Undershirt sleeves

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by CallMeMrRef

I believe the rule is to help officials differentiate opponents for fouls, out of bounds, etc.

Agree.

By custom, in my little corner of Connecticut, we allow illegal undershirts in scrimmages. I've worked preseason jamboree type scrimmages where players from several teams wear reversible practice jerseys (for some reason Connecticut frowns upon real jerseys being worn in scrimmages) and reverse their jerseys (but not their undershirts) depending on which teams are participating that period.

Based on those scrimmage experiences over forty years, I can tell you with 100% certainty that undershirt colors not matching jerseys, different color undershirts on teammates, and same color undershirts on opponents, can turn easy calls into slightly more difficult calls, especially during rebounding action, both for out of bounds, and for fouls.

Can officials call a game with no undershirt fashion police rules in place, or enforcedf? Sure we can.

But it's a little easier to call a game with such rules in place, and enforced, and slightly less likely that a mistakes will be made.

Plus, it's a better look that this is an organized game, played under formal rules, under the guidance of trained officials, and that it is not a playground pickup game.