All things Team Qhubeka NextHash

[Frosty]

Anyone attempt to submit a design for the limited edition shirt they will sell to fund the team?

Here's the link to the submitted designs as well as the winner.

 

[DieselnDust]

Not too sure what Aru is bringing to the party, besides his palmares. But hoping it works out.

 

 

 

mankini's and sexitimes?

[Fat Boab]

Bizarre article! Worth vs target...????

 

Irish sports agency Sport Endorse has secured a deal with WorldTour outfit Team Qhubeka Assos worth some €45 million over the next three years.

The Dublin-based company will be responsible for securing sponsors and commercial partners for the African cycling team.

https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/irish-sports-firm-in-e45-million-deal-with-qhubeka-assos-worldtour-team/?fbclid=IwAR05xI8inEQSKI50nJt1_6WV47fsqXMCB6R1uYC3OZGRFETD7JLwtJEAqsE

[TNT1]

You chaps Need to step up your game 

I spent December training with one of their Pro Continental Team riders. I'm a long way off World Tour pace

[Duane_Bosch]

I still think the cycling teams have a big income potential with the sale of supporter kit. 

 

I understand allot of the revenue that pays for the salaries of Messi/Ronaldo/Bale come from Jersey sales.

 

Don't know how you transition the cycling fans into buying this kit in big numbers, but start somewhere and develop the market over time.

Sorry to only be picking up on this now.

 

I think cycling as a whole has missed a trick here. Why can't I buy a casual shirt and a pair of boardies in a cycling brand that isn't completely lame? The only brand that does this is Fox and that's because they sponsor some surfers.

 

Surfing built multi billion dollar markets from casual wear.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Duane_Bosch

[WR 1.0]

mankini's and sexitimes?

 

Now I can't unsee the Borat likeness   

[TNT1]

Sorry to only be picking up on this now.

 

I think cycling as a whole has missed a trick here. Why can't I buy a casual shirt and a pair of boardies in a cycling brand that isn't completely lame? The only brand that does this is Fox and that's because they sponsor some surfers.

 

Surfing built multi billion dollar markets from casual wear.

Adidas used to make really good cycling kit. One of the best pairs of cycling shoes I ever used were Adidas ones. They made/make decent casual clothes?

 

It would be good to see them make a return, and maybe easier for a company that makes casual wear like a Nike to make cycling kit?

Edited January 14, 2021 by TNT1

[Duane_Bosch]

Adidas used to make really good cycling kit. One of the best pairs of cycling shoes I ever used were Adidas ones. They made/make decent casual clothes?

 

It would be good to see them make a return, and maybe easier for a company that makes casual wear like a Nike to make cycling kit?

Yissie I don't know. The brand that pulls it off tho is going to make bank. Big Time. Cyclists aren't scared to spend. IMO I should be able to buy a pair of nice (favorite cycling brand) boardshorts and a non dorky Tee. I'm wearing a pair of Ciovita riding shorts right now. If they could be a bit less scratchy they'd make a great pair of boardies.

 

It is a bit of a branding thing. I want the world to know I'm a cyclist but I don't want to look like a cyclist. Does that make sense?

 

And no. I don't want a lame ass tee that has "Life behind bars" written on it.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Duane_Bosch

[DieselnDust]

Yissie I don't know. The brand that pulls it off tho is going to make bank. Big Time. Cyclists aren't scared to spend. IMO I should be able to buy a pair of nice (favorite cycling brand) boardshorts and a non dorky Tee. I'm wearing a pair of Ciovita riding shorts right now. If they could be a bit less scratchy they'd make a great pair of boardies.

 

It is a bit of a branding thing. I want the world to know I'm a cyclist but I don't want to look like a cyclist. Does that make sense?

 

And no. I don't want a lame ass tee that has "Life behind bars" written on it.

 

 

Mindset shift by the manufacturers and cyclists is required.

Surfers have a much more "we're just people who happen to be really cool sometimes" look whereas Cyclists seem to want to be moving billboards for someone all the time.

I've used my board shorts as cycling baggies but my cycling baggies are horrific board shorts (except the Leatt DBX1.0 which works as a nice cross over, oh and my Enjoy Reptilia. The only crap thing is the closures are not suitable for surfing. 

Somehow we just don't do cool very well although its coming through more and more with newer baggies and t's that are more like casual wear and don't have massive horrific branding all over it.

 

I doubt we'll be able to move away from a cyclist look entirely because there is a surfer look that has evolved over 4 decades

[Jewbacca]

My take on this is that most TEAM brands already have a billion dollar industry, which is why they ship millions of dollars into sponsorship.

 

The actual cycling brands, bike suppliers etc already have clothing available and as DandD says, is not very 'cool'.

 

Surfing teams existed because the brand sponsored athletes to wear their clothes/use their gear which were already surfing related.

 

Look at 100% and peter Sagan.... the company was hardly a player until they made that move.

 

So Bora don't rely on their cycling team to create sales for their extractor lid system, Alpecin have a massive piece of the shampoo market, Wanty in the building site prep business etc...... 

 

So it's up to the teams to use their current clothing suppliers to then share branding space with headline sponsors, which probably involves all sorts of agreements and and and considering some agents sell the image rights of their athletes, I imagine the image rights of multi billion dollar enterprises is hectic.....

 

Billabong surf team is Billabong surf team. 

 

So I think 'cycling team' casual wear as an industry is just a really difficult road to go down.

 

The casual clothing market is already so saturated I'm not sure it's worth the effort for these guys

[DieselnDust]

My take on this is that most TEAM brands already have a billion dollar industry, which is why they ship millions of dollars into sponsorship.

 

The actual cycling brands, bike suppliers etc already have clothing available and as DandD says, is not very 'cool'.

 

Surfing teams existed because the brand sponsored athletes to wear their clothes/use their gear which were already surfing related.

 

Look at 100% and peter Sagan.... the company was hardly a player until they made that move.

 

So Bora don't rely on their cycling team to create sales for their extractor lid system, Alpecin have a massive piece of the shampoo market, Wanty in the building site prep business etc...... 

 

So it's up to the teams to use their current clothing suppliers to then share branding space with headline sponsors, which probably involves all sorts of agreements and and and considering some agents sell the image rights of their athletes, I imagine the image rights of multi billion dollar enterprises is hectic.....

 

Billabong surf team is Billabong surf team. 

 

So I think 'cycling team' casual wear as an industry is just a really difficult road to go down.

 

The casual clothing market is already so saturated I'm not sure it's worth the effort for these guys

 

 

Many of the brands do try but it doesn't sell very well. Sidi make casual shoes that look like heir cycling shoes.... no really

Castelli, Assos, Santini, Giordana all have casual clothing lines as well. Locally Ciovita does reasonably well with their "puffer jackets" 

 

Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Puma, LeCoq Sportif all used to play in the casual, sports and cycling space but one of those categories was always a failure. LCS are still sort of there or thereabouts in the cycling world.

Fashion is a very hard road to follow and some just do that side better.

Cycling wear is a very technical space and very technical wear and fashionable wear don't marry too well under the same brand. running wear is more generic and surfing wear is too. for cycling manufacturers to get into main strain would be like Sparco trying to get into the business suit market

[Jewbacca]

Many of the brands do try but it doesn't sell very well. Sidi make casual shoes that look like heir cycling shoes.... no really

Castelli, Assos, Santini, Giordana all have casual clothing lines as well. Locally Ciovita does reasonably well with their "puffer jackets" 

 

Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Puma, LeCoq Sportif all used to play in the casual, sports and cycling space but one of those categories was always a failure. LCS are still sort of there or thereabouts in the cycling world.

Fashion is a very hard road to follow and some just do that side better.

Cycling wear is a very technical space and very technical wear and fashionable wear don't marry too well under the same brand. running wear is more generic and surfing wear is too. for cycling manufacturers to get into main strain would be like Sparco trying to get into the business suit market

For sure, but that isn't TEAM wear.

 

The companies doing the sponsoring aren't the ones in need of money. The TEAMS are the ones who struggle (evidently) with funding, so the proposal is that the teams should sell casual fashion wear.

 

There is a big difference. 

 

Sponsors have money to burn, which is why they sponsor. Teams need more money, which is why the clothing proposal was suggested.

 

Spez made a heap of casual clothes which sparked the voicenote about 'specialized socks, specialized jocks, specialized watch, fo**en specialized ALLES'! 

 

Branding is a weird thing. Some people love it, some people hate it. 

 

For me the main question though, is the legalities of sponsor usage etc if the teams did decide to make the clothes under license. 

 

I think it is heaps more complicated than anticipated.

 

But straight up cycle brands (not teams) making casual clothes is different. Realistically, cycling clothes are rubbish and unfortunately, cyclists in general have pretty poor taste. (Look at Oakley Sutros and other terrible, popular eyewear). So ONLY cyclists will buy the bad taste clothes the companies would need to produce to break into the market, which is a tiny target market in real life.

[JA-Q001]

I actually think that if ASSOS played their card right, used the Qhubeka brand as a styling point and sell fashionable kit and casual clothes styled with the Qhubeka branding, that they could actually make money.

 

Take the designs that they asked for. Some of those look super. It is associated with the main sponsor and main aim of the team and doesn’t feature clutter.

 

Now, ASSOS should just make it in a more affordable level and not just super expensive.

Edited January 14, 2021 by JA-Q001

[Jewbacca]

I actually think that if ASSOS played their card right, used the Qhubeka brand as a styling point and sell fashionable kit and casual clothes styled with the Qhubeka branding, that they could actually make money.

 

Take the designs that they asked for. Some of those look super. It is associated with the main sponsor and main aim of the team and doesn’t feature clutter.

 

Now, ASSOS should just make it in a more affordable level and not just super expensive.

I agree

 

Assos Q are in a fairly unique position where one is a charity and one a clothing brand.

 

It could definitely be a thing there. 

[Gen]

Not too sure what Aru is bringing to the party, besides his palmares. But hoping it works out.

What, he has already done a cyclo-cross race in their kit and didn't do too bad..already more visible than before even if the kit was covered in mud.

[DieselnDust]

For sure, but that isn't TEAM wear.

 

The companies doing the sponsoring aren't the ones in need of money. The TEAMS are the ones who struggle (evidently) with funding, so the proposal is that the teams should sell casual fashion wear.

 

There is a big difference. 

 

Sponsors have money to burn, which is why they sponsor. Teams need more money, which is why the clothing proposal was suggested.

 

Spez made a heap of casual clothes which sparked the voicenote about 'specialized socks, specialized jocks, specialized watch, fo**en specialized ALLES'! 

 

Branding is a weird thing. Some people love it, some people hate it. 

 

For me the main question though, is the legalities of sponsor usage etc if the teams did decide to make the clothes under license. 

 

I think it is heaps more complicated than anticipated.

 

But straight up cycle brands (not teams) making casual clothes is different. Realistically, cycling clothes are rubbish and unfortunately, cyclists in general have pretty poor taste. (Look at Oakley Sutros and other terrible, popular eyewear). So ONLY cyclists will buy the bad taste clothes the companies would need to produce to break into the market, which is a tiny target market in real life.

Ah yes but that's also because cycling is only sexy to cyclists.

Let's use F1 as an example.

the brands that sponsor the teams in F1 are typically large global corps that have a sexy snazy image because F1 attracts that. Wearing a Aston Martin Red Bull puffer jacket is far less dorky that advertising taps and shower heads whetherJZ or Peter Sagan are show casing them. The F1 marketing machine is far more sexy and is far more desirable than the UCI model that's staid and stuck in the 1960s.

Cycling on the whole needs to catch a wake up and make the sport more appealing to a broader community.

Looking at Americas Cup yacht racing, the team merchandise is far sexier and appealing simply because the whole event is being marketed as a clash of Titans, brave men taking dangerous machines in one on one battle. What does cycling have to offer? A bunch of anorexic wheel sucking dopers following each other around till 100 m from the finish line. You can't merchandise that except to a very small group of die hard fans. Heck I'd much rather have a la vie Claire replica kit than team Ineos kit. It's far more recognisable to non because the marketing has carried through the generations.

 

Any of the teams can adopt a merchandising model but in order to do so they have to be more than just loving billboards for plumbing outlets. They need to create legends, super men and women. The Cape Epic sort of gets it right to a limited degree. In Europe cyclo-cross has more sex appeal to a broader audience than grand tours.

 

A completely new approach is needed.