Older Fighting Illini Merchandise

#1      
Hi,

I had an awesome nike shirt (white with a circular fighting on top and illini on bottom with a basketball in the middle with chief in the middle (i think?). I got lots of positive comments on it at the time. Not sure where it went.

Does anyone have any idea of how to buy older out of print Illniois merchandise or where it might be found??

Thank you in advance!
 
#2      

icengineer

Southern Illinois
Good condition Chief gear is like gold! I think UI realizes that if they allowed vendors to sell it they'd never sell any of the newer stuff.

I wonder, is it a trademark issue if you were to invert the chief image and put it on a T-shirt? Most people wouldn't notice the slight difference in doing that.
 
#3      
For an update, I contacted nike about this awesome shirt design and they said they will email me the catalogs from the years (I said circa 2004-2007). Hopefully I can find it and order it again, we'll see.
 
#4      
For an update, I contacted nike about this awesome shirt design and they said they will email me the catalogs from the years (I said circa 2004-2007). Hopefully I can find it and order it again, we'll see.

if they follow through with those catalogs, can you please share? would love to flip through them!
 
#5      

Illiini

In the land of the Nittany Lion
If you go to Fanatics.com or FansEdge.com, you can get Chief items. The university has to use the trademark or lose it, so they sell a limited number of items as “vintage.”
 
#6      

Ransom Stoddard

Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
Good condition Chief gear is like gold! I think UI realizes that if they allowed vendors to sell it they'd never sell any of the newer stuff.

I wonder, is it a trademark issue if you were to invert the chief image and put it on a T-shirt? Most people wouldn't notice the slight difference in doing that.

I would have to think so. It's still the same trademarked design, regardless of orientation. I see people do this with videos on YouTube as well, but I can't see how that gets them around trademark and copyright.
 
#7      

Illiini

In the land of the Nittany Lion
Trademark owners have to vigorously defend their trademarks and copyrights. U of I will sic its lawyers on any commercial production even where it doesn’t seem like it’s worth it. You can’t have a custom shirt made at one of the custom print shops on the internet because they don’t want the hassle and if course it’s illegal.

I looked into it for a while and came across an outfit that has a license from Illinois (and other schools and trademark holders) and have been selling custom Illini designs and will give half of the proceeds to Guardians of the Illini. No url on this forum, however, because I follow the rules. 😁
 
#8      

icengineer

Southern Illinois
Trademark owners have to vigorously defend their trademarks and copyrights. U of I will sic its lawyers on any commercial production even where it doesn’t seem like it’s worth it. You can’t have a custom shirt made at one of the custom print shops on the internet because they don’t want the hassle and if course it’s illegal.

I looked into it for a while and came across an outfit that has a license from Illinois (and other schools and trademark holders) and have been selling custom Illini designs and will give half of the proceeds to Guardians of the Illini. No url on this forum, however, because I follow the rules. ��

We can add the www. and the .com on our own...:thumb:

Besides, if it is legit and licensed by the UI I don't think it's an issue. No different then posting links to anywhere else.
 
#9      

Illiini

In the land of the Nittany Lion
We can add the www. and the .com on our own...:thumb:

Besides, if it is legit and licensed by the UI I don't think it's an issue. No different then posting links to anywhere else.

Yeah, it's legit. But I'm pretty sure in the rules somewhere there's a proscription against advertising your own business.
 
#11      

Illi0105

Chicago, IL
Does anyone know if Nike sells the alternate jerseys with Fighting Illini on the front? I can't find them anywhere online and I would pay quite a bit of money for one.

If not, is there a reason these aren't offered for sale?
 

Attachments

  • Fighting Illini 13.jpg
    Fighting Illini 13.jpg
    25.8 KB · Views: 362
#12      

Illiini

In the land of the Nittany Lion
Apparently no one wants to sell it enough to go through the hoops AND pay the licensing fees. It’s not just enough to get the blessing of someone at the university. You have to go through the collegiate licensing company that collects the fees for the universities.

That said, Fanatis et al. apparently don’t think there’s enough of a market to go through all the expenses of making what would be a completely new product for them.

Your best bet is to get the real thing on EBay.
 
#13      
Agreed. The best place to find some good items is on EBay. I was lucky enough to get online right when the decision to retire the Chief was made and picked up a few things. I still have the baseball style Illini shirt with the big Chief on the back that was featured in the Kris Kros video and I have never seen it available again. Considering that I have gone from a Medium to an XL in the 25 years since it might be a good time to toss that on EBay as well!

Apparently no one wants to sell it enough to go through the hoops AND pay the licensing fees. It’s not just enough to get the blessing of someone at the university. You have to go through the collegiate licensing company that collects the fees for the universities.

That said, Fanatis et al. apparently don’t think there’s enough of a market to go through all the expenses of making what would be a completely new product for them.

Your best bet is to get the real thing on EBay.