Lack of Kansas City Scouts merchandise?

[Pantokrator]

I was just wondering why it is so hard to find KC Scout merchandise. it is fairly easy to find replica Hartford Whaler stuff, and Quebec Nordique items, and before they returned, Winnipeg Jets stuff. But I have only ever come across perhaps two KC Scout items.

Does anyone know the reason? Is it a question of popularity, or is it some legal issue?

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[tjcurrie]

I was just wondering why it is so hard to find KC Scout merchandise. it is fairly easy to find replica Hartford Whaler stuff, and Quebec Nordique items, and before they returned, Winnipeg Jets stuff. But I have only ever come across perhaps two KC Scout items.

Does anyone know the reason? Is it a question of popularity, or is it some legal issue?

Jerseys and memorabilia weren't as produced as much when the Scouts were around for their brief existence. And being that their existence was extremely brief, they aren't all that relevant in the hockey world. The Nords, Jets, Whalers, North Stars, etc, were all around for a couple decades or so and had good followings, and are a lot more recent than the Scouts as well. The Scouts unfortunately were a blip on the radar that's long forgotten.

 

[Kirikanoir]

The fact that the franchise only lasted 2 seasons in Kansas City likely has something to do with it.

 

[Mayor Bee]

I was just wondering why it is so hard to find KC Scout merchandise. it is fairly easy to find replica Hartford Whaler stuff, and Quebec Nordique items, and before they returned, Winnipeg Jets stuff. But I have only ever come across perhaps two KC Scout items.

Does anyone know the reason? Is it a question of popularity, or is it some legal issue?

Popularity. Kansas City suffers because of the lack of nostalgia; they lasted two seasons, and the logo and color scheme is decidedly....um...interesting. I'm fine with it myself. I actually have a polo shirt that's royal blue, red, and yellow, and my wife swears that she's going to mutilate it in the laundry so I'll never wear it in public again. I think last time, she said I looked like a box of crayons with a gray tip (since my hair is graying).

Kansas City has had jerseys produced as part of the NHL Vintage series by CCM, which sold poorly. There was also a Mitchell & Ness vintage one with Wilf Paiment's #9, which also sold poorly. The short time frame the team existed meant that there was no identity, and the logos/colors weren't any more interesting than some of the other looks at the time.

 

[Johnny Engine]

It doesn't help that they don't have exactly the same train-wreck reputation as the Seals. That overshadows them a bit too.

 

[SealsFan]

Well, the Seals did have 2 playoff appearances in 9 seasons although they never had a winning record.

As others have said, the Scouts weren't around long enough to build a mythos around them, even a losing one. Despite posting one of the worst debut seasons of all time, they were still overshadowed by the Capitals, who posted THE worst season of all time. While KC was losing games 5-1, Washington was busy losing games 10-1.

The Caps were busy being the equivalent of the 1962 Mets, while KC were merely the 1962 Colt 45's...

 

[Pantokrator]

Thanks for the responses. I thought it may have been some licensing issue. I always liked the color scheme and logo! I take it it is the same as the Cleveland Barons.

 

[SealsFan]

I liked their uniforms too. I'd say the Barons are more popular even though they also lasted 2 years, since they were the transplanted Seals team.

I was a member of the Barons booster club by the way, even though I live in Long Island. There was an article about the club in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and it mentioned they had a member in Long Island and printed my name, which I thought unusual since why would anyone in Cleveland need to know the name of some L.I. teenager that was a Barons booster...

 

[Mayor Bee]

I liked their uniforms too. I'd say the Barons are more popular even though they also lasted 2 years, since they were the transplanted Seals team.

I was a member of the Barons booster club by the way, even though I live in Long Island. There was an article about the club in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and it mentioned they had a member in Long Island and printed my name, which I thought unusual since why would anyone in Cleveland need to know the name of some L.I. teenager that was a Barons booster...

The Barons also have a huge boost, which is their 1976-77 jerseys with the sleeve numbers on the Ohio patch. If they'd worn their bland 1977-78 style both years, no one would give a damn about the Barons either.

That said, the Barons are still very popular in Ohio. There have been multiple incarnations of the name going back into the 1930s; it was Cleveland who first explored and tried to get into the NHL, all the way up to threatening lawsuits. The current trademark holder is someone in the Fritsche family.

 

[Mr Atoz*]

I'm actually one of the relatively few people that saw them play live and they were like a short bad dream. Did I really see them?

 

[MurrayBannerman]

The Seals kinda came around again with the snapback hat fad. I'm sure the Scouts will make an appearance as well.

 

[SealsFan]

I'm actually one of the relatively few people that saw them play live and they were like a short bad dream. Did I really see them?

Did you see them at home at Kemper Arena or on the road? I regret never seeing them on the road in their short tenure.

Some interesting tidbits about the Scouts:

Denis Dupere had 2 seasons in hell - he played for the 74-75 Caps, worst of all time. The following season he wound up on the second-year Scouts, who actually posted a worse record than their debut season at 12-56-12.

The second-year Scouts won their 12th game on February 7, against Washington. They didn't win another game FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, going 0-21-6!!!

 

[KingJet*]

There are some at royal sports in winnipeg, lots of the old merch is there

 

[Killion]

ebays got several jerseys & crests listed, links to the aforementioned Mitchell & Ness along with a few others...

 

[87SidKid87]

The Scouts had the most beautiful and iconic logo in NHL history. I look forward to their return in and updated/modernized uni. I want the same uniform; but have that awesome logo the size of the Penguins logo. #KCSCOUTS2021

 

[JMCx4]

The Ice Jerseys site has limited sizes of a 1975 KC Scouts replica away jersey. Probably means there's no licensing issue.

 

[NDetroitFan]

I’m the proud owner of a KC Scouts CCM throwback. Love the questions that come up when I wear it. Most hockey fans don’t even realize the team existed.

 

[SealsFan]

I’m the proud owner of a KC Scouts CCM throwback. Love the questions that come up when I wear it. Most hockey fans don’t even realize the team existed.

I'm surprised someone hasn't done a "mashup" jersey yet with the Devils logo on the Scouts or Rockies jersey, or a Scouts/Rockies logo on a Devils jersey...

 

[DowntownBooster]

The Kansas City Scouts definitely had one of the more unique uniforms. I really liked the color scheme they used and when the franchise transferred to Colorado they kept the same colors even though the overall design changed. I guess when the franchise relocated once again to New Jersey to become the Devils, the color selection was limited given the name chosen. I suppose the color change from the original red, green and white when the team arrived in New Jersey to that of red, black and white made sense to better reflect the team name. I do wonder if the fans in New Jersey would have preferred a name other than Devils so they could have kept the colors used in Kansas City and Colorado.

 

[ICM1970]

I’m the proud owner of a KC Scouts CCM throwback. Love the questions that come up when I wear it. Most hockey fans don’t even realize the team existed.

I have the white one in my collection and like to wear it on winter skates on the Rideau Canal here in Ottawa, lol.

 

[SealsFan]

The Scouts logo is sort of an indistinguishable blob from a distance, if you didn't know anything about the team name. Regardless, I love the colors and striping on both jerseys. If the team had remained in KC, I could see that logo gradually being tweaked over the years the way the Senators and Sharks logos were.

 

[DowntownBooster]

The Scouts logo is sort of an indistinguishable blob from a distance, if you didn't know anything about the team name. Regardless, I love the colors and striping on both jerseys. If the team had remained in KC, I could see that logo gradually being tweaked over the years the way the Senators and Sharks logos were.

You're probably right about that SealsFan. It was an interesting looking logo and was pretty good at the time though.

 

[Killion]

You're probably right about that SealsFan. It was an interesting looking logo and was pretty good at the time though.

Yeah I love that logo, color & design scheme, KC's complete outfit, uniforms.... did not however like the semi adaptation nor the logo of the Rockies when they moved to Denver though I do like, prefer the name Rockies to Avalanche.... Not big climatic names, teams named after Mothers Natures fury or whatever though some do work & extremely well.... Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes.... Favorite All Time Olympic/Intl jerseys are many, the Winnipeg Falcons, various incarnations of Team USA, Sweden & Germany etc.

 

[zetajerk]

I always preferred the Rockies style to the Avs. Very simple and clean, and that logo screams 70s, geometric yet round, with enough colors to capture attention.

I also adore the Devils red & Green, much more than the black. It was visually popping and gave them their own look rather than yet another team that wears black for no other reason than to wear black. People don't get that the green was in reference to both the garden State and the pine barrens where the Jersey Devil is said to live. It made sense more than random black.

 

[Boxscore]

Looking for a legit, customized Scouts jersey - this place has them (and all defunct teams).