Looking for MLS game worn collectors. Would love to see/hear about your collection. Also interested in your tactics for obtaining the items and how you store/display them.
I've got two "gameworn" jerseys, both Rapids keeper kits. I put "gameworn" in quotes because I know in one case the keeper was a sub for the match and I'm pretty sure that was the case for the second one. For a couple of years the Rapids would randomly draw season ticket holders names to win the jersey off the players backs after the final home regular season game. In 2010 I was drawn and right before the end of the game they had us draw players names. I got Cieran O'Brien but somebody didn't show up and they had one player left. They asked if anyone wanted to trade for backup keeper Ian Joyce and seeing that I always wanted a keeper's jersey and I really didn't care for O'Brien I traded. As they walked off the field Joyce gave me his jersey. At the opening game this year I went into the team store and they had a bunch of training gear, cleats, and game worn jerseys for sale. The stuff was for players no longer on the roster so obviously in the offseason they decided to clean out the equipment room of all the stuff players left behind. I'd always wanted a Bouna Coundoul jersey though and they had one so I bought it. The one I bought had the 'Colorado' logo ffrom the team's 3rd international kit they no longer use. I don't know which game it was from but for most of those games the rapids used their backup keeper to give him playing time so I'm guessing Bouna wore it while watching the game from the bench. I've also got one of Drew Moor's jerseys that he donated to Class VI for our pre-season kickoff party and silent auction. It was actually used as a door prize that I won. I don't think he ever wore it in the game but its one of his actual jerseys the team game him for his use. When he donated it he forgot to sign it so after the first home game of the season he came over to the Class VI section and signed it for me. Right now the Joyce and Moor jerseys are hanging on hangers in my study/workshop/man cave/whatever. The Bouna jersey isn't signed so I wear it in cold weather (since its long sleeved).
San Jose's history museum, History San Jose, has a substantial collection of San Jose Clash / Earthquakes game worn kits (as well as kits from the NASL era, women's clubs and minor league teams in the Bay Area), which were collected by the fans, through Soccer Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SSVCF), over the past several years as part of SSVCF's "Soccer Legacy Project." Several were on display in an exhibit at San Jose City Hall last fall and winter: http://www.ssvcf.org/cityofchampions.html. The kits, as well as other artifacts, come from a variety of sources, some purchased and others donated. In two separate instances in different seasons, members of the 1906 Ultras supporters group who caught kits thrown into the stands directly off the backs of the players at the end of a game, immediately gave them to the museum for inclusion in the collection.
I should mention, as well, that, because the kits belong to a museum, they are maintained with the same scrupulous standards afforded 18th and 19th century garments in its collection.
I've got two "gameworn" Columbus Crew jerseys. I put gameworn in quotations for the same reason that Jasonma did. I know they both were prepared for games and issued to players, but I have no actual idea if they were actually worn in a game. One is a Crew CCL jersey. Both of mine were purchased from the Crew Equipment sale at the end of the year in 2011.
The museum is amazing. I wish we had something like that in Philly. My collection is for personal enjoyment but a museum like display of team history is my intention. I have 8 game worn shirts. Most given to my gf and I from the players off their backs, only two purchased but I know they were given to the person off their back.
Chivas USA has a drawing after every home game in where 11 randomly drawn people win a players jersey. You know it's gameworn cause the take it off and hand it over right in front of you as smelly and as drenched as you can possibly imagine. I won a Zarek Valentin long sleeve last season, and my mother actually won a Brad Guzan jersey a few years ago. And if i's not autographed, I wear it. Also, there is this: http://www.mlscollectibles.com/
I have a Pat Onstad Autographed MLS Cup 2006 game worn keeper jersey that I won on biddingforgood, Brian Ching 2007 autographed away jersey game worn that I got from MLSCollectibles, 2008 Brian Mullan autographed away game worn also from MLSC, 2007 Paul Dalglish autographed Virginia Tech commemorative jersey, 2009 Bobby Boswell autographed Houston Fire Department Tribute jersey, 2011 Cam Weaver autographed Green/Purple jersey, Warren Creavalle autographed Dynamo Charities jersey, Brian Ownby autographed Dynamo Charities jersey. Have a few more signed items but those are the game worn ones. Just keep an eye out on your teams web page and other media. I have bid on jerseys were there was only a few people bidding on a group of jerseys.
Unfortunately because my team is only 3 years old, mlscollectibles.com doesn't have much for us. So far I've only seen us auction Jerseys for the bidding for good breast cancer games each year, and one time they did it for the friendly. Generally not too many bidding on them, just the other collectors I know. The ones who are more financially stable than I am right now hahaha.
Are you a season ticket holder? Usually there's meet the team days and or equipment sales where you can usually score some items.
Yes. No equipment sales yet. I've got my ways of collecting, just interested in seeing other peoples collections.
Personally, I've had access to lots of jerseys. My "prize possession" was a gift from Peter Wilt. He gave me a blank jersey from the 1998 Fire. The thing is, those jerseys weren't for sale. The only people with those 1998 jerseys are players, fans who somehow got a game worn and finally Peter Wilt who was in control of the stack. With ~20 players and only a few jerseys per player I imagine there were maybe 100 total made.
I check that site daily. Also have it on Facebook and twitter. Have probably seen every piece he hasn't I still go back every day to look again. Amazing. Inspirational.
I've just done the "supporter" thing for years. Hang around long enough and they'll eventually throw you a bone. Another beauty is a game worn Rolfe Fire jersey he gave me while playing for Aalborg. He didn't have many left, although now he's back and will be making more. It was still really special. Shameless plug: S8C has a raffle going right now for an Oduro jersey to help fund an event. Drop a few bucks and maybe you'll win: http://section8.ticketleap.com/westmont-ultra-raffle-benefiting-/ http://www.section8chicago.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=164&func=view&catid=3&id=65977
I picked up a gameworn DeRo jersey from a fellow BSer about a month ago. It's from the '07 ASG. I'm a big DeRo fan, and it's a really unique piece.
I have two game worn jerseys. A Jimmy Conrad jersey from 04 that he threw into the Cauldron after a 5-1 win over Dallas on July 3rd of that year. The second is an Aurelien Collin jersey that I got the same way after a win over Vancouver at home last year. I also have 2 goalkeeper warm up jerseys from team equipment sales.
I only have one game worn jersey in my collection. It is a Danny Mwanga game worn, autographed jersey from 2011. I won it during a season ticket holder auction. I have it framed and waiting to be hung in our basement sports bar.