STAHLS’ Prepares for NFL Draft Jersey Personalization in Detroit
STAHLS’, a St. Clair Shores, Michigan-based company, is tasked with the rapid personalization of jerseys for each first-round NFL draft pick as they are announced. This year’s draft will be held in Detroit, just 17 miles (27 kilometers) from STAHLS’ headquarters.
From the moment each pick is made until NFL commissioner Roger Goodell greets the player, the STAHLS’ team has under two minutes to personalize the jerseys backstage in the Nike jersey room at the NFL Draft Theater. The draft commences on Thursday at Campus Martius Park downtown.
STAHLS’ has been working behind the scenes at the draft for 13 years, taking on heat-pressing duties in 2012. Since then, the company’s team has traveled to drafts in various cities.
“Historically, the jerseys only had a ‘No. 1,’ so putting a person’s name on it was like magic to the fans,” said Brent Kisha, STAHLS’ vice president of strategic sales. “‘Wow, this pick comes in, and we have literally less than two minutes to put the name on the back of the jersey. How do you do it?’
“The heat press is the secret sauce that enables us to be able to react to the actual pick itself,” he said.
STAHLS’ uses a Hotronix Fusion IQ heat press, a high-tech machine used by custom apparel businesses. They personalize two jerseys for each draft pick, one handed to the player onstage and another for their rookie playing card pack. STAHLS’ also creates nameplates for every potential in-person first-round draftee in all 32 NFL teams’ fonts and colors, as well as eight jerseys per team in case of day-of trades.
The company was founded in 1932 and is now a licensee and supplier to the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. With about 1,000 employees in North America, STAHLS’ has a rich history and a strong presence in the sports industry.
