News ISC to leave the AFL in 2020 (Confirmed)

People who want to spend $250 on a jacket, for the most part, aren’t the people who will spend money on an AFL club jacket.
 
If I'm forking out $250 on a jacket I don't really want the Richmond logo heatpressed onto it tbh
 
If I'm forking out $250 on a jacket I don't really want the Richmond logo heatpressed onto it tbh

Yup. Even those collegiate style First 18 jackets you can get for like $150, whilst I reckon they look pretty neat, I’d never wear it outside of a game day so it’s just a waste of money when you could spend that money on something far more versatile fashion wise.
 
Sep 18, 2016
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I wouldn't expect many people to pay that much, no, but I fully expect that if Castore do AFL gear it will be at some sort of a premium.
Just look at how much their range is priced at on their website - $100 t-shirts, $200 hoodies, jackets ranging from about $300 to $1350 (!)
In the coming months looking at how their West Indies and Rangers apparel is priced will probably be an indication of what we might see here.
 
May 9, 2011
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All ISC teams, except Gold Coast and West Coast, have players that wear longies.

I hope that whichever manufacturer they go to, they choose one that will continue to make longies.

Would be great if they could bring back the cuffs, especially to Adelaide and St Kilda.
Hnnnnnnnnng
60216-st-kilda-1966-50th-anniversary-long-sleeve-woollen-guernsey-2000-jpg.316749
 

I wouldn't expect many people to pay that much, no, but I fully expect that if Castore do AFL gear it will be at some sort of a premium.
Just look at how much their range is priced at on their website - $100 t-shirts, $200 hoodies, jackets ranging from about $300 to $1350 (!)
In the coming months looking at how their West Indies and Rangers apparel is priced will probably be an indication of what we might see here.
Read this from a Talksport interview with one of the Castore founders, puts me at ease a bit.

“We realise increasing the price of the core replica jersey was going to be a very emotive issue for fans, so that’s not something we want to do,” he added.

“That core jersey will remain in line with the price point it has been historically.

“However, there is an opportunity, we believe, to expand that product offering, so for Rangers we will be launching a ‘pro’ jersey, which will be the kit that the players themselves wear on the pitch stepping out at Ibrox on a Saturday afternoon, and that will be at a higher price point.
“Not all fans will want that kit, but we believe a significant portion of them will.

“Beyond that we think there’s a really interesting opportunity to expand the Rangers product range into lifestyle products, products that are more fashion-forward into more trend-driving products.

EDIT: Should have mentioned that this is all in regards to their partnership with Rangers, could change with any potential move here.
 
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Mar 30, 2014
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I was expecting big things from Classic and very disappointed with what they put out. On a Suns level, I think Classic is the most likely to take over our supplying (would love O'Neills or Puma though!)
Yeah it's a bit crap all round tbh. The quality is iffy, also from a Lion's perspective wtf is with the monogram lion still? No-one wants it or cares for it. Also the white clash is horrid.
 
Oct 27, 2016
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If anything this could be the catalyst for the AFL appointing a single manufacturer for the entire league
That's what I'm hoping too. However with all that's going on at the moment I doubt it's very high up in their priorities. But it's hard for the AFL to ignore 2 big manufacturers going down the sink in a matter of years.
 

The Victorian

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That's what I'm hoping too. However with all that's going on at the moment I doubt it's very high up in their priorities. But it's hard for the AFL to ignore 2 big manufacturers going down the sink in a matter of years.
I had a look the other day when contracts end and when you consider that North still have a few years left, Bulldogs have until end of next year and Carlton still have a whopping nine years remaining I find it very hard to see a single supplier any time soon.
 
Single supplier works when the manufacturer is invested in creating a high quality product, such as Adidas with the MLS, but I feel like we’d end up with something similar to the NBL, which is streets behind the NBA in terms of apparel and merch.

It’s an easy concept to romanticise but I highly doubt it’ll turn out very well.
 

HulkSmash

Just a bit outside...
Jan 7, 2020
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If anything this could be the catalyst for the AFL appointing a single manufacturer for the entire league

Who would be interested in doing the whole league though? O'Neills does Hockey One and is quite good, but can you see them doing the entire league? Not with clubs with big egos who want to do things their way.

Doesn't Cotton On do all of the AFLW? Is their stuff decent? (wouldn't know I'm not a target of Cotton On, as it were). Would they want to expand to the AFL?

Single supplier works when the manufacturer is invested in creating a high quality product, such as Adidas with the MLS, but I feel like we’d end up with something similar to the NBL, which is streets behind the NBA in terms of apparel and merch.

As someone who has brought a lot of Kings First Ever gear and Nike NBA jerseys, at times you are correct. Sometimes they were borderline with the Kmart stuff. Jerseys were hit and miss, some of the off court stuff was OK. First Ever was basically in-house stuff and it showed. To be honest, I suspect the Champion deal is basically First Ever getting the rights to the name and replacing the First Ever brand with Champion.

Long term I could see the AFL do the same. Again, it'll be hard with the big ego clubs, but I could see them do it if the price was right.
 

El_Scorcho

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I think a whole league deal is something that might actually get a bigger manufacturer interested. It allows them to template uniforms and teamwear which makes doing a whole league much easier than doing 18 individual teams. It also gets much more bang for their buck in terms of brand exposure which becomes woven into everything the league does.

There's a reason why all the big US sports do it. I'm sure the AFL must have considered it. I wonder what the considerations are.
 
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