Merchandising

[UconnU]

Ive made this thread before but when is our merchandising going to improve? Google 'kansas basketball jersey' they have multiple colors, multiple numbers, throwbacks. You can't even find a Uconn jersey online. Not one. Everyone at our games are wearing jerseys they bought 5+ years ago. This has to improve at some point.

 

[tcf15]

http://brand.uconn.edu/standards/wordmarks-and-logos/husky-dog-logo

Go to that link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and e-mail Kyle Muncy, the Branding and Licensing Director at UConn. He's active on Twitter and usually interacts with the fans when they reach out to them, so I'm sure if you e-mail he'll get back to you and let you know what's up.

 

[UconnU]

http://brand.uconn.edu/standards/wordmarks-and-logos/husky-dog-logo

Go to that link, scroll to the bottom of the page, and e-mail Kyle Muncy, the Branding and Licensing Director at UConn. He's active on Twitter and usually interacts with the fans when they reach out to them, so I'm sure if you e-mail he'll get back to you and let you know what's up.

Thanks

 

[Fishy]

Ive made this thread before but...

And you received the same answer.

Write it down this time.

 

[mauconnfan]

And you received the same answer.

Write it down this time.

You are suck a pr*ck

 

[8893]

I continue to be amazed at the dearth of quality merchandise. The lack of an Ollie throwback jersey astounds me. They've also been out of the Olliewood shirts for months; as well as the standard grey, heavyweight Champion "University of Connecticut" hoodie I've been trying to replace.

That said, I like this new item a lot:

http://www.uconncoop.com/product_p/42540.482.htm

 

[Penfield]

I too am disappointed in the selection, but lets get a couple things out of the way first:

Ever since Nike got the NFL contract it seems like the quality of their products has gone down and the price has gone up, at least in my opinion. They make sure the shelves are stocked for NFL season before they think of anything else.

There were 3 different colored #13 jerseys produced last year, and all of them sold out. That is why you can't find any online. They even had a smaller batch printed after the Championship and those sold out in matter of days. However, none of these were authentic jerseys, they were all the replica/screen printed versions (more on this below).

If you ask Kyle why there isn't a bigger variety of jerseys available this will be the answer: "people don't buy them." I know this because I have asked him. Nike raised the cost of the authentic jerseys a couple years ago from $75 to $125. Nike also have a minimum order purchase of 600 units to have a batch made. Based on sales from previous seasons (at a lower price point) they decided it was not a good investment to have the authentics made. I would not have guessed this was an issue, but I don't think they would pass on something that would make money.

Basketball merchandise should be coming out pretty soon. My guess would be right around midnight madness. There should be much more merch available, considering we are regarded as a bball school. Kyle has made it known that he is working on a throwback Ollie jersey. and has also said the Olliewood shirts are coming back soon. They are not going to come out w/ a bunch of bball merch during the spring or summer, and have to sit on the stock until the season starts. Let's at least wait until bball season before we start complaining this stuff isn't available.

If there is something you really want that isn't available email him or find him on twitter. He is very receptive to good ideas.

All this being said I think they really dropped the ball w/ the Championship merchandise last year. Nothing produced was that great, and anything good went out of stock quickly. They said there would be 4 time champ merch made, but apparently the order was never placed.

 

[8893]

Thanks, Penfield. Good info, and good to hear about the Ollie jersey and Olliewood shirts. I hear you about the timing of the basketball stuff; I just thought that now would be the time, seeing as the football stuff started coming out over the summer. There is a palpable, unmet demand for more/better basketball stuff on the heels of our Championship and the underwhelming Championship gear.

 

[Penfield]

Thanks, Penfield. Good info, and good to hear about the Ollie jersey and Olliewood shirts. I hear you about the timing of the basketball stuff; I just thought that now would be the time, seeing as the football stuff started coming out over the summer. There is a palpable, unmet demand for more/better basketball stuff on the heels of our Championship and the underwhelming Championship gear.

I agree, but really I think a lot of this stuff is on Nike and not the UConn merchandising team. The stuff the merchandise team controls usually gets done (Jonathan 1959, Musky Husky, etc.) This is why I think the Ollie jersey will get done. It just might take a little while.

To be honest I am not expecting to be blown away by the bball merch this year cause it really seems like Nike isn't putting in the effort anymore. I guess we will see.

I have a Co-op gift card that has been burning a hole in my pocket for a couple months now w/ nothing good to buy. I've actually been thinking of that pull over you posted since it's the only nice thing out right now, but I already have a bunch of stuff like that. I'm hoping just as much as anyone that there is good stuff coming out right around the corner.

 

[aceboon]

maybe I'm wrong but from what I remember the Ollie throwback they were pushing was basically a replica "tee", styled after the jersey KO wore during his era but as a tshirt. I really hope thats not the case and it's an actual jersey, I would definitely cop that and I would imagine it would be a big seller.

 

[8893]

I agree, but really I think a lot of this stuff is on Nike and not the UConn merchandising team. The stuff the merchandise team controls usually gets done (Jonathan 1959, Musky Husky, etc.) This is why I think the Ollie jersey will get done. It just might take a little while.

To be honest I am not expecting to be blown away by the bball merch this year cause it really seems like Nike isn't putting in the effort anymore. I guess we will see.

I have a Co-op gift card that has been burning a hole in my pocket for a couple months now w/ nothing good to buy. I've actually been thinking of that pull over you posted since it's the only nice thing out right now, but I already have a bunch of stuff like that. I'm hoping just as much as anyone that there is good stuff coming out right around the corner.

Yes, I made a lot of noise and sent a few e-mails asking a lot of questions trying to get a throwback Ollie jersey made soon after he became HC and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about Nike and how little control we have over jerseys in particular. The Championship stuff is still a head-scratcher to me. My favorite item by far is the Adidas 4-Championship t-shirt, and I had to make a dozen phone calls and drive half-way across the state to track down the one XL that was still available by the time I found out about it. Even then, I had to beg a store manager who was going off his shift to stash it in the back for me so it wouldn't get snatched in the meantime. Crazy that such a seemingly basic item would require such effort to obtain, and I was pretty on top of it, to put it mildly.

BTW, if you are also an XL, that pull over I posted above is sold out of XL everywhere except the Co-op, so if that's what you need you might want to decide sooner rather than later. I have learned the hard way that items are usually not restocked once they are gone.

 

[nomar]

Yes, I made a lot of noise and sent a few e-mails asking a lot of questions trying to get a throwback Ollie jersey made soon after he became HC and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about Nike and how little control we have over jerseys in particular. The Championship stuff is still a head-scratcher to me. My favorite item by far is the Adidas 4-Championship t-shirt, and I had to make a dozen phone calls and drive half-way across the state to track down the one XL that was still available by the time I found out about it. Even then, I had to beg a store manager who was going off his shift to stash it in the back for me so it wouldn't get snatched in the meantime. Crazy that such a seemingly basic item would require such effort to obtain, and I was pretty on top of it, to put it mildly.

BTW, if you are also an XL, that pull over I posted above is sold out of XL everywhere except the Co-op, so if that's what you need you might want to decide sooner rather than later. I have learned the hard way that items are usually not restocked once they are gone.

XL??? Who needs an XL? Real Yarders wear XXXL, minimum.

 

[ctchamps]

Kansas is Addidas affiliated. The way the Blakeney recruitment has gone it is understandable why UConn might be reluctant to make much movement over its apparel deal.

This article in business weekly discusses some ramifications regarding these deals. I expect that sooner or later the universities will insist on a bigger share of the apparel pie the same way they have been doing with the media.

Ariticle link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-02/college-athletes-come-at-bargain-prices-for-apparel-giants

 

[Penfield]

maybe I'm wrong but from what I remember the Ollie throwback they were pushing was basically a replica "tee", styled after the jersey KO wore during his era but as a tshirt. I really hope thats not the case and it's an actual jersey, I would definitely cop that and I would imagine it would be a big seller.

There was an Ollie t-shirt jersey that was made by The Original Retro Brand, but I'm pretty sure that was not what he was talking about. In any event it looks like its not available on the website anymore - http://originalretrobrand.com/college/a-l/connecticut-huskies.html

 

[SubbaBub]

I suppose this requires a this is what the big boys do response.

They keep the non-personalized number jerseys on hand so when the next guy comes along, who wears that number, they can put them back on sale.

Or if the guy, errr number, is popular enough it will sell for a good long while.

You think A&M has stopped selling #2 jerseys? Florida #15?

Granted this is easier for FB, but how hard is it to put out 1-2 numbers a year, so.long as you don't change the uniform every single year.

 

[zls44]

They aren't gonna order something if just two or three people want it...as was said earlier, jersey orders are a minimum six HUNDRED...this is also why you will almost certainly get screen-printed numbers.

 

[Penfield]

They aren't gonna order something if just two or three people want it...as was said earlier, jersey orders are a minimum six HUNDRED...this is also why you will almost certainly get screen-printed numbers.

I think this is the reason an Ollie throwback might work. I think there is a general interest, but also they don't have to worry about moving all the merchandise in 1 season to make room for next year. With the current jerseys we have to order a new batch when the star player leaves, or Nike changes the design. Both would no longer be an issue.

Some universities have stopped selling jerseys w/ numbers related to current players due to the "using players likeness" debate going on. I wouldn't be surprised if we just starting using #12 even for the current jerseys. Not only would the school avoid the whole likeness issue, but it also might extend the shelf life of the merchandise.

 

[SubbaBub]

They aren't gonna order something if just two or three people want it...as was said earlier, jersey orders are a minimum six HUNDRED...this is also why you will almost certainly get screen-printed numbers.

If you limit it to the coop and online, 600 might be tough. If you sell them to Bob's at cost, they will sell.

 

[Kembacity]

I didn't buy an old jonathan logo shirt when they hit the market, but recall hearing they'd be making them for each of the old logos one by one. did the second one ever come out, or did they feel that since the first one sold out super quick both times, the demand just simply wasn't there to make the next logo?

I WANT MY DAMN MUSKET JONATHAN SHIRT!!!

 

[8893]

They aren't gonna order something if just two or three people want it...

Um, where did anyone suggest this?

 

[Penfield]

I didn't buy an old jonathan logo shirt when they hit the market, but recall hearing they'd be making them for each of the old logos one by one. did the second one ever come out, or did they feel that since the first one sold out super quick both times, the demand just simply wasn't there to make the next logo?

I WANT MY DAMN MUSKET JONATHAN SHIRT!!!

Wish granted

http://www.uconncoop.com/product_p/42097.509.htm

 

[dsturdy5]

I agree that most UConn's merchandising sucks. That said, I see tons of kids in UConn gear up here, two-plus hours north of the state border. What is available is selling.

As an aside, I was in the Coop back in late July and there were plenty of gray Olliewood shirts.

 

[8893]

I agree that most UConn's merchandising sucks. That said, I see tons of kids in UConn gear up here, two-plus hours north of the state border. What is available is selling.

As an aside, I was in the Coop back in late July and there were plenty of gray Olliewood shirts.

Agree on both. I'm seeing more UConn gear than ever. And the gray Olliewood shirts were also available from the Co-op website at least through mid-summer, but we were holding out for the blue.

 

[tcf15]

Re: Olliewood shirts

Kyle Muncy ‏@UConnTrademark
Back in stock and available now: http://www.uconncoop.com/product_p/42097.448.htm… @CoachKO_UConn @UConnMBB

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@8893 Where did you find the addidas 4 time champions shirt? I saw it online once but it was sold out. Out of all the title gear, that was the only thing I wanted to buy.