MLS Expansion

Seathanaich

Yes, they're the owner, so it's up to leagues and associations to ban names like theirs. Several have. In Spain some little club was bought by some foreign oil money, and wanted rename the club “Emirates CF” or some such. They were told they couldn’t. This isn’t hard for leagues and national associations to do.

Fynnsky

Steve Nash Fitness FC?

Christopher

In response to a bit of a tangent, I like most United supporters, love that Manchester City is sponsored by Etihad, and play at Etihad Stadium. For those who don't know, Etihad translates into English as "United".

TFA

Just a quick thought on sponsorship and marketing. it can work the other way. I resisted buying a Forest jersey for at least two seasons as i didn't want to walk around advertising Victor Chandler. It seems the lower down the leagues you get the more dubious the brand on the shirt. and i even went to great lengths to get one with out any corporate branding.

What, if any, trade marks would you not accept and not pay for on a team jersey, Or if your does loyalty to the club override this?

Brenton

I find that the brands are so foreign that they're largely meaningless.

Boxing_Day_Massacre

TFA said: Just a quick thought on sponsorship and marketing. it can work the other way. I resisted buying a Forest jersey for at least two seasons as i didn't want to walk around advertising Victor Chandler. It seems the lower down the leagues you get the more dubious the brand on the shirt. and i even went to great lengths to get one with out any corporate branding.

What, if any, trade marks would you not accept and not pay for on a team jersey, Or if your does loyalty to the club override this?

Wasn't a big fan a few seasons ago when SWFCs kit was sponsored by a casino. Some peole hated Chuppa Chups as a sponsor but I thought it was great. That said I long for a return to sponsorless kit,

Bad_Gones · Post edited by Bad_Gones at 2012-06-28 22:11:10

I wouldn't wear a Shell or an Exon sponsored kit voluntarily. Certain financial institutions in the US would also get a pass. That's about it.

puntocero · Post edited by Blue_and_White_Army at 2012-06-29 12:25:56

puntocero · Post edited by puntocero at 2012-06-29 11:46:37

Thanks Brenton, what did I not do?

Casper

TFA said: Just a quick thought on sponsorship and marketing. it can work the other way. I resisted buying a Forest jersey for at least two seasons as i didn't want to walk around advertising Victor Chandler. It seems the lower down the leagues you get the more dubious the brand on the shirt. and i even went to great lengths to get one with out any corporate branding.

What, if any, trade marks would you not accept and not pay for on a team jersey, Or if your does loyalty to the club override this?

I was actually happy that I was able to buy a Rangers jersey without the Tennent's branding on it... making it about the team rather than the sponsor is a great thing!

Fynnsky

Bimbo <

Bad_Gones

How do you feel about team revenues dropping without jersey sponsors? Lower revenues means less money for players etc. If the MLS doesn't offer up suitable salaries the players go elsewhere.

Boxing_Day_Massacre

Kit sponsors, Stadium sponsors, Pitch sponsors, underware sponsors, third kits, training kits, flourescent boots, goal line technology, big screens, embelishment.

Am I just a whinging old geezer or is there something fundamentally wrong with modern footaball ? (rhetorical question - no need to answer please)

Where does it end ? What if FIFA made a global ban on all kit sponsors ? How would football change?

Seathanaich · Post edited by Seathanaich at 2012-06-29 12:30:52

TFA said: Just a quick thought on sponsorship and marketing. it can work the other way. I resisted buying a Forest jersey for at least two seasons as i didn't want to walk around advertising Victor Chandler. It seems the lower down the leagues you get the more dubious the brand on the shirt - and I even went to great lengths to get one with out any corporate branding.

Agreed. If you look at my jersey collection, you'll notice that a lot of them don't have sponsor logos. That's intentional, and I go out of my way to get unsponsored jerseys for teams I like, particularly from one UK online jersey seller I like. On the IFK Gotheborg and Grasshopper Club Zurich jerseys I bought "rejects" for cheap: the only reason they are 'rejects' is because they are missing the sponsor logo. I filled that space with the numeral "11", because I'd rather have that than a sponsor logo.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3645239803039.153869.1035696166&type=3

Brenton said: I find that the brands are so foreign that they're largely meaningless.

Agreed. I can guess what "Neo Quemica Generico" on my SC Corinthians Paulista jersey means, but I don't mind it on there like I would if it were "Dairy Queen". It's the companies you actually know that are the worst to have on a jersey.

I actually like the "Estrella Galicia" beer ad on the back of my Celta Vigo shirt. The "SYNERGIE" on my FC Nantes jersey is also harmless. When I found out that the "ACORNS" on my Aston Villa jersey was a children's hospital, that made it seem less of a blight on the front of the jersey.

There are lots of ways for sponsors to advertise in soccer that don't involve jersey sponsorship (in screen ads, field edge ads, etc). Obviously any league that bans it suffers financially in comparison to leagues that don't, but it may not be by as much as we think. For example, if a league doesn't have jersey sponsorship (like Barcelona hasn't), does that increase the value of being the company that manufactures their jerseys? Does it increase the value of advertising on their television broadcasts? After all, lots of companies sponsor teams like the Whitecaps (or CFL TSN broadcasts, or Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts), and they're not all on the jersey.

bili · Post edited by bili at 2012-06-29 12:23:54

I liked the Barcelona "UNICEF" kits.

I bet that got them a lot of support. Intangible support that eventually they monetized.

Blue_and_White_Army · Post edited by Blue_and_White_Army at 2012-06-29 12:26:23

puntocero said:

Smirk all you want, but I'd prefer an ethical company like that rather than a financial loan syndicate...

Boxing_Day_Massacre

Conversely, I have one shirt in my collection I bought almost entirely for the sponsor. Many years ago the French Rugby League team toured Australia, the French shirt for that tour was sponsored by the Australian condom brand "Jiffy Condoms" (slogan "Don't be iffy, ware a Jiffy").
I wouldn't have normally bought a French jersey but I snapped up that one with "Jiffy Condoms" across the chest. (For some reason my wife does not see the humour in it that I do)

Fynnsky

I've always wondered if it is just a matter of time before the "North American" sports (NFL, CFL, NHL, NBA, MLB) have jersey sponsors. I have noticed little "Rona" badges pop up on shoulders, but nothing like soccer

I guess the counter-point would be that UFC(arguable North American) and NASCAR plaster ads everywhere possible...

Bad_Gones

For some reason the North America team sports are really against sponsoring the uniforms. Stadia not so much.

ibeep · Post edited by ibeep at 2012-06-29 13:01:40

The NBA is discussing that very issue during this off-season. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-28/will-nba-players-become-billboards

Ghostdog

It is inevitable that it will happen here. Hell, Grant Fuhr struck a deal with Pepsi over 20 years ago to advertise on his goalie pads but the Oilers didn't allow it.

Teams will be unable to resist the extra cash and it will become commonplace in all major NA sports, in my opinion.

Blue_and_White_Army

Fynnsky said: I guess the counter-point would be that UFC(arguable North American) and NASCAR plaster ads everywhere possible...

Nevermind other sports - check out kits in the Finnish league sometime!

Jay_Duke · Post edited by Jay_Duke at 2012-06-29 14:05:00

I don't mind the "major" kit sponsor. It's sort of acceptable. But probably my favourite kit in world football is one I wouldn't wear 'out and about' because there are just too many sponsors on it. At least the whitecaps kit only has the single sponsorship on the front (not including the Adidas stuff.)

Bad_Gones

So this crosses the line for you then?

Jay_Duke

I'm no fashion designer, but it seems a tad 'busy.'

Bad_Gones

I was fine with it until they started putting ads on the pants.

Boxing_Day_Massacre

Continuing my tirade against modern football I just found this : http://www.sportsbrau.co.uk/shop/shinpads.php
Custome made shin pads! what's wrong with a folded newspaper down your socks ?

prawnsideFC

I actually like the bell on the front, it is probably the cleanest looking logo there is. Most of the other ones though are just horrid. Bimbo anyone?

Christopher

You pose an interesting thought. What company logo would offend me so much that I wouldn’t buy the shirt of a club I supported. Off the top of my head, Pepsi, Starbucks, McDonalds, really, most any food or beverage company, companies with numbers in their name, but a lot of the time (not always), what the logo advertises is secondary to how it fits in with the rest of the shirt.

Bolton Wanderers FC and 188 Bet

Fulham FC and Pizza Hut

AC Milan and Pooh Jeans

FC Nuremburg and Mister Lady

West Bromwich Albion FC and HomeServe

Originally I planned to include Bimbo, but I find that brand is growing on me . . .

CD Chivas USA and Bimbo

prawnsideFC

rodderzzz

that burger king sponsored shirt is Getafe i think? I remember this shirt because they made it so when the players pulled the shirt over there head after scoring it had a picture of the king!

rodderzzz · Post edited by rodderzzz at 2012-06-29 19:12:26

http://tushardate.com/work/images/Soccer_King.jpg

cdusdal

Christopher said: You pose an interesting thought. What company logo would offend me so much that I wouldn’t buy the shirt of a club I supported. Off the top of my head, Pepsi, Starbucks, McDonalds, really, most any food or beverage company, companies with numbers in their name, but a lot of the time (not always), what the logo advertises is secondary to how it fits in with the rest of the shirt.

Bolton Wanderers FC and 188 Bet

Fulham FC and Pizza Hut

AC Milan and Pooh Jeans

FC Nuremburg and Mister Lady

West Bromwich Albion FC and HomeServe

Originally I planned to include Bimbo, but I find that brand is growing on me . . .

CD Chivas USA and Bimbo

I was agreeing until the Chivas kit. Don't remember it looking that good..

DannyBoy

I'm not a big fan of th UN so even though it's a children's charity, having the UNICEF on Barca's kit bummed me out.

Christopher

DannyBoy said: I'm not a big fan of th UN so even though it's a children's charity, having the UNICEF on Barca's kit bummed me out.

The Qatar Foundation isn't much an improvement, and they just moved Unicef to their arse, or was it their neck, not actually sure the difference for them . . . ;)

SAFC_Yank

ibeep said: The NBA is discussing that very issue during this off-season. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-28/will-nba-players-become-billboards

Flipping channels just now, stopped briefly on a WNBA game, both teams have corporate logos above and below the team logos on the front.

Casper

SAFC_Yank said:

ibeep said: The NBA is discussing that very issue during this off-season. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-28/will-nba-players-become-billboards

Flipping channels just now, stopped briefly on a WNBA game, both teams have corporate logos above and below the team logos on the front.

WNBA needs all the money it can bring in....

Chris

In what I can only assume is the first step in an eventual jump to MLS, the NASL today announced that the New York Cosmos will join the D2 league for the 2013 season.

http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=2779

Seathanaich

Chris said: In what I can only assume is the first step in an eventual jump to MLS, the NASL today announced that the New York Cosmos will join the D2 league for the 2013 season.

http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=2779

Excellent news. If there is going to be an MLS2 in NYC they have to make it be Cosmos. This is great for the new NASL, even if it's only temporary.

Evil_Bert

Chris said: In what I can only assume is the first step in an eventual jump to MLS, the NASL today announced that the New York Cosmos will join the D2 league for the 2013 season.

http://nasl.com/index.php?id=3&newsid=2779

Good move to help establish the new franchise and add awarness to D2. Big concern is that they don't have a field yet and a big question where in all of New York City where they land and what kind of field whether it be a high school park or a minor league baseball diamond.

Evil_Bert · Post edited by Evil_Bert at 2012-07-12 11:46:27

Silly thought but what old NASL name or city would you like to see come back next **if any **(I know a lot will want none of the above) ...

Rochester Lancers? Minnesota Kick? St Louis Stars? Tulsa Roughnecks? Atlanta Chiefs? San Antonio Thunder (and their star spangeled kits)? Edmonton Drillers? Calgary Boomers? Memphis Rogues? Detroit Express? Jacksonville Team Men?

Chris

Wow, those are all awful. Lancers, I guess, but where's the "none of the above" option?

Seathanaich

NASL: Drillers, Roughnecks, Rowdies, Strikers, and Cosmos.

MLS: Aztecs, Blizzard and Sting - Whitecaps, Sounders, Timbers, and Earthquakes.

The other old NASL names can stay in the past.

Blue_and_White_Army · Post edited by Blue_and_White_Army at 2012-07-12 11:14:55

Very pleased to see a team starting life in the lower divisions, rather than simply waltzing into MLS with buckets of cash.

In my opinion, all new clubs should have to do this. A quick look at the US soccer pyramid shows how anemic D2 and D3 are - thanks largely in part to clubs being allowed to be created out of thin air in MLS.

If we're not going to have de jure promotion and relegation in North America, at least make clubs prove their worth in the lower divisions before letting them into the top-flight. Otherwise our pyramid will always look like some sort of anorexic hourglass, ready to topple at any moment. (Imagine if we only had MLS and USL PDL!)

Seathanaich

Is it just me, or is the NASL of 2011-13 starting to look like the most solid and stable piece of sustainable and real growth in D2 soccer in the last 15 years? I know, that's not saying much . . .

San Antonio stadium. Two Florida teams returning to their proper identities. A Canadian club with the right ideals, even if the fan growth has been disappointing. Atlanta looks like they are actually growing. Carolina, Minnesota and Puerto Rico look permanenent. An Ottawa group determined to take their time (even if I disagree on their stadium choice). These are are positive responses to the loss of four (now) MLS teams in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, and Montreal.

JP82

I agree moving forward if you want to be in the MLS you gotta spend a couple of years in NASL and once that team gets promoted than you bring in another team (Edmonton, Cosmos, Scorpions) it limits the financial risk for MLS....

piltdownman

Organic growth doesn't really work in North America when your dealing with major infrastructure improvements, which is often paid for with public funds.

Look here we only got an MLS franchise because of BC Place. I'm not sure the Comso's even have a 5k seat community field for their use yet to play in NASL, so the leap to a 20-30k seat stadium they control is a massive leap.

Taking a brand like the Cosmo's and playing them in a Div2 league is quite the risk. I would guess the owners know what they are doing and will stock that team so they are top of the league and continue that 'winning tradition'.

Seathanaich

Valid points all - especially in NYC. You can't profitably run a 5K stadium there - it's really all or nothing.

However, incremental stadiums and therefore clubs can work in places like San Antonio, or Minneapolis (or Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa) - places that aren't certain MLS candidates. Start with a one-tier main stand that holds about 6k, with good bathroom facilities. Install corner towers rather than seating (see: Ibrox, Glasgow) and put concession on the main floor of those, clubhouse and other facilities on the upper floors of them. Edge the other side and both end zones with covered temporary seating, food and merch vendors, etc. If you make the jump to MLS, add a second level to the original stand, and complete the other 3 sides of the field (with 2 more corner towers).

Blue_and_White_Army

seathanaich said: Valid points all - especially in NYC. You can't profitably run a 5K stadium there - it's really all or nothing.

Really? Look at London - Leyton Orient, AFC Wimbledon, Barnet.

Kevin

I'm really excited the Cosmos are back. I heard they might be playing within 15 minutes of my house too.

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