Names on the back of jumpers - good or bad?

[Morris Major]

Concrete proof that this is all simply a marketing exercise? Today, Jay Kennedy-Harris had "K-HARRIS" above his number as the full name wouldn't have fit. That's fine. But the same principle should have been applied to Lewis Roberts-Thomson on Saturday.

Instead, because the media love calling him LRT, and he loves getting called LRT, the AFL decide to put the grammatically incorrect and quite frankly stupid abbreviation of "L.R.T" on his jumper instead of "R-THOMSON" as it should have been.

This isn't about identifying players at all – it's about making a quick buck.

Yup. the whole LRT thing just looks so unprofessional.

No issue with the AFL trying to make a buck, no one is forced to buy them, and everyone who does seems pretty happy about it

 

[basashi]

Just have them identifiable by the team shorts and socks!!

If you can't sense who the players are and what they are doing with your eyes closed then they should kill you if you try to even think about the footy.

 

[basashi]

There is only one reason the afl is doing this, cashola.

Yep, that covers most of why everyone tries to do their job better. And better it is!

 

[joop]

Yep, that covers most of why everyone tries to do their job better. And better it is!

Ha, if money is the reason everyone tries to do something better then me and you live in different worlds brother

 

[ManWithNoName]

I don't think anyone has any issue with clubs selling jumpers with names on them. But if we're all agreed that the sole reason is money, then why the need for the players to wear them on a permanent basis?

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

You don't think maybe the property steward at the Swans just asked him which option he wanted printed?
.

Why does he get a choice?? Shouldn't it be standard across the competition. What happened if Buddy wanted Buddy on the back?? Can McVeigh ask to have McViegh-Daddy as that's what he wants people to call him??

Can someone request 'Shagger' on the back??

Just shows that again the AFL look to implement something and then do it half-assed.

Goal-Line Review system, Interchange steward (remember the post-it notes!!), Interchange caps, now this.

 

[basashi]

I don't think anyone has any issue with clubs selling jumpers with names on them. But if we're all agreed that the sole reason is money, then why the need for the players to wear them on a permanent basis?

The sole reason is improving the viewing experience which will result in money.

 

[basashi]

Ha, if money is the reason everyone tries to do something better then me and you live in different worlds brother

Most and all

different concepts.

besides whether you do it for the improved experience or for the cash.... we all agree it is a great idea.

 

[ManWithNoName]

The sole reason is improving the viewing experience which will result in money.

You can't see them 95% of the time, and 100% of the time at the ground. So it does little to improve the viewing experience.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Connolly thinks it was a dud:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/riskfree-football-does-fans-no-favours-20140420-zqx3n.html

 

[chop_me]

I also live abroad and actually I didnt know what Bastinac looked like either, until a few weeks ago.

Know how I figured it out? (without google or without using one of the 3 afl apps I have on my smart phone)

I looked at his face after i heard his name mentioned...

Try it.

The best time to read the names on the jumpers (and to put a name to a face) is when the player is standing around stoppages or after a goal (ie when nothing is happening).. Rarely are their names called out during this time.

Whenever a player's name is called out, it's not usually in a close-up shot - thus making it harder to identify ?

 

[The Dice Man]

This effects my life in no way whatsoever.

 

[scout]

Wondering about the logic of using "L-R-T".

if someone is new enough to football not to recognise Lewis Roberts-Thompson then they probably won't understand the nickname.

 

[shaqsuns]

I like the concept Except for k-Harris and l-r-t just Roberts-Thompson and Kennedy-Harris in smaller font


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fitzroy_lions123]

I don't think anyone has any issue with clubs selling jumpers with names on them. But if we're all agreed that the sole reason is money, then why the need for the players to wear them on a permanent basis?

Kids will be wanting what their favourite player is wearing on match day.

I feel like this is going around in circles and people have thick heads to realising why this will help . . . . .

 

[estibador]

Controversial opinion (WOooOooooOoOoOooOoooOO) why don't we take the back sponsor, plaster it across the front of the jumper and make the numbers and names larger will reduce the clutter tenfold

There's plenty of space to move the sponsor down an inch on every team's jumper.

Leaves plenty of space for the names to be bigger, especially considering they aren't even using all the space they've already got.

 

[estibador]

For the record, I legit had no idea who is number 12 for North and don't know whose head that is the back of. Funnily enough I now know that's Lindsay Thomas. Wonder why.

I also couldn't pick Zach Tuohy out of a lineup, but after seeing he name on his jumper at 3/4 time on Sunday, I can now pick him even from a distance. As someone who listens to the radio for footy over watching on TV regularly, I found it immensely helpful to put a face to the names of the fringe players of opposition clubs.

Despite the buzz about him, I had no idea what Sam Mayes looked like until this round.

Saw his name on his shirt during warm ups, got a good look at him, and was able to pick him out by sight for the rest of the match.

 

[DangerSloane]

So after 8 games of it I've been proven 100% right

Its is of ZERO use to the fans as you cannot see them (at the ground or on TV) at all until theres a closeup of a player on the screen.
The names go over the GPS patch, so are bent and hard to read even if they do go closeup
The umpires dont need it, they know who players are
The commentators dont need it, they know who players are

So really its a cash grab, put them on guernseys you can buy at the team store, and leave it at that.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

So after 8 games of it I've been proven 100% right

Its is of ZERO use to the fans as you cannot see them (at the ground or on TV) at all until theres a closeup of a player on the screen.
The names go over the GPS patch, so are bent and hard to read even if they do go closeup
The umpires dont need it, they know who players are
The commentators dont need it, they know who players are

So really its a cash grab, put them on guernseys you can buy at the team store, and leave it at that.

100% right that no one in the afl cares what you think.

 

[getgaff]

Its is of ZERO use to the fans as you cannot see them (at the ground or on TV) at all until theres a closeup of a player on the screen.
The names go over the GPS patch, so are bent and hard to read even if they do go closeup
The umpires dont need it, they know who players are
The commentators dont need it, they know who players are

All valid points except last one. There is a minority of commentators are shocking with player names

 

[Gibbsy]

You don't think maybe the property steward at the Swans just asked him which option he wanted printed?

He shouldn't have the option in the first place – or else it'll come to the point where Johnson will have "STEVIE J" on his back

 

[ManWithNoName]

100% right that no one in the afl cares what you think.

So you'd agree nobody cares what you think either.

Glad we finally cleared that up.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

So you'd agree nobody cares what you think either.

Glad we finally cleared that up.

Most probably. But that's exactly right. They don't care what we think. They'll do what they want.

 

[HFF]

Looks fantastic, will add $$$$ to the game and allows players to be recognizable too.

Working a treat and should be made permanent immediately.

 

[seanoff]

Left field suggestion.

Sponsors at the top

Names at the bottom bigger font