So what numbers are the players going to wear in 100 or 200 years when almost all numbers will be retired?
Well, most teams have only retired a handful of numbers in the last 60-80 years no? So in 200 years, that'll be approximately 20 or so numbers retired on average per team if that. I think it'll be okay, since there's only 15 players per team. Boston has 20 numbers retired, even if they retired another 40, that leaves a good 40+ left to be worn without touch triple digit numbers
Do we have something against triple digit numbers in American sports, because that would seem like a logical conclusion? Simply use triple digit numbers on a jersey, make the number smaller, and VOILA. Fun triple digit numbers. 111 123 666 619, 305 - Personal Area codes for some players. 333 888 277, 894, 172, 934 - Random weird numbers
They should do away with a jersey # retirement and just hang up a jersey with the player's name on it in his/her honor.
With the speed of innovation we're seeing in the world today, I'm sure we'll have invented new numbers by the time we get there.
By that time we'll have too many advertising on players' long-sleeve jerseys that the number won't matter anymore.
Don't retire numbers, only jersey + name. Also, #'s should be based on positions. Starters- PG-#1 SG-#2 SF-#3 PF-#4 C-#5 Backups- PG-#11 SG-#12 SF-#13 PF-#14 C-#15 3rd string- PG-#21 SG-#22 SF-#23 PF-#24 C-#25 Refs would like this since no number bigger than #5. Fans could speculate which player would get the 1-5 and the 21-25. Fans could reuse jerseys with just a # not a name. Stats and box score super easy. A lot of reasons it makes sense.
Call them what you want, you still only allowed 5 on the floor and traditionally it's a 1, 2, 3, 4, and a 5. Now if a team doesn't use a 5 the starting group could be 1, 2, 3, 4, and 24. Or let's say a point forward and no PG. Then it's 2, 3, 4, 5, and 24.
