my then home team's arena, so I stopped doing it. I don't like wearing the opposition colors into the home team's arena and I always felt strange doing it at Coyote games. Especially since the Coyotes ticket staff were extremely friendly and helpful to me whenever I'd go there. If that's what someone wants to do, then more power to them. It doesn't always make sense but hey, whatever works for them. I always enjoy jersey watching. I've seen some real treats, like a Team Sweden Zetterberg jersey and even some personalized Russian jerseys in the Russian spelling. I even saw an Indianapolis Ice jersey in Phoenix last year.

When I went to my first NHL game, a Sabres-Maple Leafs game in Buffalo, I wore my game worn Indianapolis Ice Vukonich jersey. I heard all kinds of comments about that. Then I went into the Sabres store and bought my Sabres jersey, which was my intention from the time the tickets were bought. Deciding on the player was a nightmare though... The neatest part of that night was how packed the arena was with both Leafs and Sabres diehards. I've been a Sabres fan since. That's my all time favorite hockey game experience. I think I was the only one not wearing something with the Sabres or Maple Leafs until I finished up in the Sabres store.

There is something to be said with how awesome an arena looks when its decked out in jerseys and colors of the home team. I was impressed with the fan support here in Dallas when I went to my first Stars game on New Year's Eve. The Sharks-Ducks game I went to in 2007 was another example. It was the Ducks' Stanley Cup year and they had started to sell out constantly. That place was LOUD.

What usually makes me cringe is when I see a personalized jersey of say, just for example, the Stars where someone put their name with the #9 instead of Modano. To me, you can personalize your jersey however you want, I just wouldn't pick the number of someone whose already got their number retired and/or is a future hall-of-famer and will have it retired someday. Or, seeing an 87# Crosby jersey for the Flames or Coyotes (and I've seen both).

[Made in Motown]

My take is, if it's an NHL game then the jersey I wear should have some significance to the teams playing that game. The jersey can be of a farm team of either of the two NHL teams playing, or a national jersey of one of the players etc.

I'm with you on this one. I don't mind a Datsyuk Dynamo or a Griffins jersey at a Wings game, or a Heatley Badgers jersey at a Sens game, that kind of thing. I'd rather not wear a jersey, than wear some random team that is not playing and is not related at all. No problem w/ people that do though - to each their own, I guess.

[lafountain]

The way I tend to do it is this way.

A: Wear a jersey of one of the two teams involved.

B: Wear a jersey of a player on either team even if the jersey is not of one of the two teams playing. (Example: Havlat Senators jersey at a Blackhawks vs anyone other than the Senators game)

C: At minor league events, anything goes as long as it is of the same sport. Living in Idaho, saw plenty of people wearing Denver Bronco jerseys to an Idaho Steelheads hockey game.

D: At the elite level, wear a jersey of one of their minor league teams even if the player isn't on the jersey. (I imagine if I wear an Idaho Steelheads jersey to a Stars game next season, not many are even gonna know who the Steelheads are)

Though not in that order or in any particular order, those are the ways I use to determine if I should wear a jersey to a game.

Though I may question why you are wearing a Thrashers jersey when we are at a Stars / Sabres game, I will never confront you about it (unless I know you) as no matter what, the decision is yours and yours alone to make. Who knows maybe that Thrashers jersey is the only hockey jersey you own and you at least want to wear something related to that sport. Not everyone has a collection like some of ours, some only own one jersey and if they move that may still be the only jersey they own.

Though I do still chuckle a little to myself when I see someone wearing a jersey of that next "Can't miss" player who only played half of one season at the Top level, or that same "Can't Miss" prospect who got dealt before ever making it to the team and you had to have the jersey knowing he was gonna be a star on your team even though he ended up never playing for you.

[attila]

lafountain has good rules, but I add this

never wear the opposing team's jersey if you are going to a flyers game in philly...

[Curry1fan]

lafountain has good rules, but I add this

never wear the opposing team's jersey if you are going to a flyers game in philly...

Percisely why I will probably never go to a Pens/Flyers game there. I don't believe I should have to be harassed and almost killed just for wearing a Pens jersey. But that's how Philly fans are and it's not changing so yeah...

[attila]

Percisely why I will probably never go to a Pens/Flyers game there. I don't believe I should have to be harassed and almost killed just for wearing a Pens jersey. But that's how Philly fans are and it's not changing so yeah...

Tie Domi had the best method for dealing with the typical Philly fan...

Going to a lightning game here and a flyers game here is about as different an experience as can be, the lightning are so bad that no one cares whos jersey your wearing. Hell when the Blackhawks came down about 40% of the fans were wearing blackhawks gear lol

[ZoomZoom18]

Though I do still chuckle a little to myself when I see someone wearing a jersey of that next "Can't miss" player who only played half of one season at the Top level, or that same "Can't Miss" prospect who got dealt before ever making it to the team and you had to have the jersey knowing he was gonna be a star on your team even though he ended up never playing for you.

This is especially bad with NFL jerseys.

I have seen a red Devils Brodeur 31# jersey at games before. Whenever I'd see that guy wearing that jersey, I always thought it was interesting.

[lafountain]

This is especially bad with NFL jerseys.

I have seen a red Devils Brodeur 31# jersey at games before. Whenever I'd see that guy wearing that jersey, I always thought it was interesting.

I agree about the NFL jerseys, which is why I don't tend to even consider jerseys of just drafted players (Though I am considering a Curry jersey)

[Made in Motown]

lafountain has good rules, but I add this

never wear the opposing team's jersey if you are going to a flyers game in philly...

I intentionally flaunt this rule. I will get tickets to Flyers/Rangers & Flyers/Islanders games at the Wachovia Center just so I can wear a NY jersey and rile up the Philly fans. Plus I get to watch a hockey game. Always a fun time.

[guam64]

The best random jersey I have ever seen was a Serge Payer Panthers jersey at a San Jose Sharks game, and they weren't playing the Panthers.

I wore my Caps jersey to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul this year and got a whole bunch of funny looks. Some jackass UMTC fan spent half a period harassing me during the game but luckily UMD won that night so the obnoxious fan population was reduced to only the UND fans, though at least those guys were somewhat funny.

[LetsGoCaps]

Thanks to everyone for their input.

I spent three years going to Long Beach Ice Dogs games (their last 3 years in existence, in the ECHL). I felt comfortable wearing any jersey there. There were very small crowds there (usually 1000 - 2000), but occasionally got to see some cool rare jerseys. I guess I can understand that there may be different guidelines for NHL games.

And, yes, I know better than to wear my Caps jerseys (or anything) in Philly.

Cheers!

[Brilliant!]

The weirdest one I've ever seen at the Garden was a Peter Stastny Nordiques jersey. The Rangers were playing the Blackhawks too which made it even weirder. I made sure to compliment him on his awesome jersey though.

[attila]

a little odd but jerseys for defunct teams get a pass IMO

[tbird107]

I know here in Seattle, I usually wear my TBirds jersey but sometimes I will throw something random on depending on my mood. Seattle has had a lot of draft picks, though, so you can get away with almost any NHL jersey because at some point someone would have been a draft pick of that team. First game back after World Juniors this year, Spokane (Tokarski) was in Seattle (Hickey) so I wore my Team Canada jersey.