Mumsnet calls for an end to Premiership kit rip-off

[KatieMumsnet]

As you might have seen we're writing to Premiership clubs, asking them to stop ripping off young fans with their replica kits. When we did our Family Friendly survey back in February 80% of you who responded said they thought football club merchandise ripped off families. We've now done the maths and the average Premiership kit for an eight year old retails at almost £60, rising to £80+ if you include getting the latest logos and player names. We know a similar (non-branded) kit at M&S costs £27, so are asking (very nicely of course) if the Premiership clubs couldn't produce a more affordable kit for their junior fans as they do for their toddlers.

As JustineMumsnet said in our press release "it's really hard to be the parent who says 'no' to the requests for the latest kits but these days you need a small fortune to buy a complete replica."

We'll keep you updated as the clubs respond to our letter, but let us know your thoughts, and of course if you want to tweet your club in support, that would be fine and lovely.

[GypsyMoth]

For little kids I agree with this

However I have found once they are 7/8 they don't want a full mini kit either and need just the shirt. That shirt is then (ime) worn and worn and worn and pays for itself really.

They also wash well, are pretty much dry straightaway and font need ironing!!!

They can be quite a bargain!! ( Chelsea fans btw!)

[Tee2072]

My son is too young to want these things and my husband isn't really a football fan, but just out of curiosity, how much is just a shirt, Tiffany?

[GypsyMoth]

Never paid more than £40 Tee.

[GypsyMoth]

Also, good discounts etc if you join the junior fan clubs

[GoodDaysBadDays]

Junior kits great, but both my older ds's were in men's by 10 years old. That was the age they started having football shirts more often too.

agree with Tiffany about the quality, frequency if use and washing well. Cheaper non-club football tops rarely wash as well.

That said I do want to cry when it's coming up to new shirt release time. Ds2 supports a prem and local league 2 club. It annoys me more that the league 2 club shirt is hardly any cheaper. Around £50 for the shirt last year I think. Haven't looked this year as can't afford to consider it.

[GoodDaysBadDays]

Good point about discounts for members (spurs and chelsea here, both pretty good memberships) again local

lower division club offers little, if any discounts to members (members here too)

[MavisEnderby]

Can you start a campaign about season ticket prices too??I have paid £390 for a season ticket for myself,ds's was only £20 which is great but obviously the rub is you cannot send a 7 yo to football on his own.(This is for a middle table Championship league team too,not Premiership!).It isn't only Premiership replicas that are expensive,the new shirt for dss team would be £40.I put my foot down!He has last seasons shirt they were selling off for £15.

[TrilllianAstra]

Do you have an explanation for why you think football clubs shouldn't charge as much as people are willing to pay, just like any other shop? (could be something to do with essentially having a monopoly...?)

[senua]

Not being a football fan, I have never bought any of this sort of stuff (or Disney or any other branded, over-priced product actually). As far as I can see they charge £60 because some mug one is prepared to pay it. Stop buying it and they will reduce the price.

Can I ask die-hard fans why you rush out to buy the new kit every year? If you are a loyal fan then surely you sport the kit from 1991 or whenever they last won the cup (especially if it is a hard-wearing as Tiffany says). Having this year's kit shows that you are a johnny-come-lately, non?

[Doobydoo]

Don't get this.People have a choice to buy or not.Our neighbours from grown-ups down to the 4th child who is 14 months have loads of the kit'up to them.Can't see the appeal myself.Football in general is a huge rip off.If people are mad enough to pay...up to them.

[MavisEnderby]

You obviously don't have a football mad ds/dd,Senua:) .ps I did balk at new kit,we got last seasons,the season ticket was enough to make me hyperventilate:o

[ZeroMinusZero]

I have a sneaking suspicion the clubs are going to say "no"

[MavisEnderby]

I guess its what your children like,really.I mean I am sure some people may spend loads on oh I dunno,a musical instrument,or a posh bike,or tennis lessons or whatever.With ds its guitar lessons and football.
I wouldn't spend £40 on a clothing item for self,but if ds was REALLY keen I would consider the shirt as a Christmas present or make him save up using his pocket money.

[MavisEnderby]

Zero,me too,its all about the money:o

[TrilllianAstra]

If you are a loyal fan then surely you sport the kit from 1991

I don't know many adults, let alone children, who are the same size they were in 1991.

[NorkyButNice]

Is MN at risk of being the Internet site equivalent of the C-list celeb who turns up at the opening of an envelope? It seems there's a new campaign every other day.

Ah well, if you're taking on the shops can you ask Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo etc to reduce the costs of game consoles? And how about getting Nike to slash the prices of the latest fancy trainers? Oh hang on - I could just say no when my child asks for what his friends all have...

[helpmenow]

As my scarily wise DD aged 12 said when discussing music videos and their appropriateness (or not) for children.

FGS JUST PARENT!

[ggirl]

ILoveTIFFANY £40 is still extortionate for a tee shirt for a child , no matter how well it washes.
The clubs know that junior kids really love wearing their kit hence the fleecing. Fine for adults but they shouldn't be ripping kids off.
Ds has one arsenal shirt , a fake .

[SexyDomesticatedDab]

Perhaps a just say no campaign might be in order?

Football is now big business - they have to find ways to pay their overpaid 'stars' - maybe having more realistic wages for footballers may be a start.

[GooseyLoosey]

It's not hard to say "no", really, it isn't. Have to say dh and ds support a team that was relegated to the Championship last season and always bought last season's stuff on sale for a fraction of the price of the current stuff. Ds did not seem upset by not having the current sponsor on his jersey - he just wanted to wear team colours.

That said, in general, football is becomming too expensive to be a family sport and I don't like the way it impacts on my children's understanding of the value of money. When they read that a footballer earns more in a week than we earn in a year, they think that there may be a life for them that entails doing little and earning much. I would fully support a campaign to make football (and footballers) more family friendly, but this campaign seems a little narrowly focused to me.

[GypsyMoth]

Is it a new kit every year? Thought it was every second year??

[GypsyMoth]

Actually just been on the chelsea megastore site
£45 adult shirt
£35 junior shirt
£35 mini KIT
£30 baby kit

That's without our discount

[GypsyMoth]

Girl...... They don't rip kids off!! How?

We aren't arsenal supporters but I just had a look at their charter. It's impressive.

[flowery]

I've just checked the West Ham website and if we were to get a shirt for DS1 it would cost £30. I can't see that this campaign is anything to get excited about tbh.

How is it a rip off exactly? If it's too expensive DON'T BUY IT. Or at least surely only buy the shirt rather than spend a fortune on the whole thing plus names on the back etc.

Same as expensive trainers, consoles, outings, laptops or any of the other things people choose to spend their money on for their DC, as Norky said. Or indeed people who buy designer clothes or handbags.

If you can't afford it, you can say no, and if no one buys these kits, the prices will come down. If people are prepared to pay those prices, no reason for them to come down and I think it's absolutely right the clubs make that commercial decision for themselves.

[Ohforfoxsake]

While I support this campaign, I think it shouldn't focus on the kit but Clubs, and the media, taking the piss out of supporters.

Tickets can be impossible to buy unless you're a seasoncard holder. My son supports Arsenal and since we left London he has no chance. We'd take him, but paying for an adult seasonticket and a child's, and tickets, for two or three matches a year, is taking the piss.

And then there's watching the matches - unless you pay for ALL the subscriptions you are going to miss out. My husband watched Man City live from the UK in China, but DS2 couldn't watch it at home.

I can't help feeling though, that in the week of teaching strikes this all seems a bit trivial. Sorry.