Sports Fandom and Clothing Donations

This weekend, Super Bowl LVIII will kick off in Las Vegas, pitting the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs against the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. Whichever team takes the prize, it will almost certainly be a drag-out contest punctuated by multimillion-dollar ads, star-studded halftime entertainment and celebrity cameos.

Throughout the season, sports fans spend a lot of money to support their favorite teams — buying expensive tickets to live games; celebrating with tailgate parties, at home and in bars; and sporting their team’s colors religiously on game days and other occasions. Licensed fan apparel is a $40 billion business worldwide, and that’s not the only merch out there.

If you’re a sports fan, chances are that you have a cherished jersey with a favorite player’s number and name on the back — or maybe several. You may complement this with other wardrobe items such as a stocking cap, sweats and other items in the team colors, and you may have spent quite a bit to share your allegiance.

But like anything, even a premium jersey can outlive its usefulness. Perhaps you gained or lost weight since you bought that jersey or have a new favorite for game-day wear. Maybe it was a gift that wasn’t on the mark, or maybe you have one jersey too many. Or maybe you started following a different team altogether (!), making that particular piece of apparel a relic of the past.

ClothingDonations.org can help. If you have fan apparel that you’d like to get rid of but is still in usable condition, #donate it! Schedule a #free #donation #pickup, and one of our drivers will come get your disused fan gear and other household items at the designated time and date.

Conversely, if you need a good piece of fan gear for game day or general wear, the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org often stock lots of logoed items from area teams at prices that are a fraction of what such items cost to buy new.

Whether you #donate fan gear, buy it used or both, the proceeds from #donations and resale fund valuable programs that support the nations #veterans. And that’s a team everyone can get behind.

Host a Virtual Super Bowl Get-Together

Technology is making it possible to join friends and family at a fully virtual, pandemic-era Super Bowl party that shares the fun while maintaining everyone’s safety. Hulu premium subscribers can use the Teleparty app to watch the game together on their screens, CNET says, or try Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype to “gather” remotely while watching the live broadcast. To get everyone engaged and involved, try a party game such as Big Game Bingo or rate the commercials together.

Have a Safe Super Bowl Party Outdoors

While the pandemic has put a damper on most social activities, you can still have a small group over to enjoy the Super Bowl together, the Forever Freckled blog says. Have your party outdoors (weather permitting) and space out seating to maintain social distancing. Offer single-serve snacks such as Buffalo chicken sliders, and portion out dips and chips rather than serving from a communal bowl. “Everyone has different anxieties, stresses, and fears about the virus,” the blog says. “Everyone should feel comfortable without being judged.”

One-Quarter to Watch Super Bowl With Others

A Seton Hall Sports Poll says one-quarter (25%) of respondents plan to view Super Bowl LV — this weekend’s NFL championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — with persons from outside their households. If you are among those people, limit physical contact, wear a mask and avoid shared foodstuffs. If possible, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, have or attend only outdoor get-togethers where you can safely socially distance and still enjoy the game.

Fauci Advises Super Bowl Social Distancing

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s most prominent advisor on the COVID-19 pandemic, says this year’s Super Bowl must adhere to proper social distancing protocols. Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium will be held to one-third capacity for the game, and the NFL will provide KN-95 masks to in-person spectators. If you plan to host a gathering at home to watch the Chiefs and Buccaneers play, consider inviting only members of your coronavirus “pod” or hosting a halftime Zoom conference in order to stay virus-free.