19 Apr 2015 23:43:33
Ed, why do we always wait so long before we release our jersies.I remember years ago we finished a season wearing the following seasons jersey, so why do we leave it so late now
{Ed025's Note - i wish i knew ray..
20 Apr 2015 09:37:19
Seems stupid to me it just delays sales!
20 Apr 2015 11:40:24
One word. KITBAG!?!
20 Apr 2015 15:48:41
Nothing to do with Kitbag I'm afraid.
There are a couple of factors. Firstly, designs have to be finalised and agreed by all concerned.
Then, kit makers have to make kits for more than one club not just us plus their own products.
They won't release a kit whilst the season is currently ongoing unless there is something special happening like a move to another maker.
More people will buy kits in the summer due to them being t-shirts and something to wear on their holidays.
People will hold off on buying them now due to players coming and going and the club likes to make a couple of signings as they make more money on the name and numbers than what they do on shirt sales.
If there is a world/Euro or any other cup competition on the go in the summer that will also get priority.
11 years in the sportwear industry helps you find out all manner of useless information.
{Ed025's Note - good info john..cheers..
20 Apr 2015 20:52:36
The OP is referring I think to the reason why a club like Liverpool will release their kit in May yet we will have to wait until mid July as in seasons past. I've been working with kit makers for many years too and understand the factors that you've stated Blue' but this is about consistency or the lack of it. When we were with Nike we were later releasing our shirt than other clubs using that kit maker. The difference is that we are allowing Kitbag to control our shirt distribution and this is where I firmly lay the blame.
I was recently speaking to a player who was asked to sign thousands of unsold shirts to send overseas to give away for free. He couldn't understand the sheer enormity of the waist. You can't help but think that many of what was wasted could have been sold if we had release the new kit 2 months earlier like other clubs.
20 Apr 2015 21:36:48
That's exactly what I meant.our home kit will be released in July.2nd jersey in August and third jersey a month later.seems ridiculous.whereas other clubs release theirs mid may and capitalise on sales throughout the summer.i know we don't get money through sales, due to the deal we have with kitbag.when does the deal with kitbag end though
20 Apr 2015 22:25:01
I think it's 2019, but I could be wrong. And that's taking it that we won't renew. Which can't be discounted as an option. Although it's unlikely we will as we are much stronger financially then we were when we started the deal with kitbag
21 Apr 2015 18:44:23
Unfortunately, the later you are with signing an agreement with a company the further down the pecking you are as well.
Nike are horrendous with Kits. The company I worked for received kits for the world cup in 2006 3 days before it started whereas Adidas and the others were up to month before.
As for Umbro we have a really good relationship and we were the two big teams in the 90's along with England. Now it's just us we get a bit more priority.
And it seems they read our Banter page as they have announced it will be released in May!