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......

Sweet, thanks.

My initial thought is the patches are a quick verification that you are licensed. I get three patches every year though (and I think I can order more) so it would be very easy to give one to a buddy. Otherwise I'm not sure what purpose they server. Maybe it was a common thing to do years ago and nobody has ever asked the question.

Oklahoma had officials patches required on the left sleeve of game officials shirts in all sports, as well as a "Say no to Drugs" patch on the right sleeve, until 6 or 7 years ago. Now none are required. I believe this was a good decission and the unadorned shirts look "cleaner".
There is a crew option to have an American flag attached to the shirt.

Well, I'll tell you one thing: if you have ever worked across state lines, you would jump for joy over the "no patch" decorum. I don't know how many times I have scurried around trying to find another shirt because something happened, and have to "tack" a patch on for the game. Not to mention, in football at least, a long and short shirt for one side of the river and another long and short for the other. 4 shirts to keep maintained. That's just one set. I like to have two sets of gear in case they don't make it to the washer in time. Just keep doing the math.
But, I will comply with the patch because that is just another rule we must follow. That's the breaks!

Michigan requires new patches every year.
The last few have been the same size circle, but there was a time when rectangles were followed by circles.

Mick

I believe Michigan is going to issue permanent patches starting next year.

Interesting.
I would have thought those were money makers for the MHSAA.
Although they are only a $1 bill per, I generally bought 3 or 4 more than they sent with the registration.
Maybe the costs that folks paid for extras didn't offset the costs for the patches they 'gave' away.

What did you do with your long sleeve shirts, I don't think you'll need them in AZ.:D

My crew works a game across the state line every year where they require patches. We simply don't wear any and nobody has reported us in six years. If they did and we got grief, our schedule would simply be lightened by one game.

I had one long-sleeved shirt (lined) that came in handy back in Illinois. I don't expect to ever need it here, no. Then again, I don't intend to be here forever.

And if anything ever comes up in the off-season (like they had some high school all-star type games between US teams and Mexican teams as part of the Super Bowl run-up), it might come in handy. It can get nippy here in the winter. Or freezing rain like we got today.

I've heard that MI was getting rid of the patches before and it never happened. I sewed black and white velcro stripes to my shirt and just put new velcro on the patch each year. For Baseball I use a magnet and have never had a problem.