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I am a massive HATER of the way the club has turned into a merchandising machine.

They have a set outfit for travelling to games
They have a set outfit for warming up before a game
They have a set outfit for walking onto the pitch
They have a set outfit for training
They have 3 different kits a year EVERY YEAR

I know its to get as much money into the coffers for FFP and to get our revenues up, but FFS, I dont have to like it. I used to like knowing that one year we would change our home kit and keep it for two years because the next year it would be the away kit that changed. I used to look forward to the new kit, now its a hollywood drama unveiling and it pisses me off.

The club are promoting 20% off everything tonight and have already promote all kits from this season are available for 10% off fora while now! Which points to more kits all round.

To top it all, most of the merchandise looks utter crap with the exception of a couple of things. The retro stuff being sold on the OS beats the new shit hands down IMO.

[/Rantover]

Wonderwall wrote:I am a massive HATER of the way the club has turned into a merchandising machine.

They have a set outfit for travelling to games
They have a set outfit for warming up before a game
They have a set outfit for walking onto the pitch
They have a set outfit for training
They have 3 different kits a year EVERY YEAR

I know its to get as much money into the coffers for FFP and to get our revenues up, but FFS, I dont have to like it. I used to like knowing that one year we would change our home kit and keep it for two years because the next year it would be the away kit that changed. I used to look forward to the new kit, now its a hollywood drama unveiling and it pisses me off.

The club are promoting 20% off everything tonight and have already promote all kits from this season are available for 10% off fora while now! Which points to more kits all round.

To top it all, most of the merchandise looks utter crap with the exception of a couple of things. The retro stuff being sold on the OS beats the new shit hands down IMO.

[/Rantover]

You forgot summer training kit and then a winter training kit and then a champions league training kit......

There will be new kits by the way, its now the norm to have three new kits a year. I reckon we will piggy back on the England kit thing also with a £90 real shirt on sale. You get some extra air holes for a further £30.

I used to love it when we changed home and away every 2 years alternately, always got excited about buying the latest, had to order at jjb as they didn't sell city tops up in the north. I haven't bought a new shirt now for 5 seasons, I prefer to buy a retro top now for holidays.

The last 'current' shirt I owned was the 2009/10 home shirt (the first new Umbro effort). I don't mind the club releasing a new batch every year if people are gullible enough to snap them up.

this is first season i havent bought them, i have everyone for the past 10-15 years. Only reason i continued to get them was to keep up my collection but cant afford them these days so no better time to stop that nike have taken over. In saying that i got a training top for christmas and i do like it!

I dont mind a new away one every year but should be keeping the home for 2 years, or as a compromise lets design an away that wont clash so we dont need a bloody third strip!

I eventually buy the new shirt when they are a year old and City are desperate to be rid of them. Usually pick them up for £15 and wear around the house.

I can understand why people feel they have to buy three new kits each year cos I once felt the need to however I'm glad I got out that cycle. just need to get out of the cycle of buying the programme now.

I'll buy a shirt if I love it.

The Nike stuff is crappy tho compared to Umbro. Some nifty training tops tho.

First year I haven't bought a top since I started following City. Last year I bought the away which I loved.

I expect more bullshit for next season.

You can vote with your wallet. They'll get the hint eventually.

Alioune DVToure wrote:The last 'current' shirt I owned was the 2009/10 home shirt (the first new Umbro effort). I don't mind the club releasing a new batch every year if people are gullible enough to snap them up.

Same here ADVT with 09/10 shirt it was that last one i bought, the following season's kit was not that different and the price had shot above £40 from memory.

I am liking a lot of the retro kits in the link above, the 76 home shirt was the first shirt i remember owning with the umbro diamonds down it, i will be ordering that soon and maybe others too.

Oh what is a kit thread with out a picture LOL

Since 2000 I've always bought every second home kit. It's going to take something pretty special for me to fork out. This year's gear was gashy gash.

CTID Hants wrote: Same here ADVT with 09/10 shirt it was that last one i bought, the following season's kit was not that different and the price had shot above £40 from memory. I am liking a lot of the retro kits in the link above, the 76 home shirt was the first shirt i remember owning with the umbro diamonds down it, i will be ordering that soon and maybe others too. Oh what is a kit thread with out a picture LOL

That was the best shirt in our recent releases - the one after wasn't much different so i got the away one and then the one with black collars where needed to get the gold PL badges on!

The Nike ones this season were all utter shite, bad quality and that crest/shield looks like the work of a 5 year old (it prob was!!).

Don't expect them to be any better this next season so will prob save money again.

Just the three?

There'll be "player spec" shirts retailing for more and potentially supermarket-level shirts too. I'm still interested in how they'll spin replacement kits mid-season in the next few years. Anything for money.

Saying that, put a sash on it again and I'll lap it up.

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:Just the three?

There'll be "player spec" shirts retailing for more and potentially supermarket-level shirts too. I'm still interested in how they'll spin replacement kits mid-season in the next few years. Anything for money.

Saying that, put a sash on it again and I'll lap it up.

I AM a slut for the sash as well. I've got a LS and SS one from the white number 3 years ago or so. Probably my fave from the Umbro rebirth.

DoomMerchant wrote:

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:Just the three?

There'll be "player spec" shirts retailing for more and potentially supermarket-level shirts too. I'm still interested in how they'll spin replacement kits mid-season in the next few years. Anything for money.

Saying that, put a sash on it again and I'll lap it up.

I AM a slut for the sash as well. I've got a LS and SS one from the white number 3 years ago or so. Probably my fave from the Umbro rebirth.

Yeah I have that one too. It's all worn out and big now but it's definitely my favorite City shirt ever. It's easy to get the sash wrong though, the Le Coq effort a few years before was awful.

Did you see the Swedish away shirt a year or so ago? It was sashtastic.

Kappa was our best kit maker.

But fuck do they stick by midnight after a wembley trip.

This coming season will be the 1st in which I don't buy all 3 for over a decade.

Seriously fucked off with the price for us doubling mid season. Not overly happy with te generic it was nikes fault response from club shop either.

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote: Yeah I have that one too. It's all worn out and big now but it's definitely my favorite City shirt ever. It's easy to get the sash wrong though, the Le Coq effort a few years before was awful. Did you see the Swedish away shirt a year or so ago? It was sashtastic.

Fucking love the sash

Loved that kit!

lets all have a disco wrote:Kappa was our best kit maker.

But fuck do they stick by midnight after a wembley trip.

They were nice tops but the laser-blue experiment was depressing. No need.

I don't religiously buy every kit. If I like I buy. Not bought any of this seasons. Only bought last seasons away when they knocked it down towards the end. Got my sash and 81 replica which are my two faves so I'm happy.

I'm not a fan of Nike at all, and think the kits are ridiculously priced. Those sentiments seem to be shared by the most vocal posters on the topic here.

However, from the club's perspective, I guess we will now be selling more kits abroad because it's Nike - which seems to be the most popular brand in developing countries from my experience (in spite of Puma's heavy push into African football and other sports). So, what I'm wondering is this: Will the increased purchase of over-priced kits in other markets outweigh the decline in sales within the domestic market? I believe it will, and therefore, with FFP, global exposure and the like, it makes perfect fiscal sense for the club to screw over the match-going fans.

Now, the sociological implications are a bit different. In my opinion, this season it has been far, far more noticeable on TV that fans within the stadium are wearing old or retro kits. In markets such as North America (which we're trying to hit hard) and South America (less so), this makes the fans come across as loyal/long-term, and shows we have history. However, within the SE Asia market it may be perceived as our fans being poor, which may deter potential supporters (SE Asia is the most fickle football-support market, as a hefty proportion of fans will happily switch teams from season-to-season, depending on who they think will win the league). This may have a negative impact on our support (read: income) within the region.

BlueinBosnia wrote:I'm not a fan of Nike at all, and think the kits are ridiculously priced. Those sentiments seem to be shared by the most vocal posters on the topic here.

However, from the club's perspective, I guess we will now be selling more kits abroad because it's Nike - which seems to be the most popular brand in developing countries from my experience (in spite of Puma's heavy push into African football and other sports). So, what I'm wondering is this: Will the increased purchase of over-priced kits in other markets outweigh the decline in sales within the domestic market? I believe it will, and therefore, with FFP, global exposure and the like, it makes perfect fiscal sense for the club to screw over the match-going fans.

Now, the sociological implications are a bit different. In my opinion, this season it has been far, far more noticeable on TV that fans within the stadium are wearing old or retro kits. In markets such as North America (which we're trying to hit hard) and South America (less so), this makes the fans come across as loyal/long-term, and shows we have history. However, within the SE Asia market it may be perceived as our fans being poor, which may deter potential supporters (SE Asia is the most fickle football-support market, as a hefty proportion of fans will happily switch teams from season-to-season, depending on who they think will win the league). This may have a negative impact on our support (read: income) within the region.

You raise some interesting points there.

The move to Nike will definitely assist our push to widen our global fan base. I moved to Singapore a few years ago and at that time you'd never see a City shirt, but now you do spot the occasional sky blue in between a sea of United and Liverpool shirts. If you go into a Nike store here now, you'll see all 3 City kits, plus training kits, t-shirts, tracksuits etc. Obviously the league win would have boosted our fan base in this part of the world, but having Nike's distribution network is a big factor in supporting that.

Regarding your point on potentially declining domestic sales, I'd be interested to know if that is actually happening or not. We always hear plenty of complaints about too many new kits or high prices, but are people still buying regardless? A few years back, when the club would only produce 1 kit (either home or away) each season, a supporter only had 1 new choice. Therefore, if he/she didn't like it, there was a chance they wouldn't buy it. Whereas now, they have a choice of 2-3 new kits each season so if they don't like one, there is a good chance they may buy one of the others. Just a thought, but would be interesting to see any numbers on kit sales over the years.