UPDATE: 4:22 p.m., May 20, 2013
In an email from Tom Whitestone, associate athletic director of media relations, he said, “Keep in mind, though, that the true version will be unveiled, in its entirety, at the Great Gold Rush Auction, June 1.”
UPDATE: 3:57 p.m., May 20, 2013
According to Mary Pina, general merchandise manager of the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore, the Nike replica football jersey that was made available for purchase was not supposed to be made public online.
The employees of the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore had to sign nondisclosure agreements about the football jersey design. The replica football jersey was not supposed to be available until after the official revealing. Pina did not give an official date as to when the jerseys would be available in the stores for purchase.
The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore website has temporarily removed all of their game day apparel until the problem is resolved. It is unsure as to when the other game day apparel will be made available online again.
The jerseys that are available in the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore are the same green and gold jerseys that have been on the shelves all year.
ORIGINAL STORY: Published at 2:25 p.m., May 20, 2013
For the many Charlotte 49ers fans that have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the new football jerseys, the wait just might be over.
A green and black Nike replica football jersey has appeared on the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore website. The website has the Nike replica football jersey on sale for $90.
The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore has unveiled the replica jerseys before the official unveiling.
In a call to the bookstore, an employee seemed as if she had been rehearsed with what information she was allowed to disclose to buyers.
When asked if the jerseys online were actually the official football jerseys, the bookstore employee said, “If we did, we couldn’t disclose, give you any information about that until it’s made official to the public.”
Although no information about what the jerseys will look like has been made official to the public, it seems as though the public has been unofficially informed of what they can expect to see the Charlotte 49ers football team wearing on the field in August.
49ers fans can also pick up the jerseys in the Barnes & Noble bookstore on campus for purchase.
With the jerseys on sale in both the campus bookstore and online bookstore, it is hard to believe that these jerseys aren’t the real deal.
SOAR, UNC Charlotte’s orientation program for new freshman and transfer students, will be starting up within a few weeks. SOAR draws many new students and parents to campus throughout the summer months, and the bookstore is always in high demand of apparel during that time.
With SOAR sessions about to begin, It makes sense that the jerseys have hit the bookstore’s shelves earlier than expected. With so many visitors expected to be on campus over the summer stocking up on 49ers apparel, adding football jerseys to the stores seems like an extremely smart move to not only boost store sales, but sell more jerseys.
The jerseys are scheduled to be unveiled at the annual Great Gold Rush Auction, according to the receptionist of the Athletic Foundation. The auction, hosted by the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Foundation, is on Saturday, June 1 in Halton Arena.