Dick’s holding line on Vick’s jerseys

There is no Vick at Dick's.

A spokesman for Dick's Sporting Goods said today the chain will not stock Michael Vick's Eagles jersey until they "evaluate the reaction of Eagles fans."

Meanwhile, the NFLShop, the league's merchandizing arm, is offering several styles of Vick's gridiron apparel - including a customizable jersey for dogs.

Vick, the former star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, was released from a federal prison in May after serving 18 months on a dog-fighting conviction. His signing with the Eagles last week has polarized the team's fans and triggered a storm of debate across the country.

"Right now we don't know how much of a demand there is for [the jersey]," Dick's chief marketing officer, Jeff Hennion, said in a prepared statement. "If there is a demand for it, we'll sell it."

Mitchell Modell, owner and CEO of Modell's Sporting Goods, said he initially had reservations about selling Vick jerseys. But it didn't take long to see there was "pretty high demand" for No. 7's replica sports apparel - especially at his Philadelphia-area stores.

"We weren't planning on selling it until the customers started coming into the stores demanding it," Modell said. "As long as the customers are coming in, we'll sell it. We're in the business to serve our customers."

The day after his arrest on dogfighting charges in July 2007, the NFLShop.com removed Vick's Falcons jerseys and other collectibles from its website. Reebok, the manufacturer of Vick-emblazoned apparel, suspended sales soon after.

Today, Vick Eagle jerseys in dark green, white or black, are offered by the NFLShop site for $79.99 and $109.99 and up.

The NFLShop is also selling an Eagles jersey for dogs that could be customized with the No. 7 and VICK on the back for $39.99.

"Just as you could with any other player, you can buy a customizable jersey for a dog with anybody's name on it," said league spokesman Greg Aiello.

Aiello said there are some names that the NFLShop would not accept, "Badnewz," the name of Vick's former kennel, among them.

"But just to have Michael Vick's name on the back is not an issue," Aiello said. "Vick is working with the Humane Society and speaking out for the proper treatment of animals, so we don't see a problem."