Ashley giving the tims a laugh at our expense (pun intended) - LC SF tee shirt !!

[buba3d 0]

LOL this club

[Frankie 8,600]

All laughing (and crying?) aside, just who at the club (or SD as we don't have a marketing department any longer) thought this would be a good idea?

 

There's nothing wrong with selling cheap t-shirts but not only is the concept behind this flawed, the club want to suggest you're disloyal if you don't buy one. Utterly bizarre - almost if they don't want fans supporting the club.

 

30,000 supporters have stopped attending games this season. Merchandise campaigns such as this won't see them rushing back.

[blueflag 386]

Loved the way they worded the email to look like tickets had gone on sale too haha. Plopped it open to see it was this hilarious t shirt. Dear lord

[Anchorman 0]

Daily Express take on it

 

'Rangers fans’ general disillusionment with the way their club is being run showed itself yesterday when punters were encouraged to snap up commemorative T-shirts for a mere League Cup semi-final. Supporters branded the merchandising ploy – ahead of February’s last-four clash with Celtic at Hampden – as a tacky embarrassment and an affront to the club’s previous status.'

[Zappa 0]

Maybe Ashley's people are trying to tell us this will be our last League Cup semi final.

[jhunter 0]

A picture says a thousand words. They wont need a lorry that big to shift the LC semi t-shirt anyway

 

I'd be more worried about what that truck is taking away from the stadium.

[der Berliner 3,764]

Daily Express take on it

 

'Rangers fans’ general disillusionment with the way their club is being run showed itself yesterday when punters were encouraged to snap up commemorative T-shirts for a mere League Cup semi-final. Supporters branded the merchandising ploy – ahead of February’s last-four clash with Celtic at Hampden – as a tacky embarrassment and an affront to the club’s previous status.'

 

Yes, it is an afront to the club's previous status. On the other hand, it is common sports retail / club practise in Europe, not so much in football, but other sports. E.g., earlier this season, my "local" basketball team Alba* Berlin (currently running away at the top of the league and getting to the next stage of the basketball equivalent of the Champions League) had a friendly game against NBA champs San Antonio Spurs. It was obviously a showcase game and a "friendly" for the Spurs, yet, Alba snatched a late victory. Class-wise, it was essentially like us beating ManU right now with a last gasp goal. Friendly or not, the Alba PR machine started rolling and you can buy scarves and t-shirts commemorating this feat. Essentially from a few days after the game onwards.

 

It obviously is commercially milking the support, yet, that is how these teams (not least in the US of A) are making millions, or in Alba's case, getting much needed financial back up. Should we stay in the good old days then? Not exactly a way ahead, I would assume? Our problem though is that you never know how many pence of each such shirt will actually end up with the club and not SD. Are we the laughing stock over in Yahooland because of that shirt? With the support no doubt. Yet, rest assured, people in their PR and commercial department will think: why didn't we come up with this idea?!

 

*Nothing to do with Scotland, btw.

Edited December 18, 2014 by der Berliner

[Frankie 8,600]

Yip, Celtic will definitely be jealous that we (or Sports Direct at least) sold a few dozen t-shirts at £8, embarrassing the club and support in the process.

 

What a commercial, marketing and PR master-stroke.

 

Meanwhile, in the real world....

[Anchorman 0]

Are we the laughing stock over in Yahooland because of that shirt? With the support no doubt. Yet, rest assured, people in their PR and commercial department will think: why didn't we come up with this idea?!

 

You are so far out of the park with that assessment you will need a ticket to get back in. The people in their PR Dept will be pissing themselves laughing and to think otherwise.......I will stop there!!!

[Rangersitis 0]

Yes, it is an afront to the club's previous status. On the other hand, it is common sports retail / club practise in Europe, not so much in football, but other sports. E.g., earlier this season, my "local" basketball team Alba* Berlin (currently running away at the top of the league and getting to the next stage of the basketball equivalent of the Champions League) had a friendly game against NBA champs San Antonio Spurs. It was obviously a showcase game and a "friendly" for the Spurs, yet, Alba snatched a late victory. Class-wise, it was essentially like us beating ManU right now with a last gasp goal. Friendly or not, the Alba PR machine started rolling and you can buy scarves and t-shirts commemorating this feat. Essentially from a few days after the game onwards.

 

It obviously is commercially milking the support, yet, that is how these teams (not least in the US of A) are making millions, or in Alba's case, getting much needed financial back up. Should we stay in the good old days then? Not exactly a way ahead, I would assume? Our problem though is that you never know how many pence of each such shirt will actually end up with the club and not SD. Are we the laughing stock over in Yahooland because of that shirt? With the support no doubt. Yet, rest assured, people in their PR and commercial department will think: why didn't we come up with this idea?!

 

*Nothing to do with Scotland, btw.

 

Breathtaking!