33 replies to this topic

[TrojanMan]

As much as I despise Liverpool, this isn't a case of Adidas "dropping" them because they don't win enough anymore.  The Warrior kit deal is big money, and Adidas was wise not to try to beat that amount.

Also, trophies or not, I believe Liverpool are still among the top 4 clubs in terms of most shirts sold worldwide, so whoever sponsors them is going to sell a ton of replicas.  £25m is probably too much (and yes, maybe it's a bit of a shady deal to get around FFP -- though Liverpool use worry about actually qualifying for Europe moreso than concerning themselves with making sure they're eligible).

Deal makes sense to me though.  Liverpool get more money than they're getting currently, and Warrior goes from a mostly unknown brand to being associated with one of the biggest sports names in the world.  I get it.

[erskblue]

Maksimov, on 19 January 2012 - 07:41 AM, said:

Not to mention their long traditions as makers of football equipment. Warrior Sports doesn't have the history.

The three stripes of adidas are instantly recognisable on clothing around the world.

[wxwax]

TrojanMan, on 19 January 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:

Also, trophies or not, I believe Liverpool are still among the top 4 clubs in terms of most shirts sold worldwide, so whoever sponsors them is going to sell a ton of replicas.
Deal makes sense to me though.  Liverpool get more money than they're getting currently, and Warrior goes from a mostly unknown brand to being associated with one of the biggest sports names in the world.  I get it.

Yes and yes.

[Spiller86]

I'm confused are some people actually attempting to turn Liverpool doubling their kit contract into a negative because somehow adidas are a bigger brand?

[ace]

Another American company, Under Armour, is signed on for Tottenham I believe.  Under Armour is a lot more well-known over here than Warrior is though (I used to play lacrosse though, so I knew of Warrior).

[Arq]

TheWestwayWonder, on 19 January 2012 - 05:31 PM, said:

Agreed. That kit was timeless.

They may be under the thumb of Nike now, but Umbro's kit patterns are still the best of the major companies...by a wide distance. They create shirts that, branding aside, could be 50 years old. And their new stuff for the New York Cosmos is brilliant, modern but evocative of this 70s style all at once.

But sadly the whole thing is bunk anyway. Nike, Adidas, or whoever trot out 3 kits (most of them ass ugly hideous creations) every year that have been made by some poor children in North Africa or Southeast Asia, and then have the nerve to gut fans to the tune of 75 dollars US for each one.

If I knew the kit was 100 bucks, but it was made down the road, or in a factory where people were adults and earned a fair wage, I would buy it. As it stands, I am not going to be robbed blind so those boardroom gimps can turn 5000% profit on each one.

Funny enough, the one company that has a lot of their products made in the US by people earning a fair wage is...

New Balance.

As far as I remember, the bulk of their running shoes and clothing products are still made in the US (if not all of them). I don't know if Warrior is the same though.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Spiller86, on 19 January 2012 - 10:20 PM, said:

I'm confused are some people actually attempting to turn Liverpool doubling their kit contract into a negative because somehow adidas are a bigger brand?

1. It's a good thing in that they double their money from what they were earning. But that huge advantage wont last.

Other clubs will  go back to Nike, Adidas, or Puma and will point to this deal as a benchmark for their own negotiations. The elite of Europe are going to be able to better this. Next time Gourlay sits down with Adidas, we will probably come out better.

2. Sponsorship is not just about the dollar amount getting paid. Its about the tie-ins and advertising these companies bring.

Adidas and Nike have a stable of big players. Warrior arent going to start signing football stars around the world and make themselves a name in the sponsorship/image rights game. So Liverpool will lose some level of attraction to signing top talent. Remember when Ballack signed for us and Adidas threw in huge financial incentives to make that deal happen?


This gets them a lot more money right now, but it doesnt represent some game changer for Liverpool. Its going to come at the expense of other advantages, and any huge advantage over other clubs is bound to be temporary.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Arq, on 19 January 2012 - 11:51 PM, said:

Funny enough, the one company that has a lot of their products made in the US by people earning a fair wage is...

New Balance.

As far as I remember, the bulk of their running shoes and clothing products are still made in the US (if not all of them). I don't know if Warrior is the same though.

Well, I hope that's the case and the trend continues.

[erskblue]

Arq, on 19 January 2012 - 11:51 PM, said:

Funny enough, the one company that has a lot of their products made in the US by people earning a fair wage is...

New Balance.

As far as I remember, the bulk of their running shoes and clothing products are still made in the US (if not all of them). I don't know if Warrior is the same though.

They have a New Balance UK factory, up in I think Workington. Got some good seconds running gear in a 'factory outlet shop' in Keswick a  few years ago.

[Snedger]

I’m not too clued up on the business side of things but it sounds like a decent deal for Liverpool FC.

But from their fan’s perspective it might not be so good. As a casual follower of Rugby League I have seen some of the effects of having smaller companies producing your kit and apart from some very odd designs there tends to be a pretty poor range of none playing kit clothing. So it is possible that they might have only a polo shirt and a waterproof training jacket to choose from.

I’m not one for wearing colours but a lot of fans might be upset if the training and leisure clothing range is poor.

[Zeta Orionis]

And a shell suit presumably.

[dkw]

erskblue, on 20 January 2012 - 06:19 AM, said:

They have a New Balance UK factory, up in I think Workington. Got some good seconds running gear in a 'factory outlet shop' in Keswick a  few years ago.

Yep, in Workington where I now live. Got a few mates who work there, had some excellent boots of them over the years, even some that I was used as a test player for them.

Edited by dkw, 20 January 2012 - 10:49 AM.

[Arq]

erskblue, on 20 January 2012 - 06:19 AM, said:

They have a New Balance UK factory, up in I think Workington. Got some good seconds running gear in a 'factory outlet shop' in Keswick a  few years ago.

That's good to know.

Around my area, there are quite a few of the NB "outlet" stores. The gear is certainly top notch at second tier prices. Good stuff. My mum and pops wear NB exclusively for their morning brisk walks that they do.

It's good to see a corporation not just farm out to the country with the cheapest labour. I'm a big Adidas fan, but even I know that the goods are made in the country with the lowest manufacturing and labour costs.

If Warrior is the same way, and I have no reason to believe that they are not, then this is not only a win for NB but a win for the folks that are working in those factories.

[erskblue]

I like the New Balance kit and shoes for running. It's just that I don't think their kit is instantly recognisable the way adidas is.The three stripes certainly stand out .