Two weeks ago we wrote about T-Town Menswear, a clothing store in Tuscaloosa that was promoting itself using Alabama football memorabilia. Our pictures showed the owner of the store, Tom Albetar, on the sidelines of a Bama game. Al-Betar is also pictured at right with Nick Saban. The pictures showed Bama players in the store signing autographs. Not only did we find it curious that big-time college football players were hanging out in a men’s clothing store (and signing autographs and memorabilia), but we also wondered what sorts of rules could have been broken. Sports by Brooks has pointed out what NCAA rules the players were violating.
Outkick the Coverage posted even more potentially incriminating evidence, showing pictures of receiver Julio Jones wearing 10 different suits while he was a student at Alabama (10!). Tell me how he had that many suits without receiving some of them for free.
Alabama points out that they sent Al-Betar and T-Town Menswear a cease and desist letter to the store in December, 2010. If they really had been doing their homework and following their policies, they would have addressed the situation a lot earlier.
On Alabama’s official athletics page, Rolltide.com, they have an entire page outlining their policy for “Football Memorabilia, Autographs and Charitable Requests.” Here’s what it says:
“This policy applies to all memorabilia, autographs, and charitable requests in the sport of football. Student-athlete autographs are not available by request but may be obtained at fan days or other special events. Head coach autographs are available to IRC 501(c) (3) charitable organizations that register with the University and provide the required documentation. However, head coach autographs are not available from August through the first week of February and are subject to availability the rest of the year.
Due to the exceptionally large demand, requests for autographs made by individuals of the general public will not be fulfilled. Individual autographs may be obtained at Fan Day, Crimson Caravan events, and other public signing events to be announced.
In lieu of autograph requests, individuals may purchase limited edition signature series balls and other items through the online UA Memorabilia Store.”
Bama explicitly notes that autograph requests are in high demand and that many requests will go unfulfilled. They try to run autograph sales through their memorabilia store.
Given how stringent they are regarding autographs and memorabilia, you think they would have noticed and made a move on a store that was competing with their policy for several months prior to the cease and desist letter being sent. The time stamps of some pictures show this has been going on since at least December 2009, a full year before any letter was sent.
Based on the pictures we have, I believe several players were hooked up with suits by T-Town Menswear in exchange for autographs and memorabilia. Bama can claim they did all they could to stop the store from getting the players in trouble, but I have a difficult time believing that.
