You may have been one of the lucky few that was able to snag Dwyane Wade jerseys for $13 earlier this month, but now what? If you're in the market for a new top, who is at the apex of the wish list? Come this holiday season, what jersey will your kids be requesting? The answer to these questions is anybody's guess.
Now that Dwyane Wade is a member of the Chicago Bulls, someone is bound to take over the crown of South Florida's top jersey seller. We believe these are each teams' top candidate for the job.
Jarvis Landry, #14 Miami Dolphins
From April to July, Jarvis Landry had the 23rd-highest-selling jersey on NFLShop.com, so it's safe to say his jerseys in South Florida are selling well. Between breaking the record for most catches in two seasons in NFL history and his hipster looks, Landry is the hottest thing going for the Miami Dolphins right now. On the downside, Landry is only under contract through next year, so you can't feel completely safe buying his gear.
You might be thinking, Why not Ryan Tannehill? Well, the quarterback of the team is the obvious choice, but not all quarterbacks are created equal. Who among us doesn't have a car wash rag ex-Dolphins quarterback jersey somewhere tucked away in the garage? This season will be Tannehill's last chance before his jerseys are covered in your car's old oil.
Aaron Ekblad, #5 Florida Panthers
While hockey might not be the most popular sport in South Florida, it's certainly on the rise, and from a fashion standpoint, hockey jerseys are among the most wearable. Since being selected first overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL entry draft, Ekblad has been an absolute stud. He and the Panthers recently agreed to an eight-year, $60 million extension, so you can feel comfortable making an investment in his gear. As an added bonus, the Panthers just completely changed their logo and jerseys, so even if you had an Ekblad jersey, you're going to be needing another.
Other solid choices here would be centerman Aleksander Barkov and future Hall of Fame right winger Jaromír Jágr. Chicks dig the long ball and goals.
Giancarlo Stanton, #27 Miami Marlins
One can never feel safe buying a Marlins jersey. Never. Ever. Like never. No one is safe. If there ever was a guy on the team you could feel safe shelling out the big bucks for, however, it would be Giancarlo Stanton. The important part isn't that Stanton recently signed a 13-year, $325 million contract (are you even listening? NEVER); it's that he got the team to include a full no-trade clause in his deal.
Jose Fernandez might rival Stanton in jersey sales, but it's a near impossibility that he will be a Miami Marlin for very much longer. He will soon command his own deal worth upwards of $300 million, he's coming off Tommy John surgery, and he's not exactly the team's biggest fan. Buying his jersey would be ill-advised right now.
Outside of Stanton and Fernandez, there really isn't another wildly popular option here. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna are studs, but outside of the die-hard fans in the stadium, you're not likely to see either of their jerseys popping up around town.
Hassan Whiteside, #21 Miami Heat
Tough choice here, but we have to guess this will be the Miami Heat jersey you will see most next season. While Justise Winslow is a fine choice, Whiteside fits the bill as the sort of player whose jersey fans want to sport. Big blocks, big personality, and big pay — that'll sell some jerseys.
Chances are you'll still see some LeBron jerseys floating around your local gym or beach. Dwyane Wade jerseys will be around forever, just like Dan Marino jerseys are. Chris Bosh, when healthy, is another high seller in the local market, but at this point no one is running out to get the jersey of a guy who might soon be medically retired.
Whiteside and Winslow are the picks here — it really just depends on what you're into. Whiteside is likely to be the now thing, but a Winslow jersey signifies you're a fan with an eye to the future.