Do They Still Make Starter Jackets? (Yes…)


Very few pieces of sports apparel have left a cultural fingerprint quite like Starter jackets did in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Every young sports fan in America wanted a Starter jacket for Christmas.

They became so popular that by 1992, Starter’s net sales peaked to $350 million dollars. But unfortunately, Starter’s run atop the sports world eventually stalled, and by 1999 it had declined to the point where Starter was forced to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Used Starter Jackets from that era are still popular re-sale items on platforms like Ebay, but what if you wanted a brand new Starter jacket instead of a pre-owned one off Ebay? Do they still make Starter jackets?

Yes, they still make Starter jackets. You can buy a brand new Starter jacket for teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL (links below).

In this article let’s discuss where you can buy those brand new Starter jackets (which still have that iconic, retro look), and how you can expect the modern-day jackets to fit.

Do They Still Make Starter Jackets?

Yes, as we discussed above, Starter re-launched its iconic jackets and are available for purchase brand new (links for jackets below). Since declaring bankruptcy in 1999, the company has changed hands a couple times, and as of 2019, Starter is owned by parent company Iconic Brand Group (source).

Although the comeback for Starter has not rocked the cultural landscape quite like its initial emergence in the late 1980’s, the company does still produce retro-styled quarter-zip jackets and full-snap bomber jackets for the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL.

Where to Shop for Starter Jackets?

Linked below is where you can buy new Starter jackets for each respective league. The affiliate links below take you to NBAStore.com, NFLShop.com, MLBShop.com, and NHLShop.com, which are the official online shops for those leagues. This is where I recommend buying your Starter jackets.

Starter Jackets

NBA

Click here to check out the NBA Starter jackets at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).

NFL

Click here to check out the NFL Starter jackets at NFLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NFLShop.com).

MLB

Click here to check out the MLB Starter jackets at MLBShop.com (affiliate link takes you to MLBShop.com).

NHL

Click here to check out the NHL Starter jackets at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).


Are Starter Jackets Still Worth It?

Now that you know that you can still buy a brand new Starter jacket, it begs the question, are Starter jackets still worth it? This answer will, of course, vary depending on person, but to me the modern-day Starter jackets have that same, unique retro-style look that they always had (which is perfect).

When you think of Starter jackets, you think of the quarter-zip pullover jackets and the front-snap bomber jackets, both of which the company has brought back and made available again present day. Will Starter jackets ever fully re-gain what they had in the early 90’s? Of course not. But for those that grew up in that era, owning a Starter jacket almost feels like a time portal to youth.

If you decide to buy a Starter jacket, you can expect the quarter-zip jackets to have that same lightweight, baggy fit that they always had. The full-snap bomber jackets will have a more tailored fit than the pullover quarter-zip jackets, and don’t fit as baggy as the quarter-zips do.

It’s been said that America loves a comeback story. And although the chances are slim that Starter can ever fully re-gain what it once had, it’s nice to know that for those sports fans wanting to buy an authentic Starter jacket, they no longer have to go buy an old, dirty, used jacket off of Ebay.

Paul Johnson

Paul has been with us from our beginnings. He focuses on a wide range of sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB and golf.

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