[Archived] Club Shop ?

[Hughesy]

Why hasnt somebody else offered rovers merchandise for sale then?!

[Cheshireblue]

Man Utd recently announced record takings of around £300million. I`d hazard a guess & say a very large chunk of that was down to merchandise alone.

Rovers need to learn "if the people want it, they should offer it".....or somebody else will.

ManUre merchandising ltd is a seperate company to the Club and is wholly owned by Nike. With Nike's marketing billions behind you, it's not that difficult to turnover £300m!

Hughesy - Nobody else has offerd the merchandise because its an exclusive deal with SWIL. Just because they aren't doing it does not mean that somebody else can.

[RevidgeBlue]

Well o2g... what happened when the question was popped last night ? Have the board come up with anything yet ?

Nothing whatsoever to report, I'm afraid imo it's not looking very encouraging at all.

I was extremely optimistic a few months ago from what was being said that the situation would be satisfactorily resolved eventually (i.e. SWI out) but that particular outcome doesn't even seem to be on the agenda anymore.

Financial implications aside, if we lose SWI (and 1m p.a.) we also lose Umbro (who we are extremely happy with) as the kit deal is all tied in, so to be fair to the club it is far from a straightforward issue.

[Cheshireblue]

I'm guessing that Umbro would still be happy to supply the kit directly, although probably not at the cost of £1m per annum for the pleasure!

Only the top 4 clubs get paid for the priviledge of having their kit supplied. Everybody else's deal has to wash its own face now, unless you are SWIL with more money than sense. Birmingham and Sunderland were also getting big bucks off SWIL for the shirt deals, but I believe the new deals they have with Umbro are more realistic.

[American]

Man Utd recently announced record takings of around £300million. I`d hazard a guess & say a very large chunk of that was down to merchandise alone.

Rovers need to learn "if the people want it, they should offer it".....or somebody else will.

My boss went to a preseason match with his son right after the new kit was released. Racks were full, but when he went in the next morning they were mostly all sold.

[Driftpeasant]

I actually looked into having a custom made Rovers sportcoat made last night. For only 150 pounds I can have it in proper Rovers colors, tailor made to my measurements, and with the reversal of colors on the back too.

...I'm thinking it might be a bit garish though.

Still, the fact that I can't buy even a polo shirt through the club shop saddens me greatly...

[philipl]

Its not just us moaning about SWIL.

On the BBC web site tracking tonights's FA Cup replays:

: Ashley really does look amused by his little coup. I wish I could say I was that amused when I last visited his West End flagship store Lillywhites. Used to be a cracking little place where you could get croquet sets and £900 tennis raquets, now you can't move for cheap, affordable sportswear. Disgraceful.

[American]

Got me a nice suitcase for 5 pounds!

[doctorryan]

From where? The shop? Anything Rovers related on it?

[American]

No from Lillywhites. Nothing on it, just needed a slightly bigger bag than the one I had.

The place is a big mess - even worse than our club shop (but they carry more as much Rovers stuff!).

[USABlue]

The only place to go sadly is ebay, sometime you can find some stuff thats not been out of the package.

Thanks I'll try that. I just went to the online club shop, I think Stanley might do a better job. What a pish poor representation of our club. Might as well go back to the old days with the one on Nuttall Street.

I've seen piccies on here of peoples newborn babies with Rovers gear on, I'd just like to get something for my new first born Grandaughter

[bubblerrovers]

After reading JW interview in the lancashire tel im confused, The wage bill to turnover is 85% we need extra income. Why don't we have a proper club shop?? God knows how much money we miss out on through merchandise

[Cocker]

After reading JW interview in the lancashire tel im confused, The wage bill to turnover is 85% we need extra income. Why don't we have a proper club shop?? God knows how much money we miss out on through merchandise

I think you need to read through the rest of the thread mate.

[stuwilky]

After reading JW interview in the lancashire tel im confused, The wage bill to turnover is 85% we need extra income. Why don't we have a proper club shop?? God knows how much money we miss out on through merchandise

Nothing.

As SWI pay us more than we ever made on direct merchandise.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Just been on Bristol Rovers' site - they have ten (yes 10) items in their club shop just for your car ranging from mini kits to tax disc holders.

Some good polo shirts and other clothing - simply buy and then colour in the 'Bristol' bit with a blue marker pen and hey presto! you have your own 'Rovers' merchandise.

[JAL]

If everybody is moaning about the lack of Rovers merchandise and the state of the club shop, then WHY isnt somebody doing their own range of Rovers goods surely the opportunity is there for someone to take the risk or is it not.

You can just see John Williams and Tom Finn waiting praying for someone ideally a supporter to create their own range of Rovers goods instead of them taking on the liability.

So who on here can do it or knows of somebody who might take on the challenge?

[RevidgeBlue]

If everybody is moaning about the lack of Rovers merchandise and the state of the club shop, then WHY isnt somebody doing their own range of Rovers goods surely the opportunity is there for someone to take the risk or is it not.

You can just see John Williams and Tom Finn waiting praying for someone ideally a supporter to create their own range of Rovers goods instead of them taking on the liability.

You're not allowed to. SWI own the rights to do so.

[doctorryan]

If everybody is moaning about the lack of Rovers merchandise and the state of the club shop, then WHY isnt somebody doing their own range of Rovers goods surely the opportunity is there for someone to take the risk or is it not.

You can just see John Williams and Tom Finn waiting praying for someone ideally a supporter to create their own range of Rovers goods instead of them taking on the liability.

So who on here can do it or knows of somebody who might take on the challenge?

Unless it had the Rovers badge or other club TRADEMARKS on it nobody would be interested in the stuff. Using the club's badge and trademarks on anything without express written consent will get you a quick lawsuit from the club and the Ashley empire. The alternative shop idea is a non-starter. Get over it.

[JAL]

You're not allowed to. SWI own the rights to do so.

Well if thats the case then what an absolute no brain idea it was from our directors for what the measly sum of £350 k per year .

I could have got hold of some embroidered Rovers polo shirts, but if this is the case then what a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in come the year 2008.

[Cheshireblue]

Well if thats the case then what an absolute no brain idea it was from our directors for what the measly sum of £350 k per year .

I could have got hold of some embroidered Rovers polo shirts, but if this is the case then what a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in come the year 2008.

Just how much profit do you think the Club shop would make in a year?

[RevidgeBlue]

Well if thats the case then what an absolute no brain idea it was from our directors for what the measly sum of £350 k per year .

The deal with SWI was initially worth "a seven figure sum" (i.e. at least 1m p.a.) over a period of something like ten or eleven seasons for Rovers.

Far more than was ever taken from the shop, even in it's best year.

Things have gone severely pear shaped since, but you can see why the deal was signed in the first place.

[JAL]

Just how much profit do you think the Club shop would make in a year?

It a two way thing for me the first one for me is promoting the image of the club and more importantly THE FANS, then second would be the profit.

I wouldnt expect a profitable return until i'd positively reached the target of promoting the fans first via the club.

The current focus seems to be on the clubs manager and players first most, but for me, i take the opposite view that the fans come first and its they that portray the image of the club obviously if you can bring the two together and then you've got a very strong positive mix.

[FourLaneBlue]

Does anyone know if the money received by Rovers for the shop each year is a lump sum or if it is also based on sales, profits etc as to how much Rovers see of it?

[roverthemoon]

The deal with SWI was initially worth "a seven figure sum" (i.e. at least 1m p.a.) over a period of something like ten or eleven seasons for Rovers.

Far more than was ever taken from the shop, even in it's best year.

Things have gone severely pear shaped since, but you can see why the deal was signed in the first place.

Surely its not just about money. When you pay the club for a car mini kit or a sticker or anything associated with the rovers you are actually paying the club to advertise their product. When I see a car with a mini kit or a sticker anywhere nationwide I look to see who they support, at the moment the rovers do not exist. The old saying "you have to speculate to accumulate" could not be truer as in this case. The club are trying to extend the fanbase further afield what better way than having your own customers pay for the privilege to do so.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Surely its not just about money. When you pay the club for a car mini kit or a sticker or anything associated with the rovers you are actually paying the club to advertise their product. When I see a car with a mini kit or a sticker anywhere nationwide I look to see who they support, at the moment the rovers do not exist. The old saying "you have to speculate to accumulate" could not be truer as in this case. The club are trying to extend the fanbase further afield what better way than having your own customers pay for the privilege to do so.

I'm afraid that kind of thinking - which seems to have occurred to the other 91 league clubs who aren't rushing to divest from the idea of branded merchandise just because they can sell their retail space to Poundstretcher - eludes our 'there entirely on merit' Marketing Manager, Mr Williams Jnr.

To me the short-term profit argument for SWI is a smokescreen, especially when it is a drop in the ocean of our inflation-busting wage bill. Granted merchandise is a money-spinner for the biggest clubs, but for the rest it is exactly as you say - paid for advertising and promotion, the benefits of which are longer term.

If we get slated now for being small and crap, just wait till we get back into Europe and have a bumper tie with a big club; when they do the exchange of club pennants in the centre circle, we'll be handing over a ten-bob pair of track bottoms, without our logo of course.