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Any rumors about who takes over the NHL after Reebok ?


tomtucker

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The big question is what the NHL wants to do with the deal when the Reebok contract expires.

First, understand that Reebok doesn't just do jerseys as part of the contract. All player t-shirts ("shirzees") are exclusive to them. They handle the Center Ice gear, which is issued to the teams; every trainer, equipment manager, and member of the support staff is required to wear it. They have hat deals, including the draft hat exclusive. And they do their own merchandise, everything from t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts to hoodies and...well, you name it.

So it's not just a jersey contract. Currently constructed, it's this all-encompassing deal that touches everything. The NHL has the option of deciding whether to keep it all as a consolidated contract or to break it up.

Not many companies have the capability to take on a deal of that size. Nike, Majestic, possibly Under Armour, and perhaps a dedicated Adidas. Break it up, and the market expands. Add 47 Brand or New Era for hats, SP for jerseys, and any of a number of other companies for the apparel side of business.

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Reebok could win on financial strength alone.

The NHL is actually pretty responsive to the marketplace. Reebok's bait-and-switch after they renewed the contract a few years ago (2009, I think) caused a huge amount of backlash, and the ongoing Indo-Edge versus 2.0 just drags on. Reebok and Reebok alone is responsible for the skyrocketing price of NHL apparel over the last several years, which goes not to the NHL or to the teams but into Reebok's pockets.

The obvious question is whether the complaints from, oh, everyone are enough to sway the NHL.

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I would think that those complaints are only valid if they reach the right person (or persons) at the NHL...not sure they read boards like this, you know? Then again...money talks, BS walks...

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Reebok could win on financial strength alone.

I agree and as the article said it's a "David vs. Goliath" scenario for Bauer or someone like that to take on Reebok.

There have been "rumors" (perhaps just wishful thinking) that Addidas who owns Reebok wants them to move away from the NHL contract. I'd think that would probably be the only way someone beats Reebok, as unlikely as that is.

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I would think that those complaints are only valid if they reach the right person (or persons) at the NHL...not sure they read boards like this, you know? Then again...money talks, BS walks...

The complaints on here specifically relate to jerseys available at retail. It's the teams themselves who field complaints about everything else (including jerseys from the non-board members here). Once a year, there's a trade meeting of all the NHL retail operations. New lines are announced, new initiatives are rolled out and old ones taken away, and small-time vendors and manufacturers try to get a foot in the door next to the big boys.

The NHL is the group that actually sets it up. Every team is represented, and these are by the people who do the actual ordering and selling for the team shops. Trust me, "our concerns" are known to these people, and therefore they are known to the NHL. It's not as much of a David v. Goliath scenario as we'd believe.

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I will add that Bauer started doing "gamewear" this season (uncrested jerseys designed for teams, socks, etc) and all of their stuff is better than the Reebok equivalent item, at a lower price as well. So at least at the retail, outfitting your own team level, Bauer is already ahead of Reebok.

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Bauer probably has the largest percentage of, for a lack of better terms, equipment usage in the NHL. A majority wear Bauer skates. A lot of NHLers use Bauer twigs. Bauer is my favorite brand. Though, all of their equipment is made in China.

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Bauer probably has the largest percentage of, for a lack of better terms, equipment usage in the NHL. A majority wear Bauer skates. A lot of NHLers use Bauer twigs. Bauer is my favorite brand. Though, all of their equipment is made in China.

Yes it is made in China, but Bauer owns all their factories over there, which Reebok does not. All of the quality control is done by a Bauer hockey person before things are done on a big scale. Again most of my knowledge is on the retail side but quality control is not an issue with Bauer on 99% of things.

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If the Edge 2.0 jerseys becomes the standard retail authentic, I wouldn't mind Reebok.

don't put the m.s.r.p. at $350 and I won't mind them either.

Too late for that.

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I will add that Bauer started doing "gamewear" this season (uncrested jerseys designed for teams, socks, etc) and all of their stuff is better than the Reebok equivalent item, at a lower price as well. So at least at the retail, outfitting your own team level, Bauer is already ahead of Reebok.

Bauer also did jerseys for at least 3-4 KHL teams this past season. Lev Prague, Dynamo Moscow, Lokomotiv, and I think one other.

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Bauer also did jerseys for at least 3-4 KHL teams this past season. Lev Prague, Dynamo Moscow, Lokomotiv, and I think one other.

They may have been marked Bauer, however, they weren't made by Bauer.
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I think the big problem is that there is too few big companys left that make sports apparel.........there is only nike, adidas, and they own reebok..........starter is gone, majestic is pretty small.

nike and adidas have gotten too big, take soccer jerseys for instance, most national and club teams in the world uses one of those two brands, it´s crazy

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Starter was owned by Nike until 2007 when they were sold to Iconix Brand Group, who now licences the brand exclusively to Walmart.

Majestic isn't so small. They are owned by VF Corporation, who owns Wrangler, Lee, Nautica, Vans, Jansport, The North Face, and Timberland, amongst others.

They have the MLB deal which I'm sure is a bigger gig than the NHL deal.

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The Reebok era in the NFL was one of the ugliest in regards to fanwear. It just seems like they couldn't get it together "style-wise"! They didn't do much as far as variety goes either. The best looking "Reebok-branded" stuff I've seen(and bought) is all branded under the good old CCM flag.

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