The amount of DCU gear, apparel, and accessories is horrible. I just happened to browse through the Kickers site and they have baby bibs (important when you have a child on the way), mousepads, coffee cups, etc. DCU has some cheap dog tags with Eddie Pope on them - sigh! Cripes - DC should have been churning out the Adu gear like there was no tomorrow. It is Christmas and that is prime buying time. To make matters worse, I got a Tottenham catalog from when i bought all the pennants and programs - holy crap. It is thicker than the Victorias Secret Christmas catalogue and that is quite an accomplishment. Now if only shipping didn't run $38.
If your cheap ass would make a donation to United for DC I am sure Catherine could hook you up with a coffee cup. I got mine here on my desk.
aye, dc united=horrendous when it comes to marketing. and i consider dc apparel marketing when it's in the sense that we are talking. but they are horrendous at getting their fans apparel also. its like they dont realize that the fans would buy stuff.
Two things that I think that the DC United Store is missing that are critical: 1. beer glasses or coffee mugs 2. jackets or parkas
I have heard from DC that they are revamping the store and that it should be ready in time for the draft. They are in full agreement that the web store and products aren't major league. I was looking for the email I received to give a name, but I can't locate it.
I can probably locate the e-mail I got on the same issue last year. This has been promised and never delivered at the league and team levels more than once. The acquisition by AEG was supposed to solve this. They benefit by using AEG facilities/services in other areas, but not this. Shameful.
The most pathetic thing about the DC Store is: No Long Sleeve Kits Sold Out of Home Kits 1/2 thru the season (hello, that should tell you something) Only One Scarf Take your pick. It's pretty piss poor. And whoever designs the T-shirts needs his ass kicked. They're weak.
I've had this discussion with staffers, I'd have several. They do make them, but just so you'll donate to their so-called charity. Not for sale to fans. One great thing I did get at a game this year: DC United shot glasses! They don't put any money into their souvenirs, it is truly pathetic. Almost every game I walk up there with lady friends or my daughter and usually walk away with nothing, when I would gladly buy something every week. The first time you run out of stuff early is excusable. The second time less so, this is getting to be year 9, that is beyond sad. Whoever runs the marketing department should be beaten with one of those plastic horns (those, they have plenty of). PS the new monkeys are cute.
They could have so much more of our money -- if only they wanted it. At the away playoff game, we saw Fire winter coats and messenger bags -- if they made 'em for DCU, I'd have each. That's over $100 they could have gotten out of me without a sweat. Make a nice DCU watch and that's $50-$90 more. We're outdone in available merchandise three times over by every Second and Third Division team in England -- even some teams that we have more than three times their average attendance per game. It's hard to believe they don't want our money. We haven't changed our logo since the changeover from '97 to '98, so it's not like they couldn't order stuff that will take a couple of years to sell.
I absolutely agree with this post. I have been to quite a few away games throughout the years and I have seen so much more merchandise elsewhere. DC United logo sun-shades and DC United logo eye contacts would also be cool. I also wish that they would start selling big 5 by 8 DC United flags with the new logo.
Look what you can buy from the Scum! Indeed, to understand the shame of DC United's merchandising one only needs to peruse the MetroStars online store. http://www.metrostars.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=MetroStars
This is what bugs me. They know they have an audience for this stuff. They need stuff everyday people can use in their everyday life to get the team's image out there. Travel mugs, mouse pads, more than one coffee mug, etc. Why can I order pens for my own Web site and have them in a week or so, but a professional sports team can't? Why can I sign up for Cafe Press and try to create stuff to pimp my site, but MLS can't? This isn't rocket science.
DC United logo pens! Brilliant idea. I'd have to buy an extra DC United coffee mug to put them in. What I really want, other than the mug and now the pens, is a DC United flask.
Somebody mentioned messenger bags. I cut up (I think it was a shoe bag) and put it on my bag, it looks good. If they can't get it together make your own cool stuff. The top of my wish list is pint glasses. I would also like to see a cool (the current one is lame) license plate holder but I would give up all sorts of cash for almost anything. I wonder how quickly they will come out with the Adu bobblehead.
I agree the store is woefully inadequte. Just as an example the ManU online store in a glowing example of shameful marketing that teams should follow. There is a reason they make so much money and only some has to do with being a good team. You can buy anything with a ManU logo on it. Wallpaper, scotch, cups, mugs, dolls, pens, beer, watches, everything. ManU is of course not alone in the breadth of stuff that has their logo, most EPL teams have a good selection, ManU just takes it to another level. I'm not sure how the merchandising deals are done in MLS. I don't know if a team can contract with a manufacturer to create stuff or does some have to approach MLS to become an official maker of a something and have to pay a pretty heafty fee if I remember correctly. If the teams have the ability to cut their own deals for merchandise, then I think this is one place that Mr. Zack to put an emphasis on as an easy revenue enhancer. You don't need to buy tickets to want team stuff. Soem people just collect this type of stuff, others are out of town supporters. These can be real money makers.
How many times have I seen threads on these boards about "when will you know MLS has 'made it'"? Well, I think this is one of the answers...when you see people almost everyday wearing or using MLS merchandise!
Hey, you need to put a warning up before you post such foul photos (I edited it out of the quote). While the sales at the stadium and web site are less than adequate - the coverage in sports stores is more pathetic. You would think that they could convince at least one of the "hat stores" in the malls to carry a few DC United items. Most stores I've been in have zero.