When did football team merchandise become a big thing?

[PerthBoy86]

Watching footage or photos of old games, I notice most or many in the crowd aren't wearing their team jumpers, beanies, scarves. They're just dressed in their regular clothes. Maybe some home knit scarves or beanies. I guess as with sports worldwide, with increasing commercialisation more merchandise was sold and worn. Scarves, beanies, caps, guernseys, jackets, shirts etc. When did it become the norm for at least the majority to wear team colours in some form to games?

 

[FreoGirl]

I remember my mum buying East Freo jumpers for my brothers in 1974 and upwards - the socks as well. My brother had #8 for Ken Judge at one time.

 

[Freshwater]

I have been working on the new Joel Selwood stand in Geelong. In the new foyer area near all the open stairways there are massive pictures of the crowds at Kardinia Park over the years. 1950’s everyone in big woolen coats, men and women. 1960’s the odd kid in a footy jumper. 1970’s scarfs and duffle coats, and beanies. And as each decade passes people showed more club merchandise and colours.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The 80s. Clubs got a bit more professional and it grew from there. Realised there was money to be made.

 

[Tiger Snake]

you could get footy jumpers and beanies from Coles in the 60s... I remember going to get mine when in the mid 60s...
merchandise started getting bigger in the mid 70s when they started licensing and has grown since then...

 

[Cleansweep17]

Have you seen some of theerch you can get? The frames in particular are great with replica medals, signed shoes and jumpers.

They cost a bomb though.

I think I saw a Richmond dynasty frame for $10k or something and had dimensions of like a 70inch TV or something.

 

[Satan]

Think in 80s but it depends on clothing and non clothing merch and team success . The non clothing stuff in the premiership year would have started in the 90s . And no I dont have premiership skis

 

[Gough]

The 80s. Clubs got a bit more professional and it grew from there. Realised there was money to be made.

I suspect the introduction of colour tele probably opened eyes to merchandising opportunities.

 

[HairyO]

The 80s. Clubs got a bit more professional and it grew from there. Realised there was money to be made.

THis is my answer too. We had knitted scarves and beanies until then. We all had one bought jumper each.

By the 90s we were getting jackets and hoodies and all sorts of things.

 

[Clark G]

Possibly in the 1990s? There used to be TV ads then about Kmart being the AFL’s home ground.