Merchandise : Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:25 am
I was in a shop in Windsor (NSW) at the weekend and was stunned at the range of NRL merchandise.Scarfs, flags, car flags, varieties of wigs, key fobs, badges, replica shirts, retro shirts, T-shirts, polo shirts, trainers, dinner plates, mugs, glasses, shorts, socks, babywear, stickers, bibs, baby dinner sets, beer fridges, stationary sets, pens, pencils, hoodies, alarm clocks, beenies, watches, wine bottle bags, stickers for wheelie bins, cufflinks, lanyards, belt buckles, yo-yo's, stubby holders, hats, wine bottle coolers, whiskey decanters, underwear, shot glasses, number plates, bottle openers, car floor mats, car seat covers, duvet covers, fluffy car dice, pendants, boxer shorts, figurines, etc, etc......
The list goes on and on. The only thing I didnt see was club branded toilet paper. I would happily buy a 12 pack of Bulls branded bog roll and put it to good use by the way.
Anyway, all this stuff is not only club branded, but official NRL merchandise. When you look closely at much of it, its all the same just with a different crest. Great idea and the stuff was selling by the bucket load.
Sooooo, why dont Championship clubs band together and do the same? Not wishing to encourage Starbug, but I think he too has long suggested such a principle. With interest waning and revenues down in the Championship it makes sense, it just needs one forward thinking club to take the initiative (Mike?). That is assuming the RFL havnt banned them from doing it of course, which I have to say wouldnt surprise me in the least.