US SOCCER STORE: some common sense please?

[bostonsoccermdl]

I have been struggling with the idea of why it is so hard to purchase a US national team jersey with a players name/number on it?

My first logical stop, us.soccer.com, (the soccer store area) had no option to customise and chose the player of my choice.
They offered T-shirts, so I picked up an O'Brien shirt, but why in the hell cant they customise the JErseys..
Wouldnt us soccer want to promote its players by giving this as an option?
When I went to the Onion bag (a local soccer shop in NYC) the guy working said he was all sold out of U.S jerseys and that they "go quick," and Nike is really bad about supplying them, and it takes a lot of nagging on the stores part to get them restocked, (confirming my belief that the demand is there...)
So I called up customer service at us soccer and the rep simply said "we dont do that." I tried to dig a little deeper, attempting to overcome her obvious apathy, suggesting that demand is there and others countrys make it easy to get a jersey, and that it might be a good idea to "look into it", and she sat there uninterested with "umm...well NIKE doesnt give them to us like that."

Sorry for the rant guys, but hopefully if more people call and bitch about it, they might come around, and actually question NIKE's service..

I guess were the only country that has to show up to the party wearing T-shirts....:rolleyes:

here is us soccers # in case you have a care
Tel: 1-817-491-8824
info@ussoccerstore.com

if we dont let them have it, nothing will change..

[monster]

Originally posted by bostonsoccermdl
I have been struggling with the idea of why it is so hard to purchase a US national team jersey with a players name/number on it?

My first logical stop, us.soccer.com, (the soccer store area) had no option to customise and chose the player of my choice.
They offered T-shirts, so I picked up an O'Brien shirt, but why in the hell cant they customise the JErseys..
Wouldnt us soccer want to promote its players by giving this as an option?
When I went to the Onion bag (a local soccer shop in NYC) the guy working said he was all sold out of U.S jerseys and that they "go quick," and Nike is really bad about supplying them, and it takes a lot of nagging on the stores part to get them restocked, (confirming my belief that the demand is there...)
So I called up customer service at us soccer and the rep simply said "we dont do that." I tried to dig a little deeper, attempting to overcome her obvious apathy, suggesting that demand is there and others countrys make it easy to get a jersey, and that it might be a good idea to "look into it", and she sat there uninterested with "umm...well NIKE doesnt give them to us like that."

Sorry for the rant guys, but hopefully if more people call and bitch about it, they might come around, and actually question NIKE's service..

I guess were the only country that has to show up to the party wearing T-shirts....:rolleyes:

here is us soccers # in case you have a care
Tel: 1-817-491-8824
info@ussoccerstore.com

if we dont let them have it, nothing will change..

I have no clue why the USSF and MLS have not caught onto the obvious desire for merchandising. I could steal their logos and have a shop up elsewhere online with 40 or 50 different items(not jerseys and such, but the same kind of stuff this Web site offers), but they can't do it themselves.

MLS has gotten a little better, especially with custom jerseys, but the overall picture still lags.

Pathetic.

[bostonsoccermdl]

MODERATORS: feel free to move this to the USA MENS forum if you see fit, since it indirectly deals with the MENS team.

thanks..

[Northside Rovers]

You can get a customized one through the Eurosport catalogue. I am procrastinatinmg ordering a numbered retro jersey right now.

Not sure if you can do it through their website soccer.com

[monster]

Actually, I'm gonna leave it here because I think the larger issue of fan merchandise is a topic that needs to be brought up once in a while.

I wear a tie almost every day for work, yet can't get a US Soccer or DC United tie. I had to get a DCU coffee mug from a fellow fan who had an extra one from several years ago. I can't get a travel mug showing my allegiences.

Your situation truly sucks, but I get more concerned about the lack of everyday merchandise that can be used to promote the national team or a club team.

[Northside Rovers]

Originally posted by monster
Your situation truly sucks, but I get more concerned about the lack of everyday merchandise that can be used to promote the national team or a club team.

How Bigsoccer can slap a logo on anything that sits still for 3 seconds - but MLS and US soccer continue to ignore / sit on their hands / remain lazy and oblivious is completely and totally beyond me.

Really. It boggles the mind.

[kenntomasch]

Originally posted by Northside Rovers
I am procrastinatinmg ordering a numbered retro jersey right now.


Not the phony "inspired by the 1950 team, but doesn't really look like it" kit?

My local soccer store usually has the Nats jerseys. Has the ones they wore in Korea, and the grey warmup tops. But for some reason, soccer jerseys look silly to me with short sleeves. At least, wearing them.

[AFCA]

In the end merchandising is one big ripoff.

The only club in the world I know that is serious about it's merchandise is (gulp) feyenoord.

They have this casual line called FR. Nice stuff. That's the kind of stuff I would like to see at Ajax too and would actually buy.

Now the only stuff worth buying is supporter merchandise. Very popular stuff as certain merchandise is only reserved for 'the elite' aka firm members and good aquaintances. Since two years there's the A.F.C.A line that's doing quite well.

Before that there were the 'Ajax Gangsterdam' and 'Mokum Hooligans' sweaters... nowadays you might even find grandma in those on the camping :D
Then there's also the cheesy (unofficial) F-side merchandise that nobody is bothered about except the wannabe's.
I for one wouldn't be caught dead with any Ajax merchandise. Maybe a shirt. Other than that I have a Zippo with the Ajax logo engraved in it, but I only have that because I found it :D

Anyway, like I said before, the merchandising is usually a ripoff. A way for clubs and manufacturers to earn huge profits of of people's love for their team. We all know the Newcastle story. I'm afraid that's how it works in most places.

So IMO it's more fun to make your own merchandising and in the end it's a bit cheaper as well. But even that can turn into a ripoff fest.

Capitalism eh comrades?

[Northside Rovers]

Originally posted by kenntomasch
Not the phony "inspired by the 1950 team, but doesn't really look like it" kit?

Yeah that's the one. Still procrastinating though. If I have a few beers one night while watching soccer, that shoudl cause me to act.

I have bought 2 personalized jerseys thru Eurosport and if they are faking the font - they do a good job, because I can't tell the difference.

[revelation]

Originally posted by AFCA
(snip)
Anyway, like I said before, the merchandising is usually a ripoff. A way for clubs and manufacturers to earn huge profits of of people's love for their team. We all know the Newcastle story. I'm afraid that's how it works in most places.
(snip)

Actually this is the reason we want more merchandise. Many of us diehard MLS fans want to throw their recreational money at the league in a way that will keep it going, while still getting something in return. Especially if that something has a team logo, which then is free advertising for the team.

Monster, As for making "official" merchandise, I recommend getting some team logo stickers and putting them on coffee mugs (regular or travel). They look the same as the actual mugs from back in the day... :rolleyes:

[The Lieutenant]

Originally posted by Northside Rovers
Yeah that's the one. Still procrastinating though. If I have a few beers one night while watching soccer, that shoudl cause me to act.

I have bought 2 personalized jerseys thru Eurosport and if they are faking the font - they do a good job, because I can't tell the difference.

The numbered jerseys I have bought from Eurosport only have the number on the back, no front number, and even the back number looks like something off an AYSO jersey.

[DennisM]

"We all know the Newcastle story."?

A ripoff is the fact that they change jerseys every year in small or big ways. Anyway, what happened to the Toons?

[AFCA]

Then again you have to be a complete moron to go out and buy every new shirt IMO. I don't buy any shirts as a matter of fact.

Actually this is the reason we want more merchandise. Many of us diehard MLS fans want to throw their recreational money at the league in a way that will keep it going, while still getting something in return. Especially if that something has a team logo, which then is free advertising for the team.

Understandable, hadn't thought of the MLS situation yet.

[sljohn]

Originally posted by kenntomasch
But for some reason, soccer jerseys look silly to me with short sleeves. At least, wearing them. This is my pet peeve. I'm eager to buy a long sleeve jersey, but have never seen one offered for the Men's National Team. And, no, I won't settle for a long-sleeve t-shirt, thank you, I want a jersey like the players wear.

I bought a short-sleeve red jersey but about the only time I wear that is to games--if I had a long-sleeve one I'd wear it all the time and it would see year-round use.

[panicfc]

Best MLS Club for Merchandise

http://www.chicagofiregear.com/

Great service I have to add as well.

[Bill Duggan]

Although no money will go to US SOCCER, you can go to cafepress.com and put any soccer team logo on almost anything. Its free to open a store, but dont make it public because its copyright violation.