I want to goof on this, but I also actually think it’s not a terrible idea: a company that will allow (pseudo-)sports fans to rent jerseys, instead of buying them.
The very first thing that comes to mind when I read about this is that it’s basically Rent-A-Swag from Parks & Rec, but for people who want to pretend like they’re in to sports. But instead of Tom Haverford renting out his overly-metrosexual wardrobe to primarily teenaged boys, it’s a company that will rent sports jerseys to people to go to a game, or a sports party or event to be appropriately accessorized.
The Parks & Rec correlation is definitely laughable, but the logic behind the show’s store as well as this seemingly real jersey rental service is justifiably sound: sports apparel is always a risky investment, because players come and go at the drop of a hat these days, and it’s always entirely possible for fans to have sunk $40-100+ on player apparel only for it to be invalid and obsolete in a matter of time. The Braves-Jason Heyward shirt in my closet most certainly agrees with that notion.
However, this is also an idea that holds a substantial sense of insufferable, because it’s a service that basically fishes out fake and/or fairweathered sports fans, because it’s directly catering to the flip-flopping nature of those types who want to support a player/team while they’re popular, but don’t want to commit to the fandom to actually buy something and support said player/team. It’s almost too perfectly fitting that among their initial wave of available teams are the 49ers and the Seahawks, because their fanbases are amongst the most fairweathered and fickle; all aboard when they’re good, but nowhere to be seen when they’re not.
In fact, the puzzling Detroit Lions availability makes more sense, because the team is so bad, and their players occasionally retire rather than continue to play for the them, that it’s definitely not worth purchasing a jersey, and a less costly rental might be a safer bet.
So, I think the idea is definitely good, but the sports fan in me rolls its eyes at the now-availability of a service that essentially encourages fairweather fandom. Ultimately, I think there will be interest, but I have to wonder what their long-term survival could possibly be, because at $20 a month for adults, that’s a pretty steep cost to get my hands on a jersey that won’t actually belong to me. And if a customer decides they actually like Matthew Stafford but it took them an entire season to come to that conclusion, then they’ve basically already bought the jersey, but will have to purchase one after all to actually own one.
It’s like renting property, furniture or leasing cars; on a long enough time line, it feels like money is being thrown away, and sometimes you should just take the plunge and commit. Unlike all the aforementioned things, sports jerseys aren’t life-altering investments, they’re fucking clothes.
