What's more important: Supporters or Sponsors?

[Willow]

Looking at the current Dragons jersey, it seems that the Red V has shrunk considerably to make way for the Sponsor's logo.

2004:

2005:

IMO, you need every edge you can get in this game and a proud jersey is part of that.

The sponsors need to be accomodated but has the club gone too far?

The supporters are those who purchase the services offered by those sponsors. And the supporters follow the club, team and jersey.

So which is more important?

 

[God-King Dean]

Agreed Willow

They should have their jersey, then try to figure out where to put the sponser to suit the jersey. It's too big & too high

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Both can be accommodated.

With Integral and the others before it the jersey was fine. Last years St George Bank stick on logo was sh*te. This season they fixed that up but stuffed the vee. Dont know why. Surely they could see how crap it looked and how much of a departure it was?

On the whole question of sponsorship I think it's interesting how AFL clubs have none, or very little on the front. Also at the moment two of the biggest football clubs in the world, Barcelona and Real Madrid both have sponsor-less jerseys. And in the major yank sports, Basketball, Gridiron and Baseball sponsors aren't to be found on jerseys.

 

[Mr Angry]

Both as important as each other, but surley you can accommodate the sponsor in ways that do not annoy the fans.

 

[God-King Dean]

Both can be accommodated.

With Integral and the others before it the jersey was fine. Last years St George Bank stick on logo was sh*te. This season they fixed that up but stuffed the vee. Dont know why. Surely they could see how crap it looked and how much of a departure it was?

On the whole question of sponsorship I think it's interesting how AFL clubs have none, or very little on the front. Also at the moment two of the biggest football clubs in the world, Barcelona and Real Madrid both have sponsor-less jerseys. And in the major yank sports, Basketball, Gridiron and Baseball sponsors aren't to be found on jerseys.

Bloody oath, I've been saying this for years. Sleeve sponsers are fine, but at on the stomach half the time in messes up the whole look of it eg. Herbal World

Still, sponsers will pay BIG money to get advertisment that way, & unfortunatly clubs are willing to sacrifice the jersey for the $

 

[Willow]

On the whole question of sponsorship I think it's interesting how AFL clubs have none, or very little on the front. Also at the moment two of the biggest football clubs in the world, Barcelona and Real Madrid both have sponsor-less jerseys. And in the major yank sports, Basketball, Gridiron and Baseball sponsors aren't to be found on jerseys.

Correct me if I'm wrong but dont these clubs regularly get a crowd of something like 50,000?
Its a question of population and profile.

Of course the sponsor can be accomodated but they can do it without continually chopping away at the Red V.
I first noticed the current jersey late last year... for the most part, it has slipped under the radar.

My concern is that the club leans on the dollar factor too much and they do this because they feel the supporters are already 'committed customers'... and will basically be sold on anything which is dished up.

I choose my words carefully when I say we may have a club official who feels the needs of the sponsors are more important than the wishes of the supporters.

I am happy to be proven wrong on this and would gladly retract should we see a return a more substantial Red V in 2006.

But as it stands, its not a healthy situation.

 

[Mr Angry]

Having thought a bit mre about, Souths have no problems surviving without fans.

 

[Willow]

lol. You do have a dark side Angry.

 

[flamin]

Both sponsers and supporters are important finacially but supporters are more important. It would be really hard to sponsor something that nobody supported whereas you can have supporters without actually having anything sponsored.

 

[Saint 60]

better than having Seamen all over our jersey i spose

 

[Southernsaint]

Sponsors are far more important than fans. In fact, all the supporters do is scare the pokies players at the Leagues Club after the game...

 

[Mighty Dragon]

Welcome to 3 months ago Willow...

 

[Willow]

? Sorry, you'll need to elaborate.

 

[drake]

Supporters.
If no-one watches the games, no-one sees the pretty sticker.
Agree with Daithi, a compomise can be made, but the Red V shouldn't be the compromise.
St George bank, move your sponship badge 10cm south and we'll love ya for it.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

I was disappointed to see NSW and QLD turn their jerseys into advertisements.

 

[Benny]

I was also livid at the Jersey's and had been planning to buy a new Jersey last year but refused to until the Sticker was removed and then i again refused because the red V had been replaced with the red U. Though the supporters Jersey you buy has a proper Red V and looks great and i purchased one for me and bought me old lady one for Mothers Day as well. Can't be happier with it, but they are the old cotton material and i have been informed the ones players wear are some lycra body fitting jersey's, hence why smaller Red V as they tuck jersey's in, where as fans wear out.

On the who is more important Sponsors or Fans at University i did a whole research project on this matter. Basically you can't have one without the other. The clubs can't survive without the sponsors and without a fan base they won't attract the sponsors or sponsorship they need. So in Rugby League you can't have one without the other.

At the time in 2002 i think it took around $10 million to run a NRL Rugby League team on average, i have no doubt it is higher these days as clubs seem to have up to double the employees they had back then.

The basic run down was as follows:

50% - Grants from Leagues Clubs and NRL
25% - Sponsorship
25% - Other revenue sources such as Memberships, Gate Receipts, Merchandise etc.

Though majority of money they make from Match Day comes from corporate packages rather than the average supporter. The club would be better served financially to sell out all corporate areas and have no other fans at the ground than sell no corporate areas and have the ground full.

Hope that sheds a little light on the subject. I see both sides of the story being a fan and having worked and studied at University in the Sport and Recreation Industry.

 

[Jono078]

my assumption wont be just on money. But Supporters can win you a game, a sponsor cant.

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

I tell you what I can't stand about this jersey is having to cop and eye full of Timmins tits everygame. It's deadset disgracefull, there are cheergirls flatter then him.

 

[God-King Dean]

LOL

It looks particular bad on the forwards, especially Bailey due to the size of the chest

Funny though, the jersey looks better when we're winning

 

[drake]

Just be thankful the Pig isn't wearing it.

Although he looks vile in the parra jersey.