Northampton town

[Daggers]

Look at the average attendance for the Cobblers over the last twenty seasons - notice anything? Aside from the correlated effects of promotion and relegation, attendance is static.

Strip away the emotive aspect to any of the posts in this thread and you're left with one alternative for the club - build the brand! The club has been working on its "global brand image" for the best part of quarter of a century and so far it's failed to break into the lucrative Far East markets like Man Utd. The team exists on a very small core of support bolstered by part-time kids and people like me with a soft spot for the local side. This fact has remained regardless of any approach.

You may not like it, but it's an avenue of essential income generation by small teams and would not have been adopted if there were workable alternatives.

It's a small-town team, I'm sure that if any of you think up an actual alternative for retaining support or raising extra income they'd be delighted to hear it: 01604 683700

[Guest Mee-9]

I always thought Club shops should sell just their club merchandise. I can see why Northampton are doing it, Bang an extra fiver on the price, and theres some profit. It's sad they have to do it.

If its Man Utd or Weymouth FC they should just sell club merchandise.

That bloke who sells Man Utd and Arsenal scarfs near the Walkers needs shooting.

[Guest]

I always thought Club shops should sell just their club merchandise. I can see why Northampton are doing it, Bang an extra fiver on the price, and theres some profit. It's sad they have to do it.

That's how I feel about it. It's a sad indictment of footballing society.

[Fosse Boy]

That bloke who sells Man Utd and Arsenal scarfs near the Walkers needs shooting.

I'd do it but I just love his pin badges.

[Daggers]

Real talk. I'm sure Asda could make a few extra quid shifting Waitrose brand products but they know it's better to build up a loyal following that's going to come there every week for the rest of their lives, rather than giving them a taste of something they can fvck off to when they've got a few extra quid.

You're a lovely bloke, you're funny and everything - but...

NTFC = Asda?

:laugh:

[The Doctor]

Look at the average attendance for the Cobblers over the last twenty seasons - notice anything? Aside from the correlated effects of promotion and relegation, attendance is static.

Strip away the emotive aspect to any of the posts in this thread and you're left with one alternative for the club - build the brand! The club has been working on its "global brand image" for the best part of quarter of a century and so far it's failed to break into the lucrative Far East markets like Man Utd. The team exists on a very small core of support bolstered by part-time kids and people like me with a soft spot for the local side. This fact has remained regardless of any approach.

You may not like it, but it's an avenue of essential income generation by small teams and would not have been adopted if there were workable alternatives.

It's a small-town team, I'm sure that if any of you think up an actual alternative for retaining support or raising extra income they'd be delighted to hear it: 01604 683700

really? How many other small club sell merchandise from the big clubs.

It's utterly cringe worthy and there are plenty of alternatives(there has got to be some products out their they haven't slapped a club badge on and sold : Chopping boards, table cloths, etc.)

and if they're doing this to encourage more young fans to come then they really are going the wrong way about getting more fans - rather than selling other clubs merchandise they should be putting out offers to entice families to start coming to matches on a regular basis.

[Daggers]

really? How many other small club sell merchandise from the big clubs.

It's utterly cringe worthy and there are plenty of alternatives(there has got to be some products out their they haven't slapped a club badge on and sold : Chopping boards, table cloths, etc.)

and if they're doing this to encourage more young fans to come then they really are going the wrong way about getting more fans - rather than selling other clubs merchandise they should be putting out offers to entice families to start coming to matches on a regular basis.

This is getting tedious now - what do you think they've been doing since the 80's? And what have other clubs got to do with the price of fish? Amazingly, and this may come as a shock to you, if this trial pays off then you'll be seeing similar schemes at loads of other small clubs.

Stockholding costs are minimal because the only cost factors will be merchandising the display, the impressive idea of a chopping board you came up with would entail capital being tied up in the product itself...and, without market research to prove otherwise, would sell like a sack of shit.

Kids turn up at the Walkers wearing all manner of Premiership shirts - fuck, I've even seen adults wearing Premiership merchandise. So far, not one of you has contributed a single reasonable alternative or come up with anything other than a knee-jerk emotive reflex.

It is a sad indictment of the current situation in football, where clubs are going out of business for debts which could be wiped out using the loose change in a top player's pocket. But, without a restructuring of the way we reward clubs and/or control their costs what genuine alternatives are there?

[Jay]

I see this as a good commercial decision from the club, they are a small club and I imagine will get very limited numbers of customers on non match days. If you can get more people into the shop on non matchdays by selling other shirts, football boots, goalkeeper gloves etc and basically turning your shop into a one stop football shop then it makes great business sense, creating money to come back into the club

[davieG]

This is getting tedious now - what do you think they've been doing since the 80's? And what have other clubs got to do with the price of fish? Amazingly, and this may come as a shock to you, if this trial pays off then you'll be seeing similar schemes at loads of other small clubs.

Stockholding costs are minimal because the only cost factors will be merchandising the display, the impressive idea of a chopping board you came up with would entail capital being tied up in the product itself...and, without market research to prove otherwise, would sell like a sack of shit.

Kids turn up at the Walkers wearing all manner of Premiership shirts - fook, I've even seen adults wearing Premiership merchandise. So far, not one of you has contributed a single reasonable alternative or come up with anything other than a knee-jerk emotive reflex.

It is a sad indictment of the current situation in football, where clubs are going out of business for debts which could be wiped out using the loose change in a top player's pocket. But, without a restructuring of the way we reward clubs and/or control their costs what genuine alternatives are there?

Create the Northampton Cheerleaders who are prepared to sell their bodies for the good of their football club. It could include males fans - it would certainly test their 'til I die' proclamations!

[Shrenchel]

You're a lovely bloke, you're funny and everything - but...

NTFC = Asda?

:laugh:

Well whatever, they're a housing estate Happy Shopper run by some old hag that stinks like a fisherman's boot then. Doesn't change the principle.

[Daggers]

Well whatever, they're a housing estate Happy Shopper run by some old hag that stinks like a fisherman's boot then. Doesn't change the principle.

I reckon you've got it nailed on - they are Happy Shopper.

But every single Happy Shopper in the country also stocks main brands in order to boost what would otherwise be piss poor sales on the back of products which taste of arse.

[Shrenchel]

Well clearly, on account of it's a shop. They stock Heinz and Walkers though, not Budgens own brand or Tesco own brand or the brand of any other shop which their loyal customers might fvck off to because they think that stuff is superior.

Anyway, I think this analogy is all shagged out.

[Edmund]

How dare they raise money those tinpot ******. Kick them out the football league!!

[James.]

I'm yet to hear a decent argument as to why this idea will actually raise any significant amount of revenue. NTFC will not benefit from the same economies of scale as established sports shops which makes it highly unlikely they will be able to compete on price. They will also not be able to stock the same variety of goods as a normal sports store. Given that they are already situated next to a retail park what makes people think that this scheme will make any long lasting difference to the club's finances?

[Jordan]

Bury were selling Premier League clubs' merchandise in their shop back in the early '00s (to be fair, their finances were knee deep in poo). IIRC, one Bury fan was so offended by this that he mailed a knife to the club. Then club mailed him a very much tongue-in-cheek letter...

...that was printed on Manchester United letterhead.

[Daggers]

I'm yet to hear a decent argument as to why this idea will actually raise any significant amount of revenue. NTFC will not benefit from the same economies of scale as established sports shops which makes it highly unlikely they will be able to compete on price. They will also not be able to stock the same variety of goods as a normal sports store. Given that they are already situated next to a retail park what makes people think that this scheme will make any long lasting difference to the club's finances?

Significant? Define that. Any additional income to a club in the fourth tier is significant and if you fail to find that a decent argument there's absolutely no point prolonging this discussion.

Long lasting? Is that a stated aim? From what I am aware, they aren't trying top compete with sports stores. You entirely miss the point of this being impulse purchase driven in order to add to the revenue generated by the shop. If it doesn't work then it will be dropped but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be trialled.

[LCFC-ARAB]

I can see both sides of the argument

If this is what is needed for clubs to make money and not go bust like Chester then it's what they have to do, as much as i do think its sad

it just proves what a state the football business is in in this country

[Webbo]

Significant? Define that. Any additional income to a club in the fourth tier is significant and if you fail to find that a decent argument there's absolutely no point prolonging this discussion.

Long lasting? Is that a stated aim? From what I am aware, they aren't trying top compete with sports stores. You entirely miss the point of this being impulse purchase driven in order to add to the revenue generated by the shop. If it doesn't work then it will be dropped but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be trialled.

I think it's terribly sad that NTFC have stooped this low. I also don't blame them one bit. Business is business and if this helps to keep them in business then it's a good idea.

[James.]

You entirely miss the point of this being impulse purchase driven in order to add to the revenue generated by the shop. If it doesn't work then it will be dropped but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be trialled.

Do you think it will be successful? This is potentially where we diverge. By all means they can trial it, I'm just of the opinion that it's a poor idea that won't last.

In terms of alternatives I'm no marketing guru and I also know very little about NTFC... BUT how about:

1. Increasing presence in local community (possibly through going out to schools, local clubs, etc - open days, training sessions, etc).

2. The classic "special deals" for season ticket holders (but using schemes that actually work - don't Derby do good stuff?)

3. Kids for a £1 (longer term benefits - develop loyalty to the club that pays off in future years).

4. Loyalty cards in club shop (1 point for every £1 spent, redeem agaist future purchases).

They may already run these and I don't have time to give much more thought but off the top of my head they seem like reasonable alternatives.

[Daggers]

Do you think it will be successful? This is potentially where we diverge. By all means they can trial it, I'm just of the opinion that it's a poor idea that won't last.

In terms of alternatives I'm no marketing guru and I also know very little about NTFC... BUT how about:

1. Increasing presence in local community (possibly through going out to schools, local clubs, etc - open days, training sessions, etc).

2. The classic "special deals" for season ticket holders (but using schemes that actually work - don't Derby do good stuff?)

3. Kids for a £1 (longer term benefits - develop loyalty to the club that pays off in future years).

4. Loyalty cards in club shop (1 point for every £1 spent, redeem agaist future purchases).

They may already run these and I don't have time to give much more thought but off the top of my head they seem like reasonable alternatives.

I have no idea whether it'll be successful - but I'm not privy to what they have set as success criteria for it. It comes back to my point about definitions and, remembering the days where they almost went under in the 80s, almost any income is beneficial to keeping the club going. I do know that the club has tried everything that any other club has already done and met with indifferent results.

Compared to City, the Cobblers hand over a far greater percentage of their matchday tickets as freebies and incentives; they've done the deals, they're immersed in the community and they've done loyalty schemes. They've even given away holidays with season tickets this season and they've heavily subsidised family tickets at times. You name it, they've tried it. You could pick up bargain tickets for them through the Sun this season and there are buckets of tickets being given away by EON every month.

How do you increase revenue when you are doing everything possible, everything being done by other clubs? By doing the things no one else is doing, by doing the things people tell you that you can't.

I don't know if it will be a success - but I suspect it will herald a number of other small clubs do the same thing.

[davieG]

Does anyone know if they've tried selling foreign clubs gear. I'd have thought that might provide a similar degree of success without being as potentially detrimental to the long term support levels.

When I went to Italy the kit there seemed to be considerably cheaper, not sure if it's still the same but could provide a higher mark up.

[Daggers]

Does anyone know if they've tried selling foreign clubs gear. I'd have thought that might provide a similar degree of success without being as potentially detrimental to the long term support levels.

When I went to Italy the kit there seemed to be considerably cheaper, not sure if it's still the same but could provide a higher mark up.

Don't reckon you can have foreign gear on 'sale or return'.

[Daggers]

Northampton Town, a salt of the Earth club

[Nick]

Northampton Town, a salt of the Earth club

Cobblers.

[Daggers]

Cobblers.

Phone me.