Atlanta refuses to sell other teams jersey's

[Jim A 4]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/t...0121jersey.html

The Thrashers are trying to get the jerseys of opposing NHL teams off the backs of Atlantans.

The Thrashers will stop selling other teams' apparel at Philips Arena — sacrificing about $75,000 in annual profit — and will exchange a new Thrashers jersey for the used jersey of any opposing team beginning Saturday, part-owner Bruce Levenson said.

It's part of an effort to consolidate support behind the home team in a city with a lot of fans transplanted from elsewhere.

"I've heard from a lot of people that they came to Atlanta as a Bruins fan or a Penguins fan and that they just love this team now because it's so exciting," Levenson said Friday. "I talked to a fan this morning who said he's going to be first in line to exchange his Vancouver jersey.

"Somebody suggested we build a big bonfire" to burn the opponents' jerseys, Levenson added. But the Thrashers decided to donate them to charity instead.

At games the remainder of the season, fans can exchange other teams' replica or authentic jerseys for an equivalent blue Thrashers jersey at the Team Gear store in the arena.

Levenson was taken aback when he first noticed a couple of years ago that other teams' apparel was being sold in Philips.

"I was, like, why are we doing this?" he said. "And I was told we make a lot of money on those jerseys. I did a little more digging and learned we make about $75,000 a year on [it].

"In recent weeks, with all the excitement around the Thrashers, there was a feeling within the organization the time is right to get all that gear out of there."

Getting rid of opponents' jerseys, Levenson said, "is a tangible investment in turning Philips Arena into 'Blueland,'" as the Thrashers' season-long marketing campaign promises. "My dream is that when our players take the ice our fans make them feel like they're on the power play the whole game," Levenson said.

"I think Atlanta is going through a transformation from a city that sort of had a curiosity with hockey to a city that is really becoming passionate about a specific team," he said. "In recent weeks, it has manifested itself in a bunch of different ways — the chanting of 'Hossa, Hossa' [for Thrashers player Marian Hossa], even the booing of [former Thrasher] Dany Heatley. Those are expressions of passionate fans."

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Yo, anyone in Atlanta...I'll exchange one of my sweaters for an authentic 3rd. I have one...but it's signed...seriously...I wanna do this!

[TCsnipes9 0]

Jr- whos it signed by? my mom got my kovalchuk 3rd signed by him. just curious.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Ottawa did something similar a few years ago, but only for Leaf jerseys.

[mack 44]

Damn, should have just been home-team only like Nashville is. Sounds like a roadie's in order.

[shute 4]

not letting people buy other teams stuff and asking people to trade in what they already have to their stuff.... sounds like a communist team to me... ;)

[KC83 2]

i don't any home arena's sell any other teams jerseys...

I know for a fact that the vancouver authentix dosn't sell any other teams jerseys...

yeah i'm with JR, if anyone in Atlanta wants to get me a swap i'll pay for the shipping and everything...

[Eazy_b97 1]

MLG used to, but the ACC shop doesn't. I don't ever remember seeing rival Jerseys though, always Pittsburg, Anahiem, Philly and teams like that. They were all pre-named and numbered as well. Jagr, Lemieux, Kariya and Lindros are the ones I remember.

[McCabe24 0]

I went to a Leafs game vs. Washington at the ACC back when they had Barrasso and I remember seeing pre-name and numbered Lang jerseys, pretty sure they had Jagr as well.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Jr- whos it signed by? my mom got my kovalchuk 3rd signed by him. just curious.

The entire team, Heatley and Kovalchuk included.

[Nick23 0]

seems like a sensible idea to me, im sure it's more intimidating if you have a majority crowd waeing the home teams shirts making a hell of a noise than just random different teams. But from a profit perspective, doesn't seem very wise

[Project_2501 0]

What's going through his head right now is along these lines: We'll lost profit here, sure. But well rally enthusiasm for the game and potentially sell more tickets. He'll still profit.