Names on the back of guernseys - is it time?

[76woodenspooners]

The technology exists today to allow it to be superimposed on the player’s guernsey on the broadcast. (GPS + known camera angles + augmented reality)

So folks watching on a stream could conceivably turn it on or off according to their preference ...

... and those who want it on could even assign their own names. Sticklers for real names get real names (Even if small font is required for it to fit). Folks who prefer nicknames get them. Folks who want to put “Bozo the clown” on Buddy’s back can have their desire.

#everyonewins

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Not too fussed either way, but it's not something that I see having a negative effect on broadcast/vision so WTF not?

FWIW I was pretty negative towards the idea of it a few years back (or whenever it was the AFL have trialed it), but have warmed to it recently

In most other team sports they put the names on the back (excluding RU obviously as the # references position on field other than subs and even then they are numbered accordingly)

 

[halalsnackpack]

Someone better do this for AFLX

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Im in favour of it.

I’m not sure the upside would be terribly substantial, but it’s easy to implement and I’m struggling to think of a downside.

There’s a certain strain of footy nerd for whom it’s a huge macho badge of honour to know every player’s name and number from every team, and they are quite withering of anyone who can’t match that feat, implying they are not “real” footy fans.

But they are not normal people and their opinion can be safely ignored. Plenty of us love our footy but have quite a bit else going on in our lives, and players’ names in the odd close-up shot would be a big help.

 

[Billy ray]

yes
1) will clearly show the incompetence of commentators who get names wrong
2) will clearly show how unprofessional it is for commentators to use player's nicknames

 

[master bate]

Nope.

There's already numbers in a nice big clear font and sponsors logos. You add in names and either the jumpers become covered in too many things ruining the look or everything gets downsized.

Live at the ground it's going to be very hard to spot out names from a distance for most players. So it doesn't really achieve anything. It's pretty easy to get to know your own teams players by their numbers and their looks/movements etc.

On TV it was also be mostly jumbled apart from close up shots and footy broadcasting already has far too many close up shots. They need to zoom out and show more of the general play. Commentators will call the players anyway.

 

[Scotland]

If names go on the back then big sponsors logos go on the front. Too much going on to have names, numbers and sponsor logos on the back.

 

[Scotland]

One McDonald-Tipungwuti #43 Futjitsu jumper please.

 

[Donakebab]

If it's for folks watching at home, we're better off upgrading our commentators rather than our jumpers.

 

[Ishmael_]

I really don't care. Do it or don't. Just make the decision AFL. They obviously want to. I just wish they'd stop hiding behind focus groups/committees/polls/whatever and make decisions on these oxygen starving issues that seem to come up every year.

For what it's worth, it's on the low-end of dumb ideas the AFL has in mind to Frankenstein the game for kids. Those poor, poor children.

 

[Back One Out]

1) Most fans at the ground won't be able to read the tiny lettering on the backs of the jumpers. It'd be purely for the TV audience and commentators. But if it ain't broke, then why fix it? The game has flourished for 122 years without players' names on the back of the guernseys. There is already enough clutter on the guernsey with adding extra. I just need to see the number. That's it.

2) And who wants to buy a club guernsey with someone else's name on it? I always think American sports fans look like dicks walking around in their NFL jerseys with Brady, Kaepernick or Beckham Jnr plastered on the back. There is something weird about a dude wearing a jumper with another man's name on it. I barrack for Hawthorn. Not Roughy, Gunstan, Mitchell, Smith or O'Meara. Their number is cool enough. Don't need their name.

So from a spectator's stand point, from a traditionalist's standpoint and from a merchandising standpoint, it's a big no from me.

 

[FISTO]

Yeah nah

 

[kane249]

1) Most fans at the ground won't be able to read the tiny lettering on the backs of the jumpers. It'd be purely for the TV audience and commentators. But if it ain't broke, then why fix it? The game has flourished for 122 years without players' names on the back of the guernseys. There is already enough clutter on the guernsey with adding extra. I just need to see the number. That's it.

2) And who wants to buy a club guernsey with someone else's name on it? I always think American sports fans look like dicks walking around in their NFL jerseys with Brady, Kaepernick or Beckham Jnr plastered on the back. There is something weird about a dude wearing a jumper with another man's name on it. I barrack for Hawthorn. Not Roughy, Gunstan, Mitchell, Smith or O'Meara. Their number is cool enough. Don't need their name.

So from a spectator's stand point, from a traditionalist's standpoint and from a merchandising standpoint, it's a big no from me.

1) Saying it hasn't changed for 122 years isn't a great argument, times change and the sport also needs to change with it. Companies have gone broke due to their stubbornness of not moving with the times (Kodak, Sega, Nokia, Blackberry etc), the AFL risks being over taken by other sports at some stage if it doesn't want to adapt. Losing the sponsorship on the back of the jumper to do this wouldn't be the worst thing to happen.

2) AFL is one of the few sports which doesn't do names on the back of jumpers. Soccer, basketball, ice hockey, gridiron, limited overs cricket etc are all sports that do this and it's not just an American only phenomenon either.

Bear in mind there has already been resistance from the traditionalists about implementing clash jumpers, and there was probably resistance once upon a time about putting numbers on the back as well. Change can be good if it makes the overall presentation of the game better.

EDIT: Turns out there was some initial resistance to putting numbers on the back of jumpers

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...s/news-story/49a85ca8f20185fab2fd71844e9a94e7

A report in the Melbourne Punch suggested that the experiment, used in the match between Adelaide and Carlton at the MCG, was a failure: “The breast proved a bad place to have a number placed on a player; you could never decipher it plainly.’’
Unperturbed, the entrepreneurs repeated the trial a few days later when Tasmania played Adelaide — this time with larger numbers on the players’ backs — and the concept was well received.

It was not until 1903, though, that jumper numbers were used in a VFL match, and even then it was a one-off. In an attempt to promote the code interstate, the league scheduled a Round 4 match between reigning premier Collingwood and fierce rival Fitzroy at the SCG. To help the novice spectators, the league allocated numbers to each man and distributed double-sided cards with player lists and rules to the 18,000 spectators as they came through the turnstiles.

The following season VFA club Port Melbourne permanently introduced jumper numbers, while Melbourne sought to follow suit in 1905 only to meet resistance from the players.

Strangely, jumper numbers were not ushered into the VFL until midway through the 1911 finals series, when the league accepted a recommendation from the Umpires and Permits Committee. When Carlton ran out to play Essendon in the second-semi-final the following Saturday, the players wore numbers that were displayed on the two MCG scoreboards. Unfortunately Essendon’s red numbers were barely visible.

When the Dons took on Collingwood in the Grand Final seven days later, some of the Woodsmen wore numbers and others did not. The situation became even more haphazard when several of the Collingwood men opted for long-sleeved jumpers at halftime because of the rainy conditions.

So it is interesting that some of the initial resistance to wearing numbers came from the players themselves, but the VFL continued to push it and now it's just taken for granted as being on the jumper.


So just saying, but the 'traditionalists' saying we don't need to alter the jumper by putting names on it are now the equivalent of the ones in the early 1900s who didn't think we need numbers on them either.

 

[Do the Dew]

How do you fit untouchable sniper on the back of a jumper, sorry, Cotchin is shorter.

You seem angry, probably still dosed from the Hird days

 

[Wojcinski]

ITT: People scared of change

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

It's pretty easy to get to know your own teams players by their numbers and their looks/movements etc.

I usually know our boys’ numbers by a few games into the season.

But I’m buggered if I’ve got the time to learn the numbers and names of 22 players X 17 other teams, so a bit of a hand via names on jerseys would be great.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Yes. Showing the clock at the ground would be nice too.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

"I don't like it and it wouldn't work anyway"

Bit like the tobacco industry saying plain packaging "wouldn't work" while fighting tooth and nail in the courts to not let it happen.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Learn the players and learn their numbers. It’s not hard.

Nobody's learning 44 players numbers. Get real.

 

[kane249]

Yes. Showing the clock at the ground would be nice too.

That was removed so the players couldn't glance up at the screens to see how much time was left. In the past when it was there when a team was ahead and the scores were tight and they had the ball they would deliberately slow it knowing how much time they had to kill.

Makes it more exciting at the ground not knowing how much time is left IMO.

 

[footyfan1978]

Remember this was experimented at one time. It was a joke. Cannot read players names at ground. Our football field is way too big to be realistic and too many players moving on and off. Numbers has worked for eons. GOD 5, Schimma 20, Keith Greig 27, Peter Moore 30, Peter Francis 47, Peter Knights 24, Harmesy 37, Dominator 7, Vinnie Catoggio 4, Bosustow 4, Kenny Sheldon 5, Trevor Keogh 8, Jezza 25, Hunter 9, Malcolm Blight 15, Thug Matthews 3, Tucky 17, Doull 11, Flower 2, SOS 1, Judd 3 and 5, Franklin 23, Warne 23, Brereton 23.. It is not hard people. Makes me laugh how dim some are.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

That was removed so the players couldn't glance up at the screens to see how much time was left. In the past when it was there when a team was ahead and the scores were tight and they had the ball they would deliberately slow it knowing how much time they had to kill.

The clock is on the players bench and in the coaches box. They know how long's left.

Makes it more exciting at the ground not knowing how much time is left IMO.

It's not exciting, it's annoying.

 

[MC Bad Genius]

"Hear ye, hear ye! On ye Saturn's day, the Eagles of the West hath vanquished the Magpies of Collings Wood, Lord Simpson and his brave men prevailing by scarcely five points in Ye Grande Finale!"

I'd read the hell out of a weekly roundup of that rounds matches if it was written life this.

 

[master bate]

I usually know our boys’ numbers by a few games into the season.

But I’m buggered if I’ve got the time to learn the numbers and names of 22 players X 17 other teams, so a bit of a hand via names on jerseys would be great.

That's fine if you'll be able to see the names.

At a game I don't think you will for at least half maybe even 3/4's of the ground depending on the ground and where you are sitting. So it will make it harder to see the numbers for no benefit.

On tv you'll be able to see them but there's already commentators.

I'm watching the NBA right now and you can't read the players names most of the time and the camera is zoomed in far more than an AFL game should be. You regonise them by their numbers and looks.

 

[Kimbo]

Isn't it going to confuse the hell out of MFC fans?