Sixers fans are trying to sell their Ben Simmons gear. Nobody wants it.
Former Ben Simmons fans put up their jerseys for sale to almost no buyers, but some say it's not about the money.
Sixers fan Jeff Olson has been waiting for someone to buy his Ben Simmons jersey for 15 weeks, posting his sale listing on Facebook Marketplace shortly after the team’s playoff collapse against the Atlanta Hawks.
Likely surprising few fans, Olson, 32, reports the secondary market for such an item seems all but dead amid a healthy pool of sellers with plenty of disgruntled former Simmons fans.
“If you want to come exchange one Tic Tac for this jersey, I will literally take anything,” joked Olson, who has knocked $5 off the jersey every couple of weeks. “Besides throwing it away, if someone offered me something cool, or a dollar, the jersey is yours.”
Since the Sixers’ second-round playoff exit, the star point guard has demanded a trade, missed training camp, missed preseason games, returned to the team, and gotten kicked out of practice and suspended from Wednesday’s home opener against the New Orleans Pelicans for not being engaged in drills.
Like Olson, Allentown resident Jared Carrelli, 26, also put his Simmons jersey up for sale on Facebook Marketplace shortly after the playoffs.
“I was like let me get ahead of this, let me get rid of this jersey when it still has some value,” explained Carrelli. “Obviously that’s gone. I don’t know anybody who would want a Philadelphia Ben Simmons jersey at this point.”
The Simmons saga has made Olson and Carrelli think they have almost no chance to get anything close to their $20 asking prices — they originally spent $49 and $50, respectively.
Olson said he’s now keeping the listing up as a “screw you” to Simmons, who used to be one of his favorite players.
“I’m just over the situation and done with him,” said Olson, adding he wants there to be no question of where he stands in the feud between Simmons and management.
Still, Cherry Hill’s Karen Swisa, 63, hopes a little marketing can help her sell a Ben Simmons plush doll.
Swisa does not follow sports, but she resells toys and other items she thinks might be popular as part of a side business on eBay and Facebook Marketplace. She said she bought the Simmons doll in August because Philly sports items tend to sell, not realizing the only attention her listing would get would be negative.
“I’ll give you [$]5 just to burn it,” wrote one user.
Someone else wrote, “I would buy this, but I doubt he would show up.”
Others said they wouldn’t take the doll if it were free.
“I didn’t even know who he was or all the drama around him,” said Swisa. “Now I’m capitalizing on the hate.”
At another user’s suggestion, Swisa slashed the asking price and called the toy a “voodoo doll.”
No bidders yet, but Swisa remains hopeful she can make the sale.
Robert Popso, 50, is flexible with his market listing. The Hamilton, N.J., resident has a retro 76ers bomber jacket up for sale on Craigslist.
“Blame Ben Simmons for selling it,” wrote Popso in his post.
Popso described himself as the type of fan who will continue watching the team through losses, drama, and whatever secondhand embarrassment the players put him through.
But if Popso has to suffer through the Simmons news, he said he’ll do it privately.
“If they trade Ben Simmons prior to [a sale] I’ll keep the jacket and wear it,” said Popso. “As long as Ben Simmons is on the team, it’s up for sale.”