Wembley......have the club learned a lesson

[@CasRugbyShirts]

I never said I can’t think of anything the club can’t produce for sale.

All it needs to be is a Wembley version of the top selling merchandise in the shop I would think as a starting point.

Replica shirts with Wembley 2021 as the players may wear.

Polo shirts in different colours{Amber, black or white or even a mix)and again with Wembley 2021 logos on.

T shirts I would think are the easier thing to produce as they don’t take 6 weeks to sort out. Could have the club badge on, players faces, players name and numbers on the back but specific orders not loads of each name/number.

Rosettes is a novelty thing that always sold back in the day as were pin badges and foam hands or even tiger paws again.

There are many age ranges out there and the club you would think have a good idea of what sells/doesn’t sell but how often do the club engage these age ranges and fans? Never and that’s not just for a once in a while awembley trip, this should be an ongoing initiative.

Wristbands is a good option that I have seen the club already have produced.

I am sure if the marketing team and sales people got together there would be more things.

All we hear/see is excuses like “It takes too long” or things like “ We didn’t have time” and the worst one “We don’t want to order too much so we can’t sell it”.

These may be obstacles but not difficult ones to overcome.

I am not sure what the people in charge are like these days but I had dealings with a previous CEO and he w as so negative and put all kinds of obstacles in the way of progress it was embarrassing. Hence we were relegated twice and the rest as you know is history.

People that can and want to make a difference are often cast aside for the “Look at me” and the “Do you know who I am” types. Yes men that have held the club back for years.

There are many fans out there that could and would make a difference but are not asked or get involved.

It isn’t difficult.

I don’t think I can say anything more about replica shirts - it’s just not doable in the time-frame available.
Foam hands are on sale (something I forgot to mention!).
I’d agree with the sentiment of having some amber merchandise, especially as it’s our traditional colour and our current away shirt is amber.

[@CasRugbyShirts]

As far as I can see, the club have produced a range of merchandise for the cup final, most of which is available in all three shops and online on the club’s EBay page.

A range of merchandise?? A car sticker, a scarf and a generic jesters hat?! The only 2 things that mention Wembley are a sticker and a scarf - hardly a ‘range of merchandise’ ’

In addition to those, there are four different T-shirt designs (all specifically for Wembley 2021), and I thought I had also seen car flags and some larger 'waving' flags.
What else would you expect the club to produce?

?

Edit - I’ve just seen your reply to LT above. I still see it as a fail if they are not available to buy online. If Fev can do it then we should certainly be able to. As a note on Fev they have some very nice looking Wembley polo shirts, fair play to them.

Agreed, I’d like to see them available on the club’s Ebay page.

[Lofthouse Tiger]

That’s how simple th be an be Casshirts if you have the right people, the right ideas and the right attitude/approach to make things happen.

Somehow I don’t see or believe the people we have had in charge since the McDonalds have been up to the job and have been held back by the club.

Woofy was a good lad and did a reasonable job but on his own and restricted. He was keen and wanted to make things happen but wasn’t allowed.

Same with the shop staff, they had similar experiences backthen.

You don’t go from club of the year one year to 2 relegations and no money as quickly as we did.

E. Luke and should have been so much better and bigger as a club but for negative. Control freaks in charge of everything. Very very similar to how things are now.

[68tiger]

Agree with you about Mcdonalds very approachable and always helped and even made stuff avialable when fans came up with decent ideas

[Lofthouse Tiger]

Correct and that approach was new, different and just what Cas needed but as always they were stopped and controlled and they ended up back in Aussie.

If you look back at the people we have had involved in the club with ideas, enthusiasm and drive they have very often been held back, stopped and disappeared very quickly to be replaced by yes men and people that are nowhere near capable or competent but quite happy to toe the line to keep their place in the club.

The club is riddled with this now and it won’t change with the current occupants.

Don’t get me wrong I am sure there must be someone in there that is more than capable but can’t be as effective as they could be.

Still, what do I know.

[Ferrytiger87]

I do have some sympathy with the club regarding merchandise. From experience of ordering sports [REMOVED] for a club I'm involved with the lead time (other than simple ones like onsale in the shop) can be anything from 8-12 weeks, anything quicker than that and the cost goes up and the margin decreases. Take into consideration minimum orders too it can quickly become uneconomical. So unless your going to sell a large volmume your not making a worthwhile profit.

Some of the stuff mentioned such as rosettes and pin badges are out of date items and really wouldn't sell in volume.

The area where I can be critical of the club is the club shop website which just isn't fit for purpose, it needs to be brought inhouse.

What the club should be looking too considering the limited tickets likely avaliable is broadcast the match at the ground on a giant screen. Charge 5 quid per person and get plenty of catering would make a fortune on food and alcohol sales.

[Lofthouse Tiger]

I think the club will do something at the ground on match day as they have everything there bar the screen. There will be people that won’t go to Wembley for various reasons and if the tickets are limited then the game up could be much higher.

Food and alcohol/drinks are always a must on days like this and if the weather is good then it could/should’ve a great day and even better if we win.

[Tamworth Tiger]

On the shirts front, I accept that it was too late by semi final day to get them done for Wembley but they have been out of stock and in demand for a lot longer than that so I really don’t accept that they couldn’t have done more. It was clear that the away shirt was the most popular for years.

[greenhouse]

my sons just seen on facebook someone selling rist bands for 2 quid.they have had time to do something.is our club in the right peoples hands ?

[Lofthouse Tiger]

On the shirts front, I accept that it was too late by semi final day to get them done for Wembley but they have been out of stock and in demand for a lot longer than that so I really don’t accept that they couldn’t have done more. It was clear that the away shirt was the most popular for years.

I have been trying to get a couple of the away shirts and pretty much every time I have tried they were/are out of stock. When something is as popular as this shirt is then surely producing more would be a good bet.

We now have match day so maybe more people travelling that can’t get to the shop would be a target for additional shirts.

[derbystiger]

Food and alcohol/drinks are always a must on days like this

Wait for Alf to come along now and tell us that anyone who likes a pint watching the game has a problem

[HuddsTigers]

I'm happy the club have got bits out but I'm incredibly frustrated that the tshirts are in-store only. It once again repeats a trend highlighted by Notts that the club centres around local fans only and ignores those further afield.

It is also incredibly frustrating, and not good enough, if true that the club has zero control over the online store if the comments in this thread have true. I've been banging on about a digital first approach for yonks and once again the club still clings to outdated approaches and getting left behind.

After the past 18 months, you would have thought the club would have realised the vital importance of getting everything available online and putting the website front and centre of everything we do. I know they are limited in staff but you do what makes you money, of which, the online store, lottery, maximising sponsors and commercial opportunities alongside content generation that attracts users and exposes brands, of which it seems isn't being done.

I would also question what is the point of Club Castleford if we struggle to get very little out? I thought the whole point of it was about speed, taking control and expanding our range. We should have been prepared and ready with pre-ordering for items in the event we won the semi.

[Lofthouse Tiger]

This

[Tamworth Tiger]

I'm happy the club have got bits out but I'm incredibly frustrated that the tshirts are in-store only. It once again repeats a trend highlighted by Notts that the club centres around local fans only and ignores those further afield.

It is also incredibly frustrating, and not good enough, if true that the club has zero control over the online store if the comments in this thread have true. I've been banging on about a digital first approach for yonks and once again the club still clings to outdated approaches and getting left behind.

After the past 18 months, you would have thought the club would have realised the vital importance of getting everything available online and putting the website front and centre of everything we do. I know they are limited in staff but you do what makes you money, of which, the online store, lottery, maximising sponsors and commercial opportunities alongside content generation that attracts users and exposes brands, of which it seems isn't being done.

I would also question what is the point of Club Castleford if we struggle to get very little out? I thought the whole point of it was about speed, taking control and expanding our range. We should have been prepared and ready with pre-ordering for items in the event we won the semi.

Absolutely. I find it particularly ironic that I received my copy of Roar through the post today and there’s a two page advert for Club Castleford/Castleford tigers/shop with the bottom half of the second page comprising three shots of this year’s away shirt, which was out of stock well before the magazine print date!

[derbystiger]

Well, I’ve just been to the store at Xscape (in fact, I’m sat in car park now). Nothing apart from Jesters hats and a few scarfs. Asked the girls behind the counter who said they had a few T shirts but they are sold out. Asked when anymore coming in to be told ‘we don’t know if there will be anymore’. I asked if they had anything at Carlton Lanes but was told ‘I don’t know but they are closed anyway’. We are a Shambles off the field

[68tiger]

Derby just had same this morning went into lanes nowt really to mention wembley wise just a couple of tshirts always small size left and went to xscape same as you say nothing there. Really poor last time we got to wembley had 13 day turnaround we've six weeks this time so no real excuse. What really amazes me is how these street venders seem to be more capable of producing tshirts flags etc than we are

[Lofthouse Tiger]

The thing is that the club aren’t forward thinking and good at planning for events like this. Much as happened in 2014. Too busy back slapping each other and sorting out their freebie trip to London.

The street venders are people that do and this is why they have things ready. If you want to get t shirts, flags, banners etc you will get them. There are local businesses that would snap your hands off to be given large volumes for printing polo shirts and t shirts.

I know a company that does full football/rugby kits and t shirts, polo shirts hoodies etc and they don’t need 6 weeks to do it. They don’t do it on the cheap either unless that’s what you ask for. I know because I use them quite regularly.

[Year of the Tiger]

I know someone who approached the club in 2014 (who is a Cas fan) to help purchase and sell merchandise on behalf of the club. Club weren't interested, he made an absolute killing. He had open very late to meet demand, meanwhile the club didn't put anything on sale until Thursday, 2 days before Wembley.
According to companies house accounts our staffing wages have increased substantially. What are these people doing???

[Lofthouse Tiger]

It is and always has been down to the people in charge of running the club. From RW up to the present day we see the same mistakes and failings time and time again. This will be the 3rd major final we have reached in the last 7 years yet we seem to be further away than ever when it comes to promoting the club and raising finances.

I bet you they will know where we are when it comes to donating ST money and renewing for next year?

[HuddsTigers]

Staffing doesn't always mean off field staff. It can include playing staff and coaching staff too. I'd expect it to grow if the club is expanding into Women's and also in anticipation of the Reserves that never happened.