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Names On Players Jerseys

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Roby

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10k Posts
Jul 27, 2008
13,241
11,516
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
It's been a belief of mine for a while that it's about time we start putting names on the players jerseys. The teams are professional enough but really it's not a massive expense.

Now it's because I do not know who the players are and need to be reminded. Actually most games I watch in the AFL I could probably tell you who the 44 players were without the need for commentators. But you have to take in consideration other supporters.

A lot of supporters do not watch eveyr game of AFL football. There is also many supporters of their own clubs who do not know their own players. Especially kids who are new to the game. I used the example of kids as they are the demographic who we would benefit the most from.

Kids would love to have a player jersey with the name Rioli or Franklin on the back of it. I wish when I was kid I still could have been able to keep a jersey with Di Pierdomenico or Dunstall instead of generic number.

Hawthorn has been an innovator of many things over the past. We could be the first club to have player names on the back. This would help massively with finances and marketing. Even new supporters would be able to identify with out players much more easily. It would help fans gravitate towards our team due to identifiable players. This could help us get more supporter and members. More poignantly a lot more kids will gravitate towards our club.

We would appear more progressive and professional but ultimately it's the ability to expose that brand which will have the biggest effect. With an increase in supporters, members, finances and a more passionate, connected supporter, it seems a like a no brainier for such a easy thing.
 
Sweet Lord No.

Would the kids be able to read the name on players back 30m away?
 

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Nup.
Numbers are awesome.

And they're guernseys anyway.

You don't remove numbers, you just add the players names.

P.S. They're are also called Jersey and Jumpers by the way. And this is the spelling for Guernsey. :)
 
So should we not have umpires miked or ads on TV because you can't get them live?

I don't want umpires miked and hows are TV ads relevant anyway? My point is that player names for those at the game are of limited value.

You do have a screen at the ground by the way, if you really need to use it.

Sure, but I don't need it very often. Who are we catering to again? The people at the ground who won't be able to read the lettering or the people watching on TV who get told who the players are by Denis or Bruce?
 

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Messenger you're not against increased supporters, members and income at the club are you? What is it you actually don't like about it?
 
Messenger you're not against increased supporters, members and income at the club are you? What is it you actually don't like about it?

I'm a fervent supporter of increased supporters, members and income, Roby.

I'm not of the belief that player's names on jumpers will deliver any of those to the club. I've know people who don't enjoy the game. Not sure any of them have walked away due to an inability to tell the difference between players.

For those who are yet to be converted there are surely bigger selling points than names on jumpers. Skill, pace, marking, physicality. The number of a player that catches your eye is an easily memorable marker. It's big, it's simple and easy to remember. Other less spectacular players won't enjoy that distinction, but having been drawn to a team by it's superstar, learning about the teammates must follow later.
 
Not totally adverse to the idea, but I see more value to the club keeping that spot for sponsorship as opposed to extra sales of guernseys.

Ultimately the big winner of such a move would be the collector and dealer of memorabilia more than anyone.
 

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Apart from the 50% at least of the time when the players backs aren't facing the camera. Not many commentators would be relying on reading the actual numbers when calling. They actually learn what the players look like. Numbers help sometimes sure, but names are definately not needed. They would just mess up the back of the jumper. Names, numbers, sponsors, no thanks. Most sports that have names and numbers don't have sponsors on the back.
 
Yeah and we should play with a round ball, that will be easier for people to use,

and maybe we should use a square ground and call it a pitch, that would also be easier,

chaging everything about our game to make it closer to soccer and the NFL, is not a good idea, the sooner people realise this the better
 
No

And it's a Guernsey.

Jersey is what rugby players wear

Strip is what soccer players wear

Jumper is an acceptable alternative in lieu of guernsey the others aren't
 

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