Should all team 🇺🇸 national teams only have American made equipment/jerseys and American sponsors?

[tvguy]

I had a 2019 VW Atlas that was made in Tennessee. I like to name all of my vehicles and her full name was a joke, asking if she even spoke German.

My son has a VW ID4, made in Tennessee. His VW Jetta was made in Mexico. His Chevy Blazer EV was made in Mexico.

 

[lanejudy]

@Buzz Rules you asked the question but never gave your opinion...?

 

[Allison]

Nope

 

[Buzz Rules]

@Buzz Rules you asked the question but never gave your opinion...?

All things that can be made in America, should be for national teams.

 

[lanejudy]

All things that can be made in America, should be for national teams.

Which doesn't actually answer the question you posed because those items are available to US national teams but they aren't restricted to only US-made. But am I to understand you believe US athletes should have sub-standard equipment if the "best" is made elsewhere? So just taking soccer -- a player should have to wear a US-made pair of cleats even if those aren't his/her most preferred fit and performance? And 70% of soccer balls are foreign made.

 

[BrianL]

Answering from a non-American point of view, I’d say yes - both our national teams should “shop local”. I’m sure it could be achieved with the apparel but honestly, I don’t even know if we produce baseball gloves, goalie masks basketballs and soccer cleats in Canada.

Come on now - you know Canada produces goalie masks and other hockey equipment! Or, do you not have to because people are born with it on already?

 

[Buzz Rules]

Which doesn't actually answer the question you posed because those items are available to US national teams but they aren't restricted to only US-made. But am I to understand you believe US athletes should have sub-standard equipment if the "best" is made elsewhere? So just taking soccer -- a player should have to wear a US-made pair of cleats even if those aren't his/her most preferred fit and performance? And 70% of soccer balls are foreign made.

I'm saying if our products are substandard, then it's the duty of the companies to make changes to their products to become the standard/superior product to become the national team's sports wear. This increases competition between the companies and would in turn create better products for the public overall that they could sell.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm saying if our products are substandard, then it's the duty of the companies to make changes to their products to become the standard/superior product to become the national team's sports wear. This increases competition between the companies and would in turn create better products for the public overall that they could sell.

OK, I get that, you want the US to produce the best products. But that may not always be a viable option. If a company doesn't feel there is enough of a market to produce elite-level products, they aren't going to accept their "duty...to make changes" as you suggest. There is a cost/benefit ratio at which any good business will decide whether the benefit (sales opportunities) is worth the cost of producing a good.

Which leaves us with the question as you posed it: Should all team US national teams only have American made equipment?

 

[Buzz Rules]

OK, I get that, you want the US to produce the best products. But that may not always be a viable option. If a company doesn't feel there is enough of a market to produce elite-level products, they aren't going to accept their "duty...to make changes" as you suggest. There is a cost/benefit ratio at which any good business will decide whether the benefit (sales opportunities) is worth the cost of producing a good.

Which leaves us with the question as you posed it: Should all team US national teams only have American made equipment?

The advertising alone is worth it.