ISC pulling out?

[Mr Plow]

6 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Absolutely. I've always thought it was essential but as I've posted on these pages before we've grown lax and in some cases withdrawn from the city altogether. I'd imagine its just short term cheaper to not have one - forgetting the long term costs of a lack of visibility in the city.

After a slightly more than "just a couple" in the pub during my second year of uni, me and a mate came up with an idea to have all the Leeds based sports teams (plus or minus LUFC) in 1 shop in the city centre. Rhinos and Yorkshire cricket would be the primary retailers (in the absence of LUFC) and the city's Netball and Ice Hockey teams would be amogst the teams stocked. There's also scope for Hunslet and even Yorkshire/Leeds Carnegie/Tykes too. Obviously it wouldn't be full club shops but the essentials, Kits, Balls, hoodies, tops etc. I think even on reflection its a pretty good idea for a shop in the big new shopping centre, Trinity.

That’s not a bad idea tbh. Like you say though it would most likely exclude LUFC so the Rhinos would be the biggest club selling merch and it would increase exposure if not just them but Hunslet, Tykes, Chiefs ect

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Mr Plow said:

That’s not a bad idea tbh. Like you say though it would most likely exclude LUFC so the Rhinos would be the biggest club selling merch and it would increase exposure if not just them but Hunslet, Tykes, Chiefs ect

Exactly, I reckon its the only way for these clubs to see a spot in Trinity or nearby as affordable or viable.

[Mr Plow]

4 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Exactly, I reckon its the only way for these clubs to see a spot in Trinity or nearby as affordable or viable.

I don’t see why the Rhinos don’t have a pop up shop for maybe a couple of months at the beginning of every season. Sell shirts, merch and tickets from it. Feel like they’re missing a trick

[Tommygilf]

13 minutes ago, Mr Plow said:

I don’t see why the Rhinos don’t have a pop up shop for maybe a couple of months at the beginning of every season. Sell shirts, merch and tickets from it. Feel like they’re missing a trick

I like that idea too.

And sadly, it wouldn't be the first time in the past decade that has been the case and I doubt it will be the last.

[RP London]

10 hours ago, Mr Plow said:

I don’t see why the Rhinos don’t have a pop up shop for maybe a couple of months at the beginning of every season. Sell shirts, merch and tickets from it. Feel like they’re missing a trick

I get emails at least every month offering pop up stores in places like John Lewis and Debenhams... its really easy/possible to get these sorts of things. just a case of making the numbers work. 

[EastLondonMike]

14 hours ago, Mr Plow said:

I don’t see why the Rhinos don’t have a pop up shop for maybe a couple of months at the beginning of every season. Sell shirts, merch and tickets from it. Feel like they’re missing a trick

Pop ups are a great way to go for some clubs, and even SL/RFL at major events. I'd have a pop-up shop in the likes of Manchester and Leeds every Christmas. At key parts of the year when fans are likely to want and need to spend some money on merchandise a pop-up would be ideal.

One in London around Challenge cup weekend, GF weekend in Manchester, Magic and of course pre-season. 

Or even like RP London mentions, a shop-in-shop at a large department store, again at key parts of the season.

[Mister Ting]

On 09/09/2020 at 12:59, Cheshire Setter said:

Going even more basic - Ellgren or Stag? 

The Leeds players could get some wheelie bin numbers and ask their mums to stick them neatly in place on the back of the shirt.

Or sticking to Aussie brands, Peerless, Westmont and Sport M.

[topcentre21]

oxen/elite pro sport seems like cheap Chinese gear to me.

 

[EastLondonMike]

Edit.

[DoubleD]

On 16/09/2020 at 22:04, Tommygilf said:

Exactly, I reckon its the only way for these clubs to see a spot in Trinity or nearby as affordable or viable.

No reason why the Rhinos couldn’t join forces with United and do it. They already have a close working relationship and are looking at joint training facilities. Let’s be honest, they’re the only 2 clubs that would sell any merchandise of any volume to justify it. YCCC could join forces but wouldn’t sell that many. 

The United airport shop has always been empty when I went past and I used to fly most months from there, they must lose plenty on it and that was pre covid when people were actually flying!

[M j M]

When did the airport shop stop being a joint Leeds United / Leeds Rugby League / Yorkshire CC thing anyway? 

[topcentre21]

from the tv interviews last night leeds isc off field wear the coach was wearing looked far better than the hkr off field wear.

I wont be wasting my money on any offield wear in the near future

[Tommygilf]

10 hours ago, DoubleD said:

No reason why the Rhinos couldn’t join forces with United and do it. They already have a close working relationship and are looking at joint training facilities. Let’s be honest, they’re the only 2 clubs that would sell any merchandise of any volume to justify it. YCCC could join forces but wouldn’t sell that many. 

The United airport shop has always been empty when I went past and I used to fly most months from there, they must lose plenty on it and that was pre covid when people were actually flying!

I suppose LUFC would have to give up one of their current shops or give up part of one. Given the current state of the two city centre shops I think thats unlikely in a way the the Rhinos or anyone else would find as ideal

The LUFC shop in the airport is a weird one in that like most airport shops it doesn't really exist to make loads of money in the same way a traditional shop would. Its mostly visibility.

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, topcentre21 said:

from the tv interviews last night leeds isc off field wear the coach was wearing looked far better than the hkr off field wear.

I wont be wasting my money on any offield wear in the near future

The difference in quality is noticeable and thats with ISC having been a bit hit and miss for the past couple of years.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

28 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I suppose LUFC would have to give up one of their current shops or give up part of one. Given the current state of the two city centre shops I think thats unlikely in a way the the Rhinos or anyone else would find as ideal

The LUFC shop in the airport is a weird one in that like most airport shops it doesn't really exist to make loads of money in the same way a traditional shop would. Its mostly visibility.

Sports shops in transportation hubs are always a bit of a curiosity. As you say, they definitely just seem to be there for visibility and I think as a bit of a tourist trap in case said tourist needs to buy a gift for someone or get themselves a souvenir. I remember going to the main railway station in Barcelona and seeing a Barcelona FC superstore in there. Evidence that these places are more for tourists is that there is also a BFC store right next to la Sagrada Familia. This is why the LUFC shop at the airport is a strange one because, not trying to be mean, but how many overseas tourists are flying into Leeds? And of the ones that are, how many are specifically visiting Leeds and so might want a souvenir from the city? A lot might be flying into Leeds but then travelling to other places in which case you would buy something from the place you were specifically visiting, not a scarf or something from the Leeds shop on the way home. Odd one that. 

[hunsletgreenandgold]

Oxen's first attempt to prove themselves......

Needless to say it's been absolutely panned on social media - not least of all because the strap line is 'Rhinos helping rhinos' translates as they're giving a fiver of the £50 cost to the charity. Not a good look, however I guess that reflects more on the club than Oxen. 

[Tommygilf]

Just now, hunsletgreenandgold said:

Oxen's first attempt to prove themselves......

 

Great idea and a fantastic cause. I fully support all that.

But you can't escape that even on their own promo photos it looks cheap (but is being sold for £49.99) attached best photo I could find on twitter to illustrate how thin the material is

 

[Tommygilf]

Another complaint across social media is that this is now the 4th shirt Leeds have released this year, and the 2nd they've claimed is "limited edition". The 3 previous shirts are now on sale for 20 quid a pop.

[EastLondonMike]

Some people will moan about anything. To be fair to Oxen/Elite, it doesn't look any worse than any other jersey out there. The Rhinos and tree's at the bottom looks tacky to me, but that aside it doesn't look that bad. and Leeds would probably set the RRP, not Oxen/Elite.

The charity aspect is always a tough one also, you are kind of damned if you do and damed if you don't. If you don't donate all proceeds people complain saying you are not doing enough, or are abusing the charity aspect to make make money. My view is that every little bit helps, and everything has to start somewhere.

 

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, EastLondonMike said:

Some people will moan about anything. To be fair to Oxen/Elite, it doesn't look any worse than any other jersey out there. The Rhinos and tree's at the bottom looks tacky to me, but that aside it doesn't look that bad. and Leeds would probably set the RRP, not Oxen/Elite.

The charity aspect is always a tough one also, you are kind of damned if you do and damed if you don't. If you don't donate all proceeds people complain saying you are not doing enough, or are abusing the charity aspect to make make money. My view is that every little bit helps, and everything has to start somewhere.

I think thats fair enough, but equally if the club wants to charge a certain price that has to come with a certain quality too - especially if the brand itself has little to no (even negative) kudos with fans.

[tuutaisrambo]

[tuutaisrambo]

Do Oxen do cotton versions of jerseys like ISC used to do a few years back?

 

[tuutaisrambo]

2 minutes ago, tuutaisrambo said:

Do Oxen do cotton versions of jerseys like ISC used to do a few years back?

 

They do for Gloucester.......

[EastLondonMike]

26 minutes ago, tuutaisrambo said:

Thats just a poor product shot. Thats more of a negative reflection on Oxen/Elite more than it is on the product itself.

Product shots should be of a much better quality, as this is what the consumer (rightly) uses to makes their decision on whether to purchase or not, online anyway.

I'm not saying its an amazing jersey, its not, just not as bad as some seem to be saying. its probably not a £50 purchase either, but is probably marked up at that cost as all other jerseys are, and offering for any less opens up another can of worms.

[Tommygilf]

48 minutes ago, tuutaisrambo said:

In all fairness, I've seen worse charity shirts