Shirts with Pre-Printed Flag
 

Has anyone purchased one of these shirts with the flag imprinted on the shirt?

Purchase Officials Supplies - Smitty MADE IN THE USA Dye Sublimated Shirt

I have always sewed on a patch. I am concerned that the painted one will look cheap and fade over the course of a season. That plus they are like $10 more than a regular shirt. They seem new, so not much in the way of reviews out there. Can anyone share their experience?

I think it's the wave of the future, so get used to it.

The Smitty shirts, in general, are great shirts. I like them a lot better than most. As such, I would expect that the flag would not be a problem.

I think this is something that is going to be common place soon. We already have this done with college football shirts where the placard is put right on the shirt. I am probably surprised this was not done earlier.

Peace

Why is it necessary to put an Americans flag on a ref shirt anyhow? Aren't the state issued nfhs patche all that is needed?
The next step is to put ads for businesses on them no? (like wnba jerzee) :confused:

Well it is not necessary. And if you work in my state, the patch that much go on a shirt is the IHSA patch or embroiled IHSA logo. We cannot put any other patch on our shirt. The flag is optional and must go on the right sleeve (not the left as in the picture).

Peace

Why are state patches necessary? If I'm working a HS game, obviously I'm a licensed HS official.

Not necessarily.

Don't know about your state but mine has a state-wide athletic association which works with its member schools to regulate and administer athletic events (including the state postseason tournaments), establish standards for athlete eligibility, and determine qualifications for contestants, coaches, and officials.

Every official working a game at a member school must wear the current state association path signifying their approval to work that sport.

Oklahoma doesn't require a patch of any kind. The only requirement is that the officials working the game are dressed alike. We can also wear shirts with the panel or without.

VA has the flag as well as the state patch imprinted on it now. No issues from me so far. (We're just "so techi" here in VA) :rolleyes:

Is it necessary? No. Is it directed? Yes.

And how do the participants know that I didn't just borrow the patch, or get a shirt at goodwill that has a patch on it, or I registered 5 years ago to get the patch, but haven't registered since?

Unless the patch is issued every year, then the patch doesn't really show a whole lot more than no patch. (and, we have the same patch requirement here)

Anyone can fake anything. I have a few state licenses in my profession and if I knew what I was doing, I could fake a copy of that license. But if you looked me up in a certain database I might not be located as well.

Regardless of if the patch means anything in the bigger picture, it is like many things in life where it is a requirement of the profession. I do not care if we have a patch or not in my state. If it went away I would be OK with that outcome. I just feel the reason we have them is to put one other requirement on those that have fulfilled the requirement. And if you are wearing one, chances are you did something to get it, but like other things in life it is not the final evidence of your licensing.

Peace

I have ordered two of the shirts. One with the side panel and one without. It looks sharp new but you can tell it is a printed flag (if that makes sense). I emailed the company and they say their process will protect it from fading no matter how many times it is washed. The Smitty shirts are great.

FWIW, there was some debate in my chapter about whether the union of the sublimated flag was on the wrong side. Veterans disagreed.

Just to be contrary.
 

If one takes the time to look up U.S. law with regard to the U.S. Flag: Athletic uniforms and officiating uniforms do not meet the criteria to wear the Flag on them.

MTD, Sr.

This is why I do not wear flags on any of my clothing. The Stars and Stripes deserve better.

Our state is no different than your state. You cannot work a game at any HS level without being licensed by the state.

Our state has a "clean shirt" policy, however, banning the wearing of patches with the exception of an optional flag patch.

I have a drawer full of Illinois patches from when I used to register as a reciprocal official. I can wear them, but that doesn't make me an Illinois official.

Is this any different than a state saying which ball must be used in a state? Is it any different than requiring certain procedures to be followed with eligibility of players? Is it any different than what a state might require for what kind of procedure is followed player uniforms? If you live in a state that has none of these requirements, that is great. But I do not see why this is any different than any requirement. I also agree that wearing a state patch does not mean you are licensed. But when you do not wear one, it is certainly noticed, even for us when it is not a sanctioned state game.

Peace

We don't wear our patches when we do private schools.

New patch every year. Same design but different colors and year number. Guys could wear borrowed patches and maybe no one would know, but our state association found out those officials would be banned.

*So, are you implying that it is quasi "slanderous" "illegal" and/or "irreverent" to adorn our Ref shirts with the US flag? I see tons of college refs wearing flags and also there's Catholics leaguse here in our state where the refs wear a flag on left sleeve and what looks like a "flueres-de-lile" logo patch on the other sleeve (i.e., it looks like the N.O. Saints helmet artwork sort of).
Are you saying that all of this is not legit perhaps even sacriligious?

Slanderous: No
Illegal: Yes*
Irreverent: Perhaps
Not as patriotic as people think it is: Yes

It's like when people let the flag touch the ground or get dirty. Or they hang the flag vertically with the union in the upper right. Or leave the flag out all night without a light on it. Or when Bank of America uses it as part of the corporate logo. As I said, the Stars and Stripes deserve better.

*Illegal in the sense that it goes against the Flag Code, which is Federal law. However, there is no penalty outlined in the Flag Code.

I Pledge Allegiance ...
 

Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code: The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, firefighters, police officers, and members of patriotic organizations.

This is a U.S. federal law, but there is no penalty for failure to comply with it and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that punitive enforcement would conflict with the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.[

You know, "should not" does not mean "shall not".

Altor:

I could not have said it better.

MTD, Sr.

While the Flag Code does not recognize a difference between an actual flag versus a facsimile patch or representation of the flag, I personally there is a difference.

As for the legality of the Flag Code, I just think they're more like guidelines. :cool:

Yes. 2 Smitty football shirts.

There is no problem with fading, though you should ALWAYS wash shirts on cold and hang dry. DO NOT put shirts in the dryer. EVER. The Smitty shirts will dry in less than 30 minutes.

Also, if your washer has a double rinse function, use it. Your shirts will be much cleaner. Some washers will leave small soap residue in the shirts, and soap attracts dirt -- hence, the shirt get dirtier when worn.

Why?

Dryer sheets? Absolutely not (they clog the channels of wicking fabrics). High heat, no to that too.

But, low heat, nothing wrong with that. There is no reason to not dry them as long as the heat isn't too high and you don't over dry them.

Or just use less detergent and save the water.

Or use one of the following that is designed for high tech fabrics...
Amazon.com: Atsko Sport Wash 1L Bottle (34 wash): Sports & Outdoors

or
http://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Sport-W...4298854&sr=8-2


I use the first one with all my stuff...compression undergarments, ref shirts, ski clothes, basically any thing that has special waterproof or water wicking characteristics.

Flag patches here are only worn by armed forces veterans.

i like
 

I bought one of the new shirts with the printed patch and flag and I really like it. I haven't seen any fading yet but it only has been worn and washed a few times.

There's no reason TO put them in the dryer. They dry hanging almost as fast as they do in the dryer. A heated dryer lessens the usable life of virtually all clothing, ESPECIALLY synthetic fabrics.

No, no difference and all for the same reason. Money. Or to be more clear, separating you from your money. For example, our state association came out with an authorized vendor a few years back. The very next year they made the wide stripes mandatory for football. Mass purchase from the only authorized vendor resulted in $77 + s&h football shirt. Next year, new sole authorized vendor and magically the state logo changed to acknowledge their 50 year anniversary. Result was new shirt purchase from new vendor. Everything is about money or more accurately, separating you from your money.

Shirts with Pre-Printed Flag
 

We still have no patches here. And we went to wide stripes for football, but we can buy from anyone. (Wide stripes are optional. Our crew adopted them Day 1. More have this year.)

In AZ our shirts look like a rider in Tour de France and changes routinely with high bidder in vendor contest. I'm on my 3rd wife stripe shirt this year already for FB.

I bought 3 of the dye sublimated basketball shirts prior to last season and wore then throughout the season and through this past summer and they look the same as the day I bought them.

If you're getting your wife from a vendor, I think I see the problem.

I'd like to see that vendor's catalog. ;)

That's obviously a typo. I could never afford 3 wives. Heck, I can't even afford the 1 I got.

WA State switched to the new style of shirt with the sublimated State patch and US Flag last year for Football and Basketball (and possibly other sports). The shirts were not manditory last year unless you worked the post season. This year they are required in all varsity level games.

Having had the shirt now for one full year I can say they appear to stand up to the usage as well as other shirts. It is a pain to remember to not dry them in the dryer, and my shirts have gone that route a few times. The patch and the flag seem to be holding up just fine.