2011 Jersey & Sponsorship Discussion

[BunniesMan]

The only player I remember taking 23 in SL97 was Matthew Ridge... maybe Travis Norton did as well... or was it 45? I remember Solomon Haumono wearing number 50 or 55.

I kinda like the idea of peronalised jerseys/numbers for players. I know I'd love a Storm jersey with my surname and number 80 (year of birth) on it. I'm trying to get as many perosnalised jerseys as I can to add to my Arsenal one.

I'm sorry. But how can you be an Arsenal fan. How can someone like the greatest club in soccer AND the worst club in rugby league. Makes no sense. The Storm are the personification of evil. Arsenal are the good guys. You should go for one of the Manchesters or Chelsea.

Btw, speaking of Arsenal, it's when my "Walcott 14" Arsenal jersey arrived in the mail that I got the idea that NRL should have personalised jerseys too. Can't hurt to adopt ideas from one of the most successful sporting leagues on the planet.

 

[BunniesMan]

Have to disagree with that. Man U have had three different designs between the last three seasons...

I said "very little", it's no more than cosmetic changes, not like some of the things you see here in the NRL. A 3 inch black line isn't a major change, like Arsenal slightly changing our sleeves. Those changes are like Souths adding the black trim, not in the same league as Panthers or Warriors doing what they do to their jerseys routinely.

 

[LESStar58]

Broncos Heritage

Very nice.

 

[beave]

I disagree, I think they needed to make it look more like the 1992 jersey than what they did. A closer copy to this would have looked a heap better.................

 

[Shorty]

IMO numbers and names on the back of jerseys is for kids who want to 'be like their hero'. Let's face it, most kids are interested in the Hayne's, JT', Inglis's more than the actual team itself. They identify with certain players and look up to them (some people say 'role model' I don't buy that sh*t, they are 'heroes' to the kids, I want my kids to be inspired to go on to bigger and greater things than be able to tackle hard and pass well, but that's for a different argument) and out of admiration, think that wearing the parra number 1 will make them be one day be like Hayne.

But adults wear their jersey out of support for the club more so than the individual players who are out on the field, I don't see many adults walking around with numbers on their club jerseys or names/numbers on their origin jerseys (well not up here at least) because, well they have been around a lot longer than the individual players and have a love for the club that out lives any career length capable of todays players. As an adult, it's kinda weird wearing a jersey with someone else's name on it, who could be up to 20 years or more younger than you are.............

by all means if it makes people buy more jerseys, then go ahead and do the name and number thing, I really don't give a f**k. As long as they do an adult version that is void of any of that, I will buy that instead.

I don't know about that....what about an Alan Tongue jersey or Nathan Hindmarsh....guys that bleed those club colours...you know who proudly represented the club.

Numbered and named jerseys are just something we're not used to, so it's not as attractive to some people.

I think the biggest reason I'm interested in something like this is it adds value to the team..it means something.
I don't see the jumpers (especially the Broncos) currently as they are making the NRL look very valuable, hell you can buy CHEAPER jerseys without the sponsors!
If the NRL doesn't value it's product why would anyone else?

 

[Alex28]

One thing that the AFL does well is their numbering. Players get handed their number by the club and makes a big deal of the heritage of the number. They have the option of retiring a number for a club legend. I really like that. It would be the mix of respect to the history of the game and marketing that we really want.

 

[LineBall]

^This.

And if personalised numbers and names on jerseys only appeals to kids - then all the better IMO.

The Kids that wear their hero's jersey today - more than likely will be Rugby League fans for the rest of their life - and guess what their kids are likely to support as well.

 

[LineBall]

http://gazzzaf.com/?p=836

Link to one of Gazzzaf's 2010 designs for the Wests Tigers. The simple designs, with single sponsor on the front and players name on the back looks great.

 

[Spitty]

I like the personalised numbers, I can't see why it wouldn't work here.

But I don't think it'll stop clubs changing their jerseys. I don't think they'll replace one revenue stream with another, they'll just take both revenue streams.

 

[Saint Doc]

My 2 cents worth on the numbers thing:
* I like things the way they are. I like being able to watch a team I don't know so well and say "gee their lock is playing well"...however I understand the commercial benefits
* I like the poster's idea of retaining positional numbering for rep teams
* I also like the idea of 1-25 squad numbering. We could have a system where you name your 1-13 fir the start of the year. Then 14-19 could be your reserve forwards and 20-25 reserve backs. Then the player keeps their number for the whole year, and obviously once established as a regular starting NRL player, they probably keep the number for their career. Advantage is that you know that Kurt gidley is number 1 for the knights. And no matter if he is named at FB, HB or 5/8th, gidley is number 1.
* I also like the idea of ensuring that numberless jerseys are produced too...I'm a fan of my club not a player.
* my biggest fear is random meaningless mess of numbers...24, 60, 92, 38, 69, 71 yuck. 1-25 systems avoids this!
* I guess at the end of the day the decision will be what will generate more money, a sponsors name on the back of a jersey? I dare say for most clubs the sponsor name would. So I can't see things changing!

 

[BunniesMan]

* I also like the idea of ensuring that numberless jerseys are produced too...I'm a fan of my club not a player.

Clubs are all for making money, the more products they have to sell the more money they make. I'm sure if personalised jerseys came in they'd also sell numberless ones.

* my biggest fear is random meaningless mess of numbers...24, 60, 92, 38, 69, 71 yuck. 1-25 systems avoids this!

I don't think that's giving enough credit to the players. This is the number that is going to represent them for life, they're going to choose something that's meaningful to them. Looking at soccer and basketball in England and America respectively, the vast majority of numbers are towards the lower end. Arsenal for example, in their squad of 29, 24 players have a number below 30. That's the case for most sports with this system.

* I guess at the end of the day the decision will be what will generate more money, a sponsors name on the back of a jersey? I dare say for most clubs the sponsor name would. So I can't see things changing!

This has nothing to do with sponsorship. A name on the back doesn't take away from sponsorphip. Footy players are big boys with nice broad backs, I think there's a couple of inches of room for a name without getting rid of a sponsor.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

It's not like Rugby League has a long history of 1-13 numbered jerseys. I think up until the 50's it was free for all (perhaps RL1908 could expand on that). I could of sworn I have seen match day cards where it looks as though each team had a stack of jerseys numbered 1 to wherever, and the players have picked which ever number they wish to be associated with.

Personally, I think either argument has its pro's and con's, and does it really matter either way?

 

[LeagueNut]

What does the ESL do? Every time I've seen an ESL game over the last few seasons there's always players wearing numbers above 20. Players seem to keep the same number every week too (I think). Do they do the 1-25 idea as already covered above in this thread?

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

my 2 cents

the storm, rabbitohs and arsenal all suck a fat one.

 

[Pierced Soul]

the personalised numbers thing didnt work back in 97 why would it work now? plus the players all just chose their normal numbers with the exception of those like ridge or the unlucky ones who came late to a club like haumono

in terms of marketing it actually doesnt make sense - you manufacture 5000 jerseies of player X who goes down with a season ending injury in round one or get s busted for some off field incident and there's 5000 jersies wasted.

you want to buy a raiders jersey but all they have is mona's name and number on it....

 

[Patorick]

What does the ESL do? Every time I've seen an ESL game over the last few seasons there's always players wearing numbers above 20. Players seem to keep the same number every week too (I think). Do they do the 1-25 idea as already covered above in this thread?

Super League, surnames and numbers on back.

 

[bobmar28]

I disagree, I think they needed to make it look more like the 1992 jersey than what they did. A closer copy to this would have looked a heap better.................

Much better.

 

[bobmar28]

One thing that the AFL does well is their numbering. Players get handed their number by the club and makes a big deal of the heritage of the number. They have the option of retiring a number for a club legend. I really like that. It would be the mix of respect to the history of the game and marketing that we really want.

AFL do nothing well.

 

[Joker's Wild]

the personalised numbers thing didnt work back in 97 why would it work now? plus the players all just chose their normal numbers with the exception of those like ridge or the unlucky ones who came late to a club like haumono

in terms of marketing it actually doesnt make sense - you manufacture 5000 jerseies of player X who goes down with a season ending injury in round one or get s busted for some off field incident and there's 5000 jersies wasted.

you want to buy a raiders jersey but all they have is mona's name and number on it....

This highlights the issue with personalised supporter jerseys

Stocking 25 different jerseys for one club would be an absolute nightmare for retailers. Even if they just picked the top 5 players from each club it would mean 3 or 4 times the space needed for displays and the risk of not being able to sell jerseys cause noone wants one with "player x" on it.

 

[LineBall]

This highlights the issue with personalised supporter jerseys

Stocking 25 different jerseys for one club would be an absolute nightmare for retailers. Even if they just picked the top 5 players from each club it would mean 3 or 4 times the space needed for displays and the risk of not being able to sell jerseys cause noone wants one with "player x" on it.

Retailers would probably stock only a few numbered/named jerseys with the most being numberless.

I would say that most supporters who wanted a numbered/named jersey would order it online through their clubs websites - as is done with the EPL. Probably would help the clubs make a few extra bucks too.