Removing Patches
 

Should I bother removing the Illinois patches from my stripes now that I've moved to Arizona or should I just buy new shirts?

And if I should remove them, what's the best way? They're stitched on, so will a seam-ripper ruin the sleeve?

Just curious to gather your feedback, if you've replaced stitched-on patches before or just said to heck with it and bought new shirts.

I had no problem--- OK-- MrsO had no problem removing my old Syracuse Official's patches from my sleeves and affixing the FHSAA logos on the pockets of my shirts when I moved here from CNY.
Good luck !

I have taken my shirts to a uniform shop that did a fine job removing my patches in the past. Then again they hardly charge anything and they would be better at that thing than I would be.

Peace

We get new patches every year in Indiana so we have to remove the old ones. My wife uses a seam ripper (I think that's what it is called) and it removed them OK. After a couple years, small holes do start to develop where the stitches were but that's usually not an issue since the new patch goes over it. In 2006 they used a much smaller patch which didn't look good on the worn shirts. Last year then went back to the regular patch and all was good again.

I'm in Arizona, but not a football official.

I know for most of the other sports, the AIA has required the officials shirts for HS games that have the AIA emblem embroidered on the shirts - patches are no more.

It may be different in Football - patches still allowed for a certain period of time. I do know that if you worked an AIA football game in a shirt with your Illinois patches on it, there could be repercussions. I don't know what other football you may work, (Pop Warner, JC, etc) and what the uniform requirements may be.

I did, and there weren't. But it was just the one game.

I guess I'll find out from the state what they require and go from there. If I have to get new shirts and use these as backups, I will.

I'll find out. Thanks!

Thank goodness Wisconsin has a "clean shirt" policy for officials. I love not having any patches on my shirts.

REPLY: Can I move to Wisconsin ??? We even have hat patches!

Same in California (might vary by association). It's great being able to use the same uniforms for youth and high school football.

Do you have anything on your baseball uniforms? My association wants us to have our shirts and jackets embroidered with their initials.

I've seen hat patches and, with all due respect, they are the ugliest, cheesiest looking things on a uniform. I think the NFL looks cheap with the emblem on the hat. I must be old-fashioned because I like a nice clean, professional-looking uniform that does not draw attention to it.

Here in ND, we got rid of shirt patches many years ago and never had hat patches.

Nothing. Not a thing.

Many of us wear numbers, but those are meaningless (except to the wearer).

This is the smart move. Its not like the patches do anything in terms of identifying you. If the stripped shirt isn't a clue, its hopeless. I realize there's differences in some states as far as certification goes, but its still unnecessary.

Our exec board allowed us to remove them two years ago from the hats. The state found out and we got in a bit of hot water. We had to go back to them last year or forfeit playoff games.

You would think when they saw how better it looked they would make the change. Probably b/c we need to purchase them and it's another source of income they would lose.

I don't have a problem with a hat patch, per se. I do have a problem with our ugly a$$ hat patch! Our sleeve patch isn't too much better, either.

No problem....As I mentioned, I don't do football, but I have a few buddies that do. If you want to send me a PM, I will give you some names and numbers for guys in and around Glendale. I live in Peoria, so we are next door neighbors......