Here’s Why You’ll Never Find the Losing Team’s Super Bowl Merch in Stores

Ever Wonder Where the Losing Team’s Super Bowl Merch Goes? Spoiler: It’s Not the Clearance Rack!

Ever since I was a child, and I’m not being dramatic or sarcastic when I say that, I have always wondered what the heck the NFL does with the merchandise they had created for the losing team!

This curiosity came to me when I realized that the winning team ALWAYS had hats and shirts with their team logo and name showcasing them as the winner of the Super Bowl… even though no one knows the winner until the end of the game! Then I was told that they create merch for BOTH teams and get rid of the losing team’s merch. And now I know exactly WHERE that losing team merch goes!

Turns out, their pre-made “Champions” gear doesn’t just disappear into thin air—it goes on an international adventure

For over a decade, the NFL has partnered with the nonprofit Good360 to make sure the losing team’s unsellable swag finds a second life. Instead of sitting in a warehouse collecting dust (or worse, ending up in a landfill), the gear is shipped off to communities in need. This year, the almost-champions’ merch is heading to Ukraine, Mongolia, Georgia, Estonia, and Latvia.

And it’s not just for the Super Bowl—Good360 does the same for the AFC and NFC Championship games, meaning some Bills and Commanders gear is also on the move.

But don’t expect to see any of it pop up on eBay. The NFL is super strict about keeping the “what could have been” merch out of the public eye, ensuring it never gets resold. 

So, while the losing team’s fans might be mourning the defeat, at least their almost-victory is making a difference somewhere in the world.