Super Bowl LIX has come and gone, with the Philadelphia Eagles hoisting the Lombardi Trophy instead of the Kansas City Chiefs completing a historic three-peat.
As fans celebrate (or lament) the outcome, one question arises year after year after the game is finished: What happens to the merchandise made for the losing team?
NFL’s policy on losing team’s merchandise
Every year, the NFL pre-produces thousands of hats, shirts, and hoodies declaring both teams as the champions.
The moment the final whistle blows, retailers ensure the winning team’s gear is available instantly.
But the losing team’s merchandise?
That never reaches U.S. shelves.
Before 1997, the NFL simply destroyed the losing team’s apparel.
However, in an effort to be more socially responsible, the league now donates these items to people in need around the world.
Initially partnering with nonprofit World Vision, the NFL now collaborates with Virginia-based organization Good360, which also distributes unused gear from Major League Baseball’s World Series.
Rather than letting the gear go to waste, Good360 ensures it reaches communities in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America, though the exact locations remain undisclosed to prevent resale.
These donations provide practical benefits, from shielding children from the sun to keeping families warm.
Compared to the overall volume of NFL merchandise sold, the amount of donated gear is relatively small.
Former Good360 Chief Marketing Officer Shari Rudolph told the Los Angeles Times in 2022 that only a few thousand items from each championship event are set aside for donation.
In contrast, Good360 handled $1.3 billion in total donations in 2021 alone.
Can you buy the losing team’s Super Bowl merch?
No. The NFL enforces strict protocols to ensure the losing team’s gear never reaches the general public.
Pre-vetted nonprofit partners handle the donations, keeping the merchandise out of the hands of resellers and collectors.
Despite these precautions, rare pieces occasionally surface, like a 1989 Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl XXIII champion shirt that was listed on eBay for $10,000.
The NFL’s preparation for an unknown winner goes beyond just apparel.
Championship confetti, released in a storm of team colors at the end of the game, is also made in advance for both possible outcomes.
If unused, it’s returned to the manufacturer and recycled into new materials.
So, while Chiefs fans may never see their team’s unused “three-peat” merchandise, it won’t go to waste.
Instead, it will find a second life far beyond the Super Bowl stage.
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