Discussion FGD Round Table #1: "Name" guernseys – are they good, bad or ugly?

[Gibbsy]

Time for a proper discussion on here. Over the past few seasons we've seen a lot of clubs sell jumpers that contain names of the front of the design, ranging from hundreds of past players to just a particular 22 from a certain game.

This previously unseen design element was first demonstrated in the AFL's "Dream Team" from 2008 (using the names of clubs around Australia).

Yet it was Geelong's use of names a year later in their 150th year celebrations which I believe led to the most tasteful of these "name" designs. Using text to recreate an existing pattern or design had never been done before at AFL level so it was refreshing to see something different.

Unfortunately there have now been countless iterations of "name" guernseys that are simply looking to include names without respecting the original design. Often, they're quite lazy.

While we're discussing these jumpers, it's also worth the money-making techniques that clubs have used, selling positions on guernseys for up to $300 a pop. Are these "name" guernseys respectful or just a cash grab?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

P.S. – I'd love to have one of these "round table" threads every fortnight (or week, maybe) to complement our competitions and round-by-round discussion. I'm going to rule with a particularly heavy mod hand in this thread too, to keep the discussion pure.

 

[Klim]

The names on the jumpers should be limited to players who have played for the team or have made a contribution.

 

[Bryce_Jersey17]

. Using text to recreate an existing pattern or design had never been done before at AFL level

Both St Kilda and North Melbourne did this in 2012 (made their design using names). So, I think you might be a bit off by saying that Geelong did it first. But they definitely did do it the most tastefully.

P.S. – I'd love to have one of these "round table" threads every fortnight (or week, maybe) to complement our competitions and round-by-round discussion. I'm going to rule with a particularly heavy mod hand in this thread too, to keep the discussion pure.

This is a great idea. Should you have another thread for people to post their questions/ideas/discussions to address as a roster format and have this on a weekly basis?

 

[Andonis1997]

I think if it is incorporated into a design which has stripes/hoops and doesn't stop near the sides of the guernsey, then it is fine e.g. Geelong's 150 guernsey looked great.

However, if Carlton's 'name' guernsey is to go ahead like the quick photoshop job suggests, names going around and inbetween the monogram will look like absolute sh!t.

 

[just_kick_it]

I think if it is incorporated into a design which has stripes/hoops and doesn't stop near the sides of the guernsey, then it is fine e.g. Geelong's 150 guernsey looked great.

However, if Carlton's 'name' guernsey is to go ahead like the quick photoshop job suggests, names going around and inbetween the monogram will look like absolute sh!t.

This is what I was thinking aswell. Another name jumper that was done badly IMO is the Eagles 1992 Premiership team celebration design, along with the other design of theirs that plastered all the players names across the belly.

 

[akkaps]

Just putting this out there:

WORST ATTEMPT:

BEST ATTEMPT:

 

[Gibbsy]

Both St Kilda and North Melbourne did this in 2012 (made their design using names). So, I think you might be a bit off by saying that Geelong did it first. But they definitely did do it the most tastefully.

Eh?? Geelong did it in 2009

 

[Gibbsy]

You're right about that St Kilda guernsey akkaps – it looked washed out and terrible on the TV broadcast of the game.

 

[rabbitoh21]

Name-design guernseys have a time and place in all sports codes and leagues, but sometimes teams don't get those right.

 

[Bryce_Jersey17]

Eh?? Geelong did it in 2009

My apologies. I thought you were referencing the one last year. I must've had my teams mixed up by remembering Essendon or St Kilda's 140th and thinking it was 150, thereby attributing it to Geelong too

 

[El_Scorcho]

Yeah they're fine. It's a good way to raise money or honour past players etc.

 

[E92_]

I'm not against them if they're to honour past players or to raise money for a poor club.

I am against it when a rich club sells spots on a jumper as just a quick cash grab, though (Freo last year).

 

[Jones2ByrneJones]

Aren't all guernseys basically cash grabs, though?

 

[Bacon Warrior]

Aren't all guernseys basically cash grabs, though?

You're in waaaay too deep, man.

 

[Cole Dammett]

The Crows idea of putting the names on the state guernsey was rubbish, they were just going to be over the red base colour without fitting into the design at all. I didn't mind the Geelong one, but it's getting out of hand now with everyone making one. Having a guernsey that honors all the past players of a club is valid, having a guernsey that honors a select group of supporters who are in a financial position to purchase the guernsey is pretty pointless apart from being a blatant cash grab.

 

[Silent Alarm]

It essentially boils down to aesthetics. Everyone's favourites are designs criminally underused, ignored, or just interesting. Like the Geelong one referenced, the Port Prison Bars from last year, the few Peril come backs. Of course we all say the names bring it down a notch, but we'd rather see the designs out there with names, than not see the designs at all. No one cares about a regular home jumper with names simply because it just overcomplicates (or like that Saints one, undermines) what makes the jumper good.

Sydney name jumpers are cool because it's usually a decent design: those hoops, the South Melbourne V. But GWS? No way.

 

[Mero]

I can't think of one that I thought looked good.
Even if my name was on one, I wouldn't want it.
(Unless it was for being a premiership player, but that's different)
Desperate grabs for cash from the people who spend the most at the club already.
And that doesn't necessarily mean they have the most to spend.

 

[rabbitoh21]

I can't think of one that I thought looked good.
Even if my name was on one, I wouldn't want it.
(Unless it was for being a premiership player, but that's different)
Desperate grabs for cash from the people who spend the most at the club already.
And that doesn't necessarily mean they have the most to spend.

I'd love Souths to do a members jersey with 25000+ names as long as I can see mine there, but I doubt you can fit all those names


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[SJ]

I'd love Souths to do a members jersey with 25000+ names as long as I can see mine there, but I doubt you can fit all those names


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Thought would never happen, they'd instead charge hundreds to get your name on there.

 

[pie_machine]

A lot of the time I think it's a non-issue; you can hardly see the names during the game. That being said, if you can hardly see them, why bother.

I can understand the appeal for supporters having their name on a match-worn jumper, and I can see how that leads to revenue for clubs - people will buy the guernsey with their name on it. Port Adelaide's prison bars last year is a perfect example of revenue raising. Even with past players listed, people will buy it just because it's a different jumper and then also trawl through the list of names looking for blasts from the past.

I'll also agree with almost everyone else and say that Geelong's versions have probably been the best. I think it's because the names fit in the with the design, and keeping the single solid stripe means that the jumper doesn't look entirely faded and washed-out (like St Kilda's attempt) and the names don't have to contest with the AFL and sponsors logos. North Melbourne's 2012 version wasn't too bad (and presumably Collingwood's proposed one this year will be similar). Port and Brisbane's jumpers last year were alright because they were subtle enough to make the names almost unnoticeable (reviving past designs that were almost universally popular didn't hurt either). Conversely, West Coast's last two attempts to add names to the wings made not attempt to integrate or even fade the names into the design, and the jumpers suffered as a result.

As an alternative, why not print name inside the jumpers? Intel put ads inside Barcelona shirts to be revealed in post goal celebrations, and I vaguely remember Carlton having some slogan printed inside theirs.

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/intel...inside-jerseys-fc-barcelonas-megastars-154570

Another option is to use nanotechnology to imprint the names into the fabric of the jumpers themselves!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/news/578052/Silver-lining-to-All-Blacks-jersey

 

[Bryce_Jersey17]

I vaguely remember Carlton having some slogan printed inside theirs.

Carlton have the "I am Carlton slogan printed on the inside over the heart

 

[NM_Mitchell]

Gibbsy should definitely try getting these round table discussions up again, maybe do what bryce suggested and have a hub thread where people can suggest what they want to talk about?

 

[Fizzler]

If I may post something it is that as bad as the names on the Essendon jumpers may look, they are all past players and it looks pretty cool. Collingwoods would have been better if the names weren't in 3 different colours.

 

[Cody_]

The fighting tiger fund always works well



And also I'm all for these discussion threads to start up again as I would be interested in participating

 

[Greater Gattsby]

If executed correctly, I don't mind them.