So we get to see the new jersey designs next week (RBK)

[Metallian*]

Why wouldn't Gary Bettman approve of it? This deal with RBK is going to net his league millions of sponsorship dollars. Bettman's job is to have the league succeed financially.... not to worry about the on-ice appearance of players.

it wont net much money at all. the majority of money will come from the liscencing from RBK, which will be marginal at best. aside from that, its highly unlikely that these new jerseys will net much afterwards as they'll be a total bomb from a marketing and sales perspective.

bettman needs to be thankful the NHL is doing as well it is right now, and not mess with a bad thing.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

it wont net much money at all. the majority of money will come from the liscencing from RBK, which will be marginal at best. aside from that, its highly unlikely that these new jerseys will net much afterwards as they'll be a total bomb from a marketing and sales perspective.

Nearly everybody said the same thing about the Nike Swift jerseys when they were first released, and they've sold very well so far. As somebody working in the licensed sports retail industry, I can't wait for the Olympics to start. I know I'll be selling a ton of the Team Canada Nike replicas.

The vast majority of fans buy replica jerseys, and I don't expect RBK to make the replicas the same form-fitting style as the game jerseys will be. Nike didn't, and they were successful. Hell, RBK didn't even put their logos on replicas this season, they let CCM keep their logos on licensed NHL replica jerseys.

 

[Metallian*]

olympics are a very different market from the NHL

 

[Steve L*]

olympics are a very different market from the NHL

Are you saying Canadians will buy a form fitting Canada jersey but not a Sens or Flames one?

 

[pelts35.com]

Whenever my wife and I would see people wearing jerseys that are 2 or 3 sizes too small, we would always say that "hockey jerseys aren't supposed to be form fitting". Maybe these folks were just ahead of their time!

Personally, I don't like them a little bit. With the socks, the Canadian uni's make the players look like either Power Rangers or professional wrestlers.

Given my game-worn jersey collection, I'm not sure if I would pay for one of those or not. Until I see them up close and personal, my initial thought is no.

 

[Stuy]

I think what most people are upset with is the new designs not so much the material or how they fit..

If they change the Blackhawks design, there will be a major up-roar by fans and management. Even Dollar Bill will refuse to have his team wear them if the design is changed.

 

[cecilnyr]

Hey guys I was down in Orlando Jan 23/24 for the licensed sports supershow. RBK was there and had 2 of the jerseys on display w/ the All-Star logos. I took a very close look at them. They are not as bad as everyone thinks. They have to get approval on this still and the tuck thing might just be the thing that prevents this from happening. Here's the really bad news. They are creating a swingman type of hockey jersey w/ player name and number applied to it already in a cheaply made fabric. Any of you who have seen the NBA swingman jerseys or the NFL EQT/Repli-Thentic jerseys know what I'm talking about. The pricing on these will be about $90 retail. They are jacking up the price of replica jerseys so that they cost $100 blank! And anywhere from $175-$200 for player name/number. And the authentic jerseys will be $200 blank and $275-$300 lettered up.

 

[missK]

The pricing on these will be about $90 retail. They are jacking up the price of replica jerseys so that they cost $100 blank! And anywhere from $175-$200 for player name/number. And the authentic jerseys will be $200 blank and $275-$300 lettered up.

Yep, welcome to the new NHL where they suck the fans dry.

 

[lemieux32*]

this is why baseball will always remain the greatest. i dont see them wearing spandex just to steal bases faster.

KEEP SOME TRADITION

Do you mean like baseball going from wool to polyester? From baggy to tight fitting? Pants just below the knee to pants to the ankles?

 

[TheMoose]

You've seen them, huh? Are the jerseys pretty similiar to the current ones, just updated, form-fitting versions? Or are they totally different in some cases, with different lines, colors, logos, etc?

Some are traditional, some are completely different. I think some of the original 6 fans will be the most upset. I'll hold judgement on them until I see them up close and personal. I've only seen pictures of all the designs (3 for each team by the way). Home, away and alternate.

 

[Metallian*]

Are you saying Canadians will buy a form fitting Canada jersey but not a Sens or Flames one?

yes, because the team canada jerseys change and a lot of people want the new ones, especially since the olympics are only once ever 4 years

most poeple will rather hold on to their "normal" leaf jerseys rather than the lycra-spandex ones

 

[Metallian*]

Do you mean like baseball going from wool to polyester? From baggy to tight fitting? Pants just below the knee to pants to the ankles?

baseball clothes are still baggy, it depends on the player. they are hardly "tight fitting" for anyone who isnt fat though.

and many players still keep their socks high

 

[BCCHL inactive]

olympics are a very different market from the NHL

No it's not. Canada jerseys sold like crazy during the World Juniors, and they will during the Olympics, despite the negative reviews. When tournaments aren't on-going, they sell about as well as NHL jerseys on average.

NHL jerseys will fly in local markets where a long playoff run is underway. You guys can only imagine how many Flames jerseys were bought during their 2004 run to the finals. If the Canucks make a similar run (or the Flames, Oilers, or any Canadian team, and select US-based teams), the same will happen, new style or not.

Again, replica jerseys won't be the form-fitting style the game jerseys will be. RBK/CCM isn't that stupid.

My issues with this new "technology", is the fact that I'm a traditionalist somewhat. Hockey jerseys aren't meant to be tight. That, and I go all out and buy authentics when I buy my jerseys. I won't be able to do that anymore.

 

[Metallian*]

whatever dude

 

[Steve L*]

yes, because the team canada jerseys change and a lot of people want the new ones, especially since the olympics are only once ever 4 years

most poeple will rather hold on to their "normal" leaf jerseys rather than the lycra-spandex ones

So are you telling me when the Leafs trade for Ovechkin/Crosby/Luongo that fans will not buy one of these jerseys because of the design?

 

[Metallian*]

So are you telling me when the Leafs trade for Ovechkin/Crosby/Luongo that fans will not buy one of these jerseys because of the design?

touché

 

[BCCHL inactive]

whatever dude

What do you mean "whatever"? I work in the sports retail industry. I've seen the markets first hand and how they work. Some won't like it, so they won't buy... some will buy because they like it, some will buy it because it's the new thing, and if [insert team here] goes on a long playoff run, especially a Canadian-based team, even fans who don't like them will buy, if anything, just to be part of the crowd.

 

[Metallian*]

Just because you work retail at footlocker doesn't make you a marketing expert.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Just because you work retail at footlocker doesn't make you a marketing expert.

 

[cecilnyr]

I work in the sports retail industry. I've seen the markets first hand and how they work. Some won't like it, so they won't buy... some will buy because they like it, some will buy it because it's the new thing, and if [insert team here] goes on a long playoff run, especially a Canadian-based team, even fans who don't like them will buy, if anything, just to be part of the crowd.

I'll back him up on this as I am in the same field. He is 100% right on this. I work in New Jersey and just now for the Super Bowl we couldn't keep Steelers items in the store. People bought anything w/ black and gold on it. The markets work exactly the way Van described it. I've been in the industry over 7 years now, the hottest thing 3 years ago were authentic football jerseys because all the rappers wore them and they became mainstream. Jay-Z stops wearing them and they become a dead ticket. Then it was throwback jerseys, now its youth jerseys NHL, NFL, NBA.

The sports retail industry changes daily and with RBK owning the licenses for 3 of the 4 major sports leagues they have a pretty big say in where the industry will be headed the next few years. When I got into the industry RBK was still recovering from bankruptcy and was a no-name in the market. It was Pro-Player, Nike, CCM etc...Now RBK is thriving again and so attractive that Adidas spent a boatload of cash acquiring/merging with them. Still not sure how that transaction is going to affect the industry.

 

[futurcorerock]

Just because you work retail at footlocker doesn't make you a marketing expert.

Just because you post on a hockey forum doesn't make you a marketing analyst's critic.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Now RBK is thriving again and so attractive that Adidas spent a boatload of cash acquiring/merging with them. Still not sure how that transaction is going to affect the industry.

From what I've heard, Adidas' purchase of Reebok will mainly affect European soccer. We aren't likely to see Adidas logos replacing RBK logos in North America.

 

[cecilnyr]

From what I've heard, Adidas' purchase of Reebok will mainly affect European soccer. We aren't likely to see Adidas logos replacing RBK logos in North America.

I too have heard the same thing, however until anything is officially announced its only a rumor. I believe it was mainly done to compete w/ nike and increase Reebok's visibility overseas and Adidas visibility over here in North America.

 

[Epsilon]

From what I've heard, Adidas' purchase of Reebok will mainly affect European soccer. We aren't likely to see Adidas logos replacing RBK logos in North America.

That's probably the case. Adidas also own Solomon and Arc'teryx and have kept both companies alive as brands without putting Adidas on those products.

 

[hockeytown9321]

RBK OFFICIAL: Hey, Gary. Talk to you for a second?

BETTMAN: Sure..

RBK OFFICIAL: How's everything going? Everything O.K.?

BETTMAN: Well, all of a sudden there's a problem with scoring...

RBK OFFICIAL: Listen, Gary, I uh...obviously I don't need to talk to you about the importance of player morale, but uh...I've been talking to some of the guys, and some of them - I don't want to mention any names - but some of them...they're not too happy with the baggy uniforms.

BETTMAN: How so?

RBK OFFICIAL: Well, they get very hot in the polyester. You know, it's not a flexible fibre. I think they would prefer spandex.

BETTMAN: Spandex, huh?

RBK OFFICIAL: Yeah. Spandex breathes, you see, it's much softer. Imagine playing games and your team is five degrees cooler than the other team. Don't you think that would be an advantage? They're cooler, they're more comfortable...they're happier - they're gonna play better.

BETTMAN: You may have something there.

RBK OFFICIAL: Oh - I've got something.

BETTMAN (considering): Hmm. Spandex uniforms.


-----------

ANNOUNCER #1: And the Leafs take the ice!

ANNOUNCER #2: What is with the Leafs? They look like they're having trouble skaing, they can't move!

ANNOUNCER #1: It's their uniforms, they're too tight, they've shrunk! They're running like penguins! Forget this game!

ANNOUNCER #2: Oh my God, Belfour just split his pants!

ME: That's a shame.

On the bright side, I hear Gary has approved the new lost and found. There's a time limit because he's not running a pawn shop, but still.