Club Merchandise

[IainB]

43 minutes ago, JIROUT said:

Like with everything a lot depends on minimum orders and price......We have had many generic Speedway Hoodies...Polo Shirts etc...However Speedway is very much a team event and similar to Football or Cricket...just generic clothing just does not sell

Yet, there they are, for sale

[scotty2hotty]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

Yet, there they are, for sale

Doesn't mean they sell though.  The problem with track shops and indeed all retail, is that people have different tastes. Some prefer all singing all dancing items, other prefer simple looking garments that they can wear out of speedway. We try and cater for both, but never in a million years will we keep everyone happy. At the end of the day, we try and do our very best for all of our clubs, all of which are unique in their own way. We must also remember, that as much as we love what we do and do our very best for each club, we still have to make a profit to continue trading. It is no good us buying loads of expensive items that 2 or 3 people want and then be left with loads that we cannot sell, that is a false economy.  Taking chances on expensive items is a dangerous game to play when you are trying to survive.

Speedway is not like football. Football order items in the 100s and 1000s. We order in the 5's. We have to.  Many clubs have found out to their cost, that merchandise is not the huge money spinner they think it is and have been left with thousands of pounds worth of stock, that I'm quite sure their fans would prefer them to spend on the riders or track. Its a helluva risk.

We have been in this industry for many years and know it well. We can all argue with others and tell them what we think they should be doing and how we should be doing it, but when you are spending someone else's money its easy, not so easy when its your own.

Edited August 2, 2021 by scotty2hotty

[HGould]

The traditional Club Merchandise model I've always been led to believe is that the Club orders its stuff, pays up front, hope to reach a point in August where they've broken even and after that it's profit but the danger is you can get left with a lot of Stock and spend a lot of money up front and we've all seen and waited for Clubs fire-sales at last few matches.

The more modern model used by a few Clubs is to contract it out mostly online, you order decent quality leisure-ware with a Club badge or logo and it pops through the Post. I would imagine Club gets a small cut on each item and makes a few quid in the region of 10% but don't have an outlay so it's safer and more cost effective.

That's happening now in other Sports and ways of life as more stuff goes online. Do I want to buy a coat or shirt that's probably been fingered by a dozen people on a rack?, not keen pre Covid and certainly NOT keen now .

Buyer chooses which model they like but always going to be some happy and some not.

 

[old bob at herne bay]

Jaybea sell merch for a number of clubs. see https://jaybeadesigns.co.uk/

Kent do have a club shop - it only recently re opened after the lifting of Covid restrictions. Its Jaybea stuff and all looks of reasonable quality.

Seems speedway supporters are much more frugal with spending on merch. Many appear to delight in wearing scarves hats from a bygone era . Also the potential market is pretty small. Other than badge collectors doubt any fan would consider buying another clubs merch, thus limiting the market to a maximum of maybe several hundred.

Edited August 2, 2021 by old bob at herne bay
typo

[Bear_Bottom]

Redcar: Shop on website showing nothing available

 

Some items are available - some larger sizes are unavailable (the pies also sell well at Redcar ) - click the drop down options:

http://www.redcar-speedway.com/shop/

 

PS badges and programme boards are available at the track shop.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Bear_Bottom

[IainB]

36 minutes ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Jaybea sell merch for a number of clubs. see https://jaybeadesigns.co.uk/

Kent do have a club shop - it only recently re opened after the lifting of Covid restrictions. Its Jaybea stuff and all looks of reasonable quality.

Seems speedway supporters are much more frugal with spending on merch. Many appear to delight in wearing scarves hats from a bygone era . Also the potential market is pretty small. Other than badge collectors doubt any fan would consider buying another clubs merch, thus limiting the market to a maximum of maybe several hundred.

I'm not sure why speedway would be one of the few sports where those that attend wouldn't buy merchandise. Maybe its because outside of a speedway arena you probably wouldn't be seen dead wearing it. Looking on the redbubble link I posted earlier it's the kind of stuff you'd wear out and about town, well I would anyway. Yet there they are, selling their stuff, no minimum orders, probably with just a load of blank t- shirts that they print up as and when needed. 

[IainB]

2 minutes ago, Bear_Bottom said:

Redcar: Shop on website showing nothing available

 

Some items are available - some larger sizes are unavailable (the pies also sell well at Redcar ) - click the drop down options:

http://www.redcar-speedway.com/shop/

 

Looks like good race night wear. Made by the Polish dispeed merchandise company.

[Bear_Bottom]

19 minutes ago, iainb said:

I'm not sure why speedway would be one of the few sports where those that attend wouldn't buy merchandise. Maybe its because outside of a speedway arena you probably wouldn't be seen dead wearing it. Looking on the redbubble link I posted earlier it's the kind of stuff you'd wear out and about town, well I would anyway. Yet there they are, selling their stuff, no minimum orders, probably with just a load of blank t- shirts that they print up as and when needed. 

For those a little shy about wearing their speedway merchandise... Speedway t-shirt

[IainB]

1 minute ago, Bear_Bottom said:

For those a little shy about wearing their speedway merchandise... Speedway t-shirt

Do they do a "it's all over after the start" tee? 

[JIROUT]

2 hours ago, iainb said:

I'm not sure why speedway would be one of the few sports where those that attend wouldn't buy merchandise. Maybe its because outside of a speedway arena you probably wouldn't be seen dead wearing it. Looking on the redbubble link I posted earlier it's the kind of stuff you'd wear out and about town, well I would anyway. Yet there they are, selling their stuff, no minimum orders, probably with just a load of blank t- shirts that they print up as and when needed. 

The trouble is we are not printers......Most of those pictures are stock catalogue pics with the design super imposed.....Most people prefer screen printing rather than heat seal.....Many will sell you heat seal t-shirts in 1's and 2's.....However screen printed t-shirts are normally a minimum order of 50......5 years ago we ordered  3 different Speedway t-shirt and a HoODIE ...50 OF EACH.......3 years later we sold out....The t-shirts you are looking at are £16.02 each......If we purchased 25 how much would you suggest we sell them for ???

[screm]

19 hours ago, JIROUT said:

Links are available on all our tracks websites to take you straight to our merchandise website....Ipswich,King's Lynn,Leicester,Kent,Sheffield,Peterborough and Birmingham

Well done to those tracks, but there are many who are behind the times.

[screm]

18 hours ago, Pinny said:

With up to date, fashionable merchandise.

Get with the times, as someone said make tracksuits, gym wear, snapback hats etc. Your not going to see youngsters walking round in Wulfsport jackets anymore.

Just a fleece, hoody, cap wouldn't be a bad start.

[LagutaRacingFan]

Back in my late teens, I used to wear my Panthers polo to all the clubs.

Proved very popular with the ladies.

[IainB]

2 hours ago, JIROUT said:

The trouble is we are not printers......Most of those pictures are stock catalogue pics with the design super imposed.....Most people prefer screen printing rather than heat seal.....Many will sell you heat seal t-shirts in 1's and 2's.....However screen printed t-shirts are normally a minimum order of 50......5 years ago we ordered  3 different Speedway t-shirt and a HoODIE ...50 OF EACH.......3 years later we sold out....The t-shirts you are looking at are £16.02 each......If we purchased 25 how much would you suggest we sell them for ???

I disagree, I would say most people prefer heat transfer t-shirts judging by merchandise stalls at music concerts and the people I see wearing them. It's not a life time purchase, a t-shirt is only going to last a year or so with regular wear and washing. 

If that seller above is producing and selling them at £16.02, I suggest you would sell them for around £16-£20.

But, while i wish you success in your business and with all respect to yourself, I'm more interested in how clubs can produce their own merchandise cheaply and keep the money within the sport and the club. Order a load of cheap t-shirts, buy a heat press machine for a couple of hundred pounds, knock some decent designs up, get a few examples printed off and off you go, it's not rocket science. 

[JIROUT]

4 minutes ago, iainb said:

I disagree, I would say most people prefer heat transfer t-shirts judging by merchandise stalls at music concerts and the people I see wearing them. It's not a life time purchase, a t-shirt is only going to last a year or so with regular wear and washing. 

If that seller above is producing and selling them at £16.02, I suggest you would sell them for around £16-£20.

But, while i wish you success in your business and with all respect to yourself, I'm more interested in how clubs can produce their own merchandise cheaply and keep the money within the sport and the club. Order a load of cheap t-shirts, buy a heat press machine for a couple of hundred pounds, knock some decent designs up, get a few examples printed off and off you go, it's not rocket science. 

Iain....With all due respect we are trying to get away from the cheap and tacky merchandise of years gone by......If i purchased 25 t-shirts at £16.02 that would cost me £400.50.......at say £18 to sell ....i would then have to sell  22 to break even......If a club did that and had 15 left over at the end of the season you can see it would not take long before debts are built up,something in this climate Speedway tracks really do not need......I think you are running away with the fact clothing is a massive money maker.....I can assure you it is not......However if you wish to buy some machinery to do t-shirts and designs i will certainly order 10 or so of you :-)

[IainB]

39 minutes ago, JIROUT said:

Iain....With all due respect we are trying to get away from the cheap and tacky merchandise of years gone by......If i purchased 25 t-shirts at £16.02 that would cost me £400.50.......at say £18 to sell ....i would then have to sell  22 to break even......If a club did that and had 15 left over at the end of the season you can see it would not take long before debts are built up,something in this climate Speedway tracks really do not need......I think you are running away with the fact clothing is a massive money maker.....I can assure you it is not......However if you wish to buy some machinery to do t-shirts and designs i will certainly order 10 or so of you :-)

But the seller, selling those t- shirts is not doing them at a loss, you wouldn't be buying them from him, you'd be producing your own. Merchandise is not just clothing, it's also a promotional tool, when for example a team achieves success they do a run of shirts that celebrate that success. You could even get a local company to contribute to the production costs for having their logo prominently displayed. And you wouldn't be printing in bulk, you'd be printing to order onto the blank stock of t-shirts you did hold. 

I made special effort at Leicester on Saturday night to look at people and the merchandise they were wearing or had to see if I could see anything that had any recognition at the championship and shield success of 2019... I saw 1 item, a fleece with "champions" written on the back... and when he turned round it has a Sheffield Tigers logo on the front! So I honestly don't don't know who you sold all that gear to?

Edited August 2, 2021 by iainb

[JIROUT]

16 minutes ago, iainb said:

But the seller, seeking those t- shirts is not doing them at a loss. Also merchandise is not just clothing, it's also a promotional tool, when for example a team achieves success they do a run of shirts that celebrate that success. You could even get a local company to contribute to the production costs for having their logo prominently displayed. 

I made special effort at Leicester on Saturday night to look at people and the merchandise they were wearing or had to see if I could see anything that had any recognition at the championship and shield success of 2019... I saw 1 item, a fleece with "champions" written on the back... and when he turned round it has a Sheffield Tigers logo on the front! So I honestly don't don't know who you sold all that gear to?

Did you count how many people had the up to date Lions 2021 Shirts on,,,,,,Or maybe Baseball Caps...Time moves on my friend.....We had the Champions merchandise for Xmas 2019....It is now August 2021....Time waits for no man.......I have just been on the Manchester City 2021/22 Merchandise Page.......As yet i have found nothing commemorating being Premier Champions 2020/21...says it all really

[IainB]

3 minutes ago, JIROUT said:

Did you count how many people had the up to date Lions 2021 Shirts on,,,,,,Or maybe Baseball Caps...Time moves on my friend.....We had the Champions merchandise for Xmas 2019....It is now August 2021....Time waits for no man.......I have just been on the Manchester City 2021/22 Merchandise Page.......As yet i have found nothing commemorating being Premier Champions 2020/21...says it all really

I didn't count no, as there were many shirts being worn, the Leicester fans do like their merchandise it must be said. The were a few different types of the "fancy" shirts that were being worn so really I was just looking for a prominent mention of double winners or championship winners or something like that... couldn't see anything that mentioned it. Same story with the caps... everything in fact. 

Have a look at the Leicester City shop for FA Cup winners for a different take. 

[JIROUT]

1 minute ago, iainb said:

I didn't count no, as there were many shirts being worn, the Leicester fans do like their merchandise it must be said. The were a few different types of the "fancy" shirts that were being worn so really I was just looking for a prominent mention of double winners or championship winners or something like that... couldn't see anything that mentioned it. Same story with the caps... everything in fact. 

Have a look at the Leicester City shop for FA Cup winners for a different take. 

Arghhhh but who won the 2019/20 F.A Cup !!!!!!!!!!......By the way we did the Sheffield Champions Fleece as well.....Good quality stuff i think you will agree....Listen just let me know what you would like with Champions on and i will re order....Fleece...Polo....Cap...Beanie....Badge....Hoodie...Jacket...Mug...Anything we can do to help

[IainB]

6 minutes ago, JIROUT said:

By the way we did the Sheffield Champions Fleece as well.....Good quality stuff i think you will agree...

Must be! It's been years since they won it! 

Edited August 2, 2021 by iainb