It's one thing for the FFA under the franchise agreement to hold the right to commit all clubs to a common kit supplier (currently Reebok), but why on earth should the FFA (or Reebok) be concerned about what colours and design any club wishes to choose.
The Phoenix playing strip (sadly, in my view, not the current one) has great potential for branding and marketing the club, both in New Zealand and Australia (and, hopefully, one day, in Asia), but especially in Wellington where the club is based and needs to source the majority of the 'bums on seats'. In my view, this marketing / branding potential is currently very limited with a home strip that is basically all black and an away strip that is basically all white. There are a number of points that can be made.
First, these playing strip designs lack any imagination and are too boring (no disrespect to those whose tastes on this differ). They have been done so often in NZ sport, including most national representative sports teams, that they no longer have any effect or leave anything to the imagination. They are not a mark of difference. Even the Football Kingz and NZ Knights played in basically all black strips. I'm sure the club can be more imaginative and independent in building up its own image, style and culture, and should have the right to do so.
Second, the Wellington colours are black and yellow (not predominantly black). Importantly, it's the colours the fans in Wellington and New Zealand identify and associate with as being "Wellington".
Third, the irony, and a lesson in itself, is that the vast majority of Phoenix's souvenirs and promotional material is black and yellow (witness, for example, the scarf and black and yellow tracksuit top, which, in my view, look stunning). Additionally, the YF fan club support is strongly based around the black and yellow theme.
Fourth, when the club was first formed, there were some marvellous and imaginative designs promoted by some of the YF lads, and there are further good examples posted above.
Fifth, having a common playing strip design for all the clubs is absolutely boring. What a marketing and branding disaster by those who decided this and a lost opportunity! Why should, as I understand it from this forum, Reebok insist on using a template for all playing strips - it doesn't seem logical? After all, the strips would still carry the Reebok brand / logo. If, for example, England's Newcastle United came to Reebok for a playing strip deal, Reebok wouldn't insist on Newcastle getting rid of its black and white stripes. Instead, they would welcome Newcastle with open arms and ask "how can we please you?". It would be a significantly better looking A-League if clubs were able to compete against each other in designing their own playing strips, rather than having this dictated to them by the FFA and Reebok.
Sixth, why is it that the club has to play in its away colours when not playing in Wellington? This is a ridiculous requirement, unless there is a clash of colours, which I believe only happens when we play the CCM. Once again, this is a lost marketing and branding opportunity for the club and Wellington.
"backhander" deal finally expires or dies - whichever happens first.
Melbourne
