"What's the difference between a game-used jersey and a team-issued jersey? What do all these terms even mean?"
Here's the dirty secret of sports memorabilia: there is no central governing body that actually defines these terms. It's up to the collecting community-at-large to determine what each term means.
Below, I have defined each term based on my own experiences as both a memorabilia seller & collector:
Game-Used
- This category only includes items worn by somebody who actually played in a game. The best possible provenance (proof of game use) - moreso than any paperwork - is a photomatch, which conclusively links a series of distinct marks on a jersey to a photo of a player from a game (think CSI forensics, but with slightly less blood)
- For various reasons (player obscurity, age of jersey, etc.), photomatches are not always possible. Acceptable evidence of game use may include hit marks, paint transfers, stains, pilling, rips, tears, embroidered repairs, or other overt signs of use. For many pieces, common sense & context are essential elements in best-determining whether damage to a jersey came from game use or not.
- In some cases, paperwork alone is an acceptable form of provenance, though not ideal! Even when issued directly by the team, paperwork can lie (Google search "New York Giants Jersey Scam")
- Game-Used Ex: The jersey worn by Tom Brady during Super Bowl LI 🏆
Game-Worn
- A game-worn jersey is just a small step down from "game-used" & includes jerseys worn by players during games who did not participate in any game actual game play.
- These pieces are still worn, still desirable, & still valuable - but they are not "game-used."
- Game-Worn Ex: The jersey worn by Jimmy Garoppolo during Super Bowl LI 🪑
Event-Worn
- Between charity events, team photoshoots, Super Bowl Media Week, or even the Rookie Premiere event, players wear full team gear outside of a traditional game setting. An "event-worn" jersey includes any item a specific player wore at any time, which often includes retail replica items that players don't wear in games. Typically, due to the lack of wear, provenance in the form of team paperwork or a unique photomatch would be required for this designation.
- Event-Worn Ex: A jersey worn by Shedeur Sanders at the NFL Rookie Premiere for a trading card photoshoot 📸
Game-Issued
- This is where things start to open up. To some, a game-issued jersey refers to a jersey specifically designated to (issued to) a player to wear in a game - but, for whatever reason - they didn't end up wearing it (injury, suspension, trade/release, switched to a larger size in cold weather, etc).
- Others use the term "game-issued" to refer to an official on-field jersey in the exact size & cut a player wears, including all of that player's custom alterations.
- Game-Issued Ex: A 2022 Justin Herbert Chargers jersey - size 40 (his size) Q-BK (his cut) jersey with a "Hybrid" sleeve (his custom sleeve mod) 🧵
Team-Issued
- This is the broadest term of them all for memorabilia-grade jerseys. A team-issued jersey refers to the base jersey - typically produced at the Ripon Factory in Berlin, WI. Ripon produces all of the game jerseys for the NFL & adds Nike tags & logos as part of Nike & the NFL's sponsorship agreement. Teams often stock extra jerseys in various sizes & cuts as backups & will often add star player names to serve as charity pieces or vessels for autographs.
- The size & cut does *not* have to match a player's on-field designation, seasons played, or even jersey design to quality as "team-issued" - in fact, they often don't.
- Team-Issued Ex: A 2025 Tom Brady Patriots jersey - size 54 L-BK cut 🐖
Authentic
- An "authentic" jersey refers to the highest-quality retail-model jerseys on the market. Nike's current authentic offering is called the "Vapor F.U.S.E. Elite" model, with embroidered logos & stitched numbers comparable to - but not identical to - on-field team-issued jerseys.
- The template for this jersey follows the on-field "SKILL" cut, but with a wider & more relaxed fit in the torso & shoulders.
- Authentic Ex: A Nike Vapor F.U.S.E. Elite Buffalo Bills Josh Allen Retail Jersey - size 40 (medium) 🏷️
Custom
- In some circles, "custom jerseys" are those cheap unliensed pieces made for autographs with no logos - you'll never see one of those jerseys on this site!
- In my shop, "custom" jerseys refer to high-quality officially-licensed base jerseys that I have commissioned to be customized. I collaborate with several official NFL partners to acquire on-field-accurate stretch twill lettering kits & team-exlusive emblems & patches. Together, our goal is to create unique & valuable pieces that would not otherwise exist on the market in any form.
- Custom Ex: A 2007 Reebok Minnesota Vikings Jersey of Joe Anoa'i - better known as WWE's Roman Reigns (only participated in Vikings rookie camp & was never a rostered player) 🌺
If you own a jersey & you're not sure which category it fits, message me on Instagram @carlslocker for a free appraisal 🍻