Names on the back of jumpers - good or bad?

[Handsuper47]

I liked the look of it, but I prefer to stick with what we have.. if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

It doesn't. People just don't like change despite the fact that it virtually makes no difference to the game at all.

So....what's the point of having it? Why introduce something that has no effect other than to upset some fans?

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

well, for me personally, i dont go to watch a specific player, i go to watch my TEAM, i dont care what number they wear, and plastering a name on the back just makes the game more individualistic, about the player not the team

so, its not mandatory YET, this is the AFL we are talking about, they micromanage everything

And finally, if the commentators did their job, rather than rambling on about the price of lattes and quail, then the viewer wouldnt need to identify the players, the commentators would be doing it for them!

Yes, this is a point that is lost on a lot of people. Aussie Rules is perhaps the epitome of a team game and the fact that a player represents a number for a club (rather than themselves) is representative of that. The club and the number will go on forever, players come and go. We have large easily seen numbers that can be used for identification purposes if the commentators haven't already done it for you. The way the jumpers are now (without names) is totally in keeping with and reflects the intrinsic nature of our sport. The argument that "other codes have done it, about time we caught up" is ridiculous. Why do we have to 'catch up' with anyone, we should be doing our own thing and not copying any other codes. Sounds like the old cultural cringe to me.

 

[Greatness23]

So....what's the point of having it? Why introduce something that has no effect other than to upset some fans?

Evidently 'some fans' are always going to find things to be upset with.

 

[evo]

Atrocious. Just yet another appeal to the casual observer/ soccer mom type.

 

[TheMcGrathMan]

What do you mean? The next player comes along and has his name above the number.

I think retiring makes it even more special, for instance if I have my 2015 PENDLEBURY 10 jumper, and in 15 years when he's out of the game and there is a new #10 I can make a point of showing all the young whipper snappers who the real number 10 was.

Then I can be all crotchety and whiney like all the people complaining about 'tradition breaking' in this thread!

I agree with you mate, I was just adding to the stupid arguments.

 

[TheMcGrathMan]

Then:
"What's on TV tonight? .. oh Aussie Rules ... ohhh no I have no idea who these people are, what else is on?"

Now:
"What's on TV tonight? .. oh Aussie Rules ... ohhh if I wait for the replay I'll know who kicked that goal, I'll watch this sport forever now!"

They're not going to watch a sport because they know the names. Nobody would watch half the Olympic events if this were the case. How do you think soccer fans learn players names? From the jumper?
No, it's from commentary and what they look like, their gait, height, strength, kicking style etc.

I don't understand shooting down the 'tradition' argument without having an opposing argument that makes sense. Yes, it will change regardless, doesn't mean people need to be happy about it.

Nice hyperbole.

Also, I doubt that someones gait or kicking style is more recognisable than their name on their back...

 

[Damon_3388]

They're too small!

 

[andrew coombs]

If your watching on TV the commentators tell you who the player is ( unless its D Russell who will usually stuff that up ) and if you are at the game you can't read the name. Piss it off.

 

[Cleavy]

the game moves too fast to be able to focus and read a segment of a name on the back of the jumper

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

For all the people whinging about being "Americanised" (ignoring that soccer jumpers from all over the world have names on the back), at least the Yanks don't plaster sponsor logos all over the back/front of their uniforms.

Except of course, that's been widely-accepted to be precisely the reason that the NBA is experimenting with sleeved jerseys, so that there's more space for a company logo or two.

Names would look good and work fine, if you don't have the sponsors taking up so much real estate. Look at the back of NBA/NHL/NFL jumpers ... there really is nothing wrong with them, and it does help to identify players on TV broadcasts.

The whole point of the exercise is to make more money from the sales of guernseys. And if they take the sponsor's logo off the back and keep the names, they'd probably lose money overall. So, no, it wouldn't 'work fine'; it would have the opposite result to what was intended.

 

[Wooljay]

Atrocious. Just yet another appeal to the casual observer/ soccer mom type.

Exactly. We should be only catering towards the frothers like us!

In fact, can we remove numbers as well? If you don't know every single player by sight alone you're a goddamn filthy casual and you shouldn't be allowed to attend matches.

 

[Greatness23]

Exactly. We should be only catering towards the frothers like us!

In fact, can we remove numbers as well? If you don't know every single player by sight alone you're a goddamn filthy casual and you shouldn't be allowed to attend matches.

Should probably scrap team uniforms all together. Everyone should know their players anyways...

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Exactly. We should be only catering towards the frothers like us!

In fact, can we remove numbers as well? If you don't know every single player by sight alone you're a goddamn filthy casual and you shouldn't be allowed to attend matches.

What on earth are you talking about? I don't think I've seen anyone in here saying that the names on the back helped them identify the players in the slightest. Which anyone with sense would have been able to predict well before it was trialled, from years of watching other sports and seeing how indistinguishable the names on the back of the players' warm up shirts have been over the years.

 

[Wooljay]

What on earth are you talking about? I don't think I've seen anyone in here saying that the names on the back helped them identify the players in the slightest. Which anyone with sense would have been able to predict well before it was trialled, from years of watching other sports and seeing how indistinguishable the names on the back of the players' warm up shirts have been over the years.

Maybe not in the current incarnation of the layout of the names, perhaps if they were larger and we actually had HD coverage on TV we'd be able to see them better. You can definitely see the names when they zoom in on the ball carrier/CBDs etc.

I'm not saying it's going to make everyone a more knowledgeable football watcher, but there have been dozens of people in this thread implying that we shouldn't be making it easier for people to follow AFL because they are just casual viewers with no real commitment. That's a disgraceful sentiment, and that's why I made my point.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Matthews idea of having the name bigger and the number smaller is absolutely terrible.

Please don't do that.

Yep. Didn't notice the names but had no difficulty identifying players. Don't change the numbers.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Maybe not in the current incarnation of the layout of the names, perhaps if they were larger and we actually had HD coverage on TV we'd be able to see them better. You can definitely see the names when they zoom in on the ball carrier/CBDs etc.

How can they be larger? The fonts all need to be a standard size, whether the name is 'DAW' or 'KENNEDY-HARRIS' and they obviously would have chosen to make them as big as they possibly can to fit some of the longer names on the tight, sleeveless guernseys that are standard for AFL players.

I also think the distinction should be made between seeing the name of a player that you're actually interested in seeing at that particular moment (useful) and seeing the name of a random defender that happens to be wandering across the foreground of the camera shot and really had nothing to do with the specific play (not useful). I'd suggest there would be a lot more of the 'not useful' moments than there would be of the 'useful' ones. And that you're more likely to get a player's name when he's lining up for goal because there will be a graphic with his name and statistics showing.

I'm not saying it's going to make everyone a more knowledgeable football watcher, but there have been dozens of people in this thread implying that we shouldn't be making it easier for people to follow AFL because they are just casual viewers with no real commitment. That's a disgraceful sentiment, and that's why I made my point.

I agree. I really DGAF about the 'Americanisation' argument, nor do I really think it actually looks especially bad. It just doesn't serve the stated purpose.

 

[frednirk]

I like it. Would make **** all difference at the ground but helps on tv. Can't imagine why anyone would complain about it

Yes, having names on the back would definitely help at the game.

 

[Matchu]

So....what's the point of having it? Why introduce something that has no effect other than to upset some fans?

Money obviously. Think about it from the AFL's perspective.

 

[frednirk]

Hey that's so weird. That picture is the 2008 hawks vs saints prelim. That is not a photoshop job either.

Look at the 50m line? Says 150. I didn't wake up in a parallell universe did i? It's meant to be 50 right?

 

[Crawb]

Yes, having names on the back would definitely help at the game.

Yes, they wouldn't help at the ground, that is literally what he said...

 

[Micksy]

Hey that's so weird. That picture is the 2008 hawks vs saints prelim. That is not a photoshop job either.

Look at the 50m line? Says 150. I didn't wake up in a parallell universe did i? It's meant to be 50 right?

AFL's 150th year?

And by AFL I think they meant since the writing of the first rules or the first game.

 

[I am Jack]

It looks ridiculous. Hopefully Gil actually has a few original ideas when he takes charge.

 

[Boxhead_31]

I like them. Got to know the names of some lesser knowns.

Like whom?

 

[Boxhead_31]

Its rubbish.

Can't read them on TV and I bet they can't be read at the ground.

This "its for the benefit of the fans" BS is just spin. Its for nothing more than money. Little Johnny wants a jumper just like his favourite player. So mum and dad spend $80 for a jumper, $10 for a number (or $20 if he has a two digit number) and then another $X for a name as well. Then the player moves to a new club and Johnny needs another jumper because he can't wear that player's name anymore because he doesn't like him. Rinse and repeat.

Most of the people I'm seeing liking it are current or former players. Why? Because its an ego boost for them. Its going to ruin the tradition of numbers being handed down from player to player. It will be all about the individual.

They don't look good, they don't help with player recognition, and we'll lose a bit of tradition. Scrap it.