Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 19:14     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:
it's not their contract it's the club makes money off selling more gear.


It's probably both. The club puts it in the contract so they can make more $$
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 18:18     Subject: Re:Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:If you can afford the 2500 - 3500 to make yourself feel like your kids a selected travel player, you can afford the 300 for a uniform. send your kid to El Salvador and get a free kit if they could actually make a team. #whiteprivledge


No offense but all the Salvadorans are coming here - and have been the majority immigrant population to this region for 30 years. Play on nearly any great team in DMV and you likely already have one you are passing to in a final.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 18:11     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have no issue with new game uniforms every two years. I DO have an issue with teams that require uniforms for practice. That is just insane.


I disagree. We just left a club for many reasons but one of them being, that the club had no culture around this. Kids had practice uniforms that they bought but would show up wearing whatever. Basketball t-shirts, different colored socks on each leg—you name it. Looked like a rec club if you happened to be checking out the club as a prospective player, or if you were a competing club sharing the same field.


You left a club because they didn't have a required practice kit?

I guess we come from different points of view on this. I am proud that our team doesn't feel the need to expect parents to spend money and coaches to spend energy buying and enforcing uniforms. Who cares if the look like a rec team when people are passing by? I'm glad our team, ranked consistently 2-5 in the state, shows who it is when the players step on the field, and not because parents have shelled about more money just to look the part. But I'm also the person who drives cars into the ground and is still using the same coat and handbag I purchased 10+ years ago.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 18:04     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:I have no issue with new game uniforms every two years. I DO have an issue with teams that require uniforms for practice. That is just insane.


I disagree. We just left a club for many reasons but one of them being, that the club had no culture around this. Kids had practice uniforms that they bought but would show up wearing whatever. Basketball t-shirts, different colored socks on each leg—you name it. Looked like a rec club if you happened to be checking out the club as a prospective player, or if you were a competing club sharing the same field.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 16:37     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:Mclean’s uniforms this year are horrendous! I truly think they had an elementary school student design them. Random logos all over the place.
Oooh, pic? Can't be worse than the Virginia Union Orange/Green combo.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 16:08     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What’s worse is paying more money for the kit because the club has a uniform sponsor. So the club gets money from the sponsor, but the families have to pay more to have the logo screened on.

It would be interesting to see what the incentives are for the club in these contracts.


Sponsors offset family costs. If there were no sponsors then families would need to pay even more. Like any business these clubs need to cover their expenses and make some profit.


They may offset some other costs, but for this club the addition of the logo added cost to the kit. Last season some of the programs had sponsors, others didn’t. The jersey was identical except one had the sponsor - and the one with the sponsor was $5 more (25 rather than 20). So across 2 pairs of game shorts, 2 game jerseys, multiple practice jerseys it adds up. It’s great that the club gets some money from the sponsor, but for our club it’s probably 25k more the families have to spend.


$25 for a game jersey sounds like a steal. Ours are $49 each and we need to get two.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 15:35     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What’s worse is paying more money for the kit because the club has a uniform sponsor. So the club gets money from the sponsor, but the families have to pay more to have the logo screened on.

It would be interesting to see what the incentives are for the club in these contracts.


Sponsors offset family costs. If there were no sponsors then families would need to pay even more. Like any business these clubs need to cover their expenses and make some profit.


They may offset some other costs, but for this club the addition of the logo added cost to the kit. Last season some of the programs had sponsors, others didn’t. The jersey was identical except one had the sponsor - and the one with the sponsor was $5 more (25 rather than 20). So across 2 pairs of game shorts, 2 game jerseys, multiple practice jerseys it adds up. It’s great that the club gets some money from the sponsor, but for our club it’s probably 25k more the families have to spend.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 15:09     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:Anyone have any thoughts on sturdiest brands? Kids have capelli right now and I’m not impressed, falling apart pretty fast even when air dryed. They’re switching to Adidas and hoping that will last longer in terms of still looking nice.


Adidas is far superior to Capelli. When our first Capelli package arrived I almost laughed. And while each item was cheaper, the package they made us buy added up to as much as our old Adidas kit.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 15:03     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:I have no issue with new game uniforms every two years. I DO have an issue with teams that require uniforms for practice. That is just insane.


Mclean required us to buy new socks as part of the uniform package and one of the pairs was $20!
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 15:02     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Mclean’s uniforms this year are horrendous! I truly think they had an elementary school student design them. Random logos all over the place.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 14:25     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Sponsors go right to club pockets and don't reduce the cost for families at all.


It absolutely reduces family costs. Do you think family payments are enough to cover all the club's expenses and that they would be breaking even if not for the sponsors? Without the sponsorships you would be paying even more.

Also, when other businesses do extra things to make more profits, we don't say they are taking advantage of their customers. If a restaurant sells hats and t-shirts to make additional revenue streams do you say they are sticking it to their food customers? I don't get why clubs are the bad guys when they are just another business trying to make a profit that we are free to choose to buy their product or not. They aren't tricking us or hiding costs.


Our club doesn't use sponsors and the fees are less than most other neighboring clubs, so not sure I concur. Not saying it's a highly lucrative industry, just that you don't have to have your kids be walking billboards to make it work.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 14:17     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:Sponsors go right to club pockets and don't reduce the cost for families at all.


It absolutely reduces family costs. Do you think family payments are enough to cover all the club's expenses and that they would be breaking even if not for the sponsors? Without the sponsorships you would be paying even more.

Also, when other businesses do extra things to make more profits, we don't say they are taking advantage of their customers. If a restaurant sells hats and t-shirts to make additional revenue streams do you say they are sticking it to their food customers? I don't get why clubs are the bad guys when they are just another business trying to make a profit that we are free to choose to buy their product or not. They aren't tricking us or hiding costs.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 13:49     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
I have no issue with new game uniforms every two years. I DO have an issue with teams that require uniforms for practice. That is just insane.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 13:42     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Sponsors go right to club pockets and don't reduce the cost for families at all.
Anonymous
Post 07/20/2023 13:40     Subject: Mandatory uniform purchases every 2 years?
Anonymous wrote:What’s worse is paying more money for the kit because the club has a uniform sponsor. So the club gets money from the sponsor, but the families have to pay more to have the logo screened on.

It would be interesting to see what the incentives are for the club in these contracts.


Sponsors offset family costs. If there were no sponsors then families would need to pay even more. Like any business these clubs need to cover their expenses and make some profit.