3.4.7 - unrestricted area of jersey
 

I'm having difficulty envisioning what part of the uniform this covers and the case book does not provide any insight. Since a "back panel" is being referenced, this area sounds a bit large, although the description of the first sentence makes it sound like a reference to the collar area only.

We have a team in our area with additional lettering just below the collar on the back side of the jersey. The coloring of the letters is the same as the numbers but spell out words which are not related to the team/player name or their mascot. On the younger teams this lettering is small (about 1 inch) and located just below the collar - from reading 3.4.8 the lettering sounds illegal [neither a team/player name/abbreviation] but 3.4.7 seems to provide a loophole ("no restrictions"!) for the area "from the base of the neckline to the shoulder seam"... whatever, exactly, area that is. Anyone have insight into this? It has become an issue for a variety of reasons and I want to be confident in my understanding of why the jerseys are either legal or illegal.

Thanks

It's an issue that you should let your assignor worry about. Iow, fuggedaboutit unless someone over top of you gives you explicit instructions to call it.

This is about the last thing in the world that you should even be thinking of before any ballgame.

Sounds like the yoke [collar bone area] of the jersey.
I haven't seen collars on any jerseys since 1989.

Through the efforts of others it has become an issue, so I have to think about it. The assigner is going to get a letter to the team - since the issue was raised [about their jerseys being illegal], it got me to reading 3.4 a bit more carefully because I was assigned to one of their early season games - no T's were issued :) .

???
Isn't a back panel the fabric with the player's name that is sewn to customized jerseys? Some uniform manufacturers are putting the company name there (Rucker for one).

Is this what you're asking about?

If you were to sew a jersey together, it would have maybe four pieces. The side panels would be the fabric that is about four inches wide from the armpit to the base of the jersey (the part you tuck in). Then there is a front panel (the front of the jersey, which is the part that connects to the side panels, and is 1/2 of the 'strap' that goes over the shoulders. The back panel would be what's left in the back. Of course, you could have just two pieces if you split the side panels down the middle and put them into the pattern the front and the back. Go look at a shirt inside out and trace the seams.

I can't believe I am giving sewing instructions on a ref site. The wife is laughing at me.

No, their wording is stitched in under, and following the contour of, the backside collar. The best explanation I've heard about what area is being referenced by 3.4.7 is mick's reference to the "yolk", but when the rule also mentions a "back panel" that seems to refer to something other than the shoulder area.