A new study analyzing the online demand for sports jerseys for 153 teams across the top professional sports leagues in the US has found the most popular team jersey in each sport – with the Seattle Kraken taking the top spot in the NHL.
The study conducted by t-shirt wholesaler ShirtMax used the search volume tool Google Keyword Planner to analyze the average monthly search volumes for terms such as “[team] jersey”, “[team} jersey sale”, and “[team] alternate jersey”, in relation to every team in the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Major Baseball League, the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer.
The results were then ranked to identify the most popular sports and team jerseys in each state and in each of the major professional sports leagues in the nation.
The findings come as the researchers identified a growing trend of incorporating sports jerseys in streetwear fashion this summer. Particularly, inspiration for “soccer jersey outfits” and “baseball jersey outfits” have grown by a significant 120% and 98%, this summer, respectively, compared to last year, according to an analysis of Pinterest Trends.
However, the study found that NFL jerseys are the most in-demand of any of the top professional sports leagues in the US, with NFL team jerseys being searched for most in 44 states – including Florida, Texas, and New York.
MLB team jerseys beat out all other sports in Illinois, Arizona, and Georgia. NBA jerseys are the most popular of any sport in Massachusetts and Colorado, while the NHL takes the top spot in New Hampshire.
Most popular jerseys by sport:
Although NHL jerseys are the most popular league jerseys in New Hampshire, as the study found, the West Coast’s Seattle Kraken take the top spot for the team with the most sought-after jerseys in the NHL. The ice hockey team has an average monthly search volume of 19,153 for its jerseys across the US.
According to the findings, the Chicago Blackhawks‘ jerseys are the second most popular in the sport, while the Boston Bruins’ jerseys are the third most in-demand. The study found that the teams have average monthly search volumes of 16,858 and 15,591, respectively, for the team jerseys.
According to the study, the most popular team jersey among NFL fans belongs to the San Francisco 49ers, with an average national monthly search volume of 67,198 combined searches relating to the team’s jerseys—the highest of any team in any of the professional sports leagues analyzed in the study.
This is followed by the famous Dallas Cowboys, with fans making an average of 51,593 searches for jerseys each month. The Philadelphia Eagles rank as having the third most sought-after jerseys of any NFL team – gaining over 45,000 monthly searches for their merch.
Despite the MLB being the most popular league for jerseys in Illinois, Arizona, and Georgia, the Los Angeles Dodgers experience the most searches for their jerseys per month nationally—with an average search volume of 42,412 related searches.
The Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves follow in second and third, with average monthly searches of 33,389 and 31,263 for their team jerseys, respectively. The New York Yankees and Houston Astros round out the top five baseball teams with the most demand for their jerseys.
Yet another LA team ranks as the most popular team jersey in a professional sports league – as the Los Angeles Lakers take the top spot in the NBA. The basketball pro team receives an average of 39,985 monthly searches by fans and fashion lovers seeking their team jersey.
Florida’s Miami Heat take second place in the ranking, experiencing an estimated 26,388 monthly searches on average to purchase their team jersey. While the Denver Nuggets follow closely in third, with 25,970 average monthly related searches.
The most sought-after jerseys for teams in Major League Soccer are searched for less than those in other national sports; the increasing interest in soccer jerseys in fashion may see this demand continue to grow.
Teams that may benefit even further from this increased demand are LA Galaxy, which has the most in-demand jerseys in the sport with an average monthly search volume of 4,788 searches, and Atlanta United and North Carolina’s Charlotte FC, which follow in second and third. The latter teams were found to have an average of 4,744 and 3,963 searches each month by fans seeking their respective jerseys.
Jordan Adair, CEO of ShirtMax commented on the findings: “Due to the increased interest in integrating sporty influence in urban fashion and thanks to the celebrity status of sports stars and the trend being styled by influential A-listers like Taylor Swift and Bella Hadid, it is likely that the demand for team jerseys is expanding further than just by fans.
“However, for fans of major league teams, sports jerseys are not only about fashion but signify allegiance to their chosen team, the connection of fanbases as a community and symbolize their passion for the sport. As the findings suggest, NFL fans appear the most passionate across popular sports in the US – and perhaps could be deemed the most ‘fashionable’.”
SOURCE: https://www.shirtmax.com
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