How long?

[Newie is God's Country]

Off-field, I think the Knights should take a leaf out of Souths' book.

5-6 years ago, all the feeling of goodwill from the Bunnies' readmission to the NRL had well and truly evaporated and they were the joke of the League, a team full of no-name park footballers with an occasional player like Adam Muir or Bryan Fletcher or David Peachy. While they had many people from all over who were supporters, few of them would be seen dead at a game or wearing merchandise. They were a club that liked to constantly reminisce about the glory days of the 50's, 60's and 70's and was run that way.

In the last few years though, they have become a very slick marketing machine, and even here in Brisbane you will see that rabbit logo on the back window of many cars, or people wearing the hoodies or training shirts or caps etc.

I like the Knights' "Defend the kingdom" campaign, but I think more needs to be done to market the clubs' image. FFS, you can't join up as a member of the club online, you have to send a fax. I mean what year is this? That is just the start of the current predicament at attracting the younger demographic perverse speaks of...

Yep. We need a campaign that drives the 'Defend Your Kingdom' message home. In 1997 we had our 'Rocky' moment where a whole region got behind a team which literally held our dreams in it's hands. It was as Chief famously said at the time 'more than a game, it is a war for our people' or something corny like that. It worked and the fact we had a rough time of it back then made it the greatest league grand final victory in history. Sorry all the 1989 purists but the 97 grand finals's last ten minutes was the most thrilling football game ending ever. It had everything. Riveting stuff and to this day gives me goosebumps. It is those images and the fact we are down and out which should be exploited at this point. The fact Sydney looks down on newy as second rate and they laugh at us is a first big step. The fact that we won two grand finals when we were underdogs on both occasions. In short the fact that we have been making d###heads out of these expert people for years when the chips are down. Offer cool supporter packs and initiiatives for young kids and teenagers. I say the knights have a school in the area each week put on some sort of school promotion at the game. The boys get out and visit the schools more. I don't know as i am not a marketing person. Basically the Knights are a very lazy and closed shop to their so called 'public'.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Yep, some decent merch would be good too. The current stuff that we put out is outdated, mid-'90s crap that wouldnt look out of place in an op shop.

We need to look at the US and how they produce and design their products and put a unique RL spin on it. The Dragons and Bunnies have done really well in this regard and imo it is essential not only for us financially but also in getting the younger fans back to the Knights.

Id like us to produce items like these:

 

[Jobdog]

This thread's kinda gone a little off-track in regards to what I was trying to discuss, but it's been all for the better

RE: Merchandise - maybe they're directing it at the so-called "older generation". Why that is, I have absolutely no idea and that's perhaps why there are so few "younger generation" people who support the Knights. Maybe when the team start to be successful again, that might be when the merchandise improves? :sarcasm:

 

[macavity]

Yep, some decent merch would be good too. The current stuff that we put out is outdated, mid-'90s crap that wouldnt look out of place in an op shop.

We need to look at the US and how they produce and design their products and put a unique RL spin on it. The Dragons and Bunnies have done really well in this regard and imo it is essential not only for us financially but also in getting the younger fans back to the Knights.

Have had that discussion...

I have not long come back from the States, and went nuts over there. Actually wore my Mets t-shirt to my last meeting with the club to prove the point! The US are so far ahead of us on merch they might as well be on a different planet. And EVERYONE wears it - you can't go 5 metres without seeing pro or college gear - on men, women, teens, kids, dogs, babies, everyone.

Oh, and they aren't directing it at anyone at present - we get whatever the manufacturer gives us, which is stuff all. Hopefully that changes for 2011.

 

[otori]

The thing with merch is that it's very easy to get it wrong. Overcomplicated designs and poor quality product will kill any chances of success. The Rabbitohs simple monochrome bunny design for clothes and hats is great imagery because it's simple.

 

[Big Tim]

I have never bought a Knights hat because they all look silly.

I have over 20 NFL hats.

Actually, I have more NFL jerseys than League jerseys, and I have a bunch of $7 NCAA shirts coming from the states also.

We are definitely missing out in the merchandise regard.

 

[Alex28]

I have never bought a Knights hat because they all look silly.

I have over 20 NFL hats.

Actually, I have more NFL jerseys than League jerseys, and I have a bunch of $7 NCAA shirts coming from the states also.

We are definitely missing out in the merchandise regard.

Agreed. They need to think outside the square - for instance if they want to sell some caps they need something like New Era caps. Sports merch has moved so far forward compared to what they have right now.

 

[Knightmare]

*BUMP*

I seriously think this would be a great thread to forward onto Nathan Tinkler, it explains a lot of what needs to change at the club from a marketing perspective.

In relation to Perverse's rant, I think it's been harder for young Novocastrians to feel the pride since the steelworks closed down. It was the regions major industry and sense of identity, but what is it these days?

 

[aqua_duck]

I hope the TSG meetings with the various supporters groups continue (except old Jim's crew, they can go have a cry to their phantom's trust). I mean it's hard to meet with every fan but it wouldn't be too hard to meet with a few big groups once or twice a season for feedback, market research if you will. I'd rather that then board elections any day

 

[macavity]

Agreed. They need to think outside the square - for instance if they want to sell some caps they need something like New Era caps. Sports merch has moved so far forward compared to what they have right now.

believe it or not, you can buy a new era Knights cap in the shop.

they are those ridiculous looking flat brimmed ones though.

 

[Special K]

Agreed. They need to think outside the square - for instance if they want to sell some caps they need something like New Era caps. Sports merch has moved so far forward compared to what they have right now.

Pretty much all clubs have new era hats now.

Are the Knights ones.

 

[perverse]

they are those ridiculous looking flat brimmed ones though.

incapable of bending your own brim, are you mac?

i might get a black one, even though the logo looks a bit stupid

 

[KempoKnight]

believe it or not, you can buy a new era Knights cap in the shop.

they are those ridiculous looking flat brimmed ones though.

Im actually quite a fan of the caps. I think I may actually grab one when I head to the game this weekend.

 

[Alex28]

The logo looks alright I reckon. Agree that the brim can be curved pretty easily. Only black tho?

 

[perverse]

i do think the logo looks a little stupid, but that isn't to say it doesn't look a fair bit better than some previous efforts. the hat i bought last year to keep the rain out of my face at a match is a piece of sh*t.

 

[macavity]

incapable of bending your own brim, are you mac?

i might get a black one, even though the logo looks a bit stupid

you can try to bend them, but they never sit right.

keep in mind I have a massive head.

i prefer trucker caps - match the wife beater.

 

[sneaky_is_here]

believe it or not, you can buy a new era Knights cap in the shop.

they are those ridiculous looking flat brimmed ones though.

but thats my sweet style

 

[Knightmare]

*BUMP AGAIN*

Thought it was an appropriate time to dig this up from the archives. 5 years on and (bar Tinklers' coming and going, Uncle Wayne's coming and going and the near-dream run at the back end of 2013) nothing has changed.

This Twitter campaign needs to go ahead otherwise there will be threads like this in another 5 years- that's if we even have a club by then, or enough people still care enough bothering posting on here...

 

[Swarzey]

We're not even a year removed from a debacle that forced a reshuffle of major positions at the club. Do you f**king expect it to be sunshine and roses? What f**king fantasy land do you live in where you can snap your fingers and things will be done because I'd LOVE to come visit. Hell, it seems most people here are living in such a delusion. A twitter campaign is completely unfair at this point as things take time and patience which clearly you and most don't have. Two years ago we were sailing very, very well and it's only now that it's all fallen apart that anyone here says "well, I expected that; time to start another 'This Club Is f**ked' thread".

Not happy about being in the same position we were five years ago again either but the difference is I know that a new board isn't going to change a club around within months of their new positions.

 

[Tom155]

We're not even a year removed from a debacle that forced a reshuffle of major positions at the club. Do you f**king expect it to be sunshine and roses? What f**king fantasy land do you live in where you can snap your fingers and things will be done because I'd LOVE to come visit. Hell, it seems most people here are living in such a delusion. A twitter campaign is completely unfair at this point as things take time and patience which clearly you and most don't have. Two years ago we were sailing very, very well and it's only now that it's all fallen apart that anyone here says "well, I expected that; time to start another 'This Club Is f**ked' thread".

Not happy about being in the same position we were five years ago again either but the difference is I know that a new board isn't going to change a club around within months of their new positions.

We finished 7th our best finish in years & that's sailing very, very well? We got hot at the right time that season, but it's still not enough to cover the fact we only just made the 8.

Some of us have higher expectations than at best finishing 7th/8th & getting smashed the first or second week of the finals every few years, fact is we haven't been consistently competitive or a real threat to the title since Joey retired. If the fans on this board weren't as loyal & patient as they are they would have deserted this team a long time ago, we are still a laughing stock & have shown no real signs of recovering anytime soon.