Lifestyle Sports

[OTT]

Bit of a rant at Lifestyle Sports and Leinster Rugby.

So in the lead up to Christmas Lifestyle had their big black Friday sale and cyber Monday sale. Why did Munster gear en masse get included in the sale but Leinster gear was not (other then one specific pair of tracksuit bottoms if I remember correctly wtf). Leinster Rugby have tied themselves into this exclusivity deal but it is the supporters who are suffereing from this lack of competition.

So anyway I was in Lifestyle in Blanchardstown on Monday and their range of exclusive Leinster merchandise amounted to one kids home jersey, are they for f'ing real? Are we not one of the biggest brands in European Rugby? They have exclusivity on all our licensed clothing why do they not have bucket loads of gear, we have to buy it there we can't buy it in Elverys or Sports Direct or any of the British websites they should not have run out of it a couple of months into the season.

I believe this tie up is also the reason the OLSC are not allowed to produce certain merchandise like they did in the past eg the 2009 H Cup Champions polos and it is a struggle to get the Legends tees across the line. these items are unique and some of the most cherished things for both fans and players alike. This point I just heard through word of mouth so not sure if it is accurate but what a shame if it is true.

In a time where big football clubs like Manchester United are commercially thriving by literally selling their brand to anyone and everyone, you can get bloody official United stuff in Dunnes Stores it seems like a backward step to limit the Leinster gear to a Sports shop who don't seem much interested in pushing it because they know they have the monopoly on it, it bangs of shortermism by Leinster Rugby with the supporters ultimately losing out.

Sorry for the rant I got an email from Lifestyle today which reminded me so I thought I better get it off my chest

[Serb]

I’ve found the selection to be consistently terrible in Lifestyle, even prior to the current deal with Adidas.

A bit unrelated, but I have a huge problem with the quality of the Adidas gear. Literally the knock off Leinster jerseys on sale in China are better quality than the official kit and are 80% cheaper.

e.g. knock off jersey embroiders both brand name and logo, as well as center aligning the stars.

[Laighin Break]

Didn't realise they made knock off Leinster jerseys! If it wasn't for the "Leister Rugby" you mightn't know

[desperado]

Couldn't get an Adult size Euro jersey in the weeks leading up to Christmas and this is the lastest update from Lifestyle Sports when questioned when it would be available again:

Thank you for contacting Life Style Sports.

Unfortunately we do not have an official update on this product.

Please keep an eye on our social media platforms and our website for any further updates and promotional offers.

If there's anything else I can help you with please let me know.

Kind Regards,
Niamh

[carlow man]

Leinster rugby in general are still in the dark ages when it comes to merchandise. The most successful irish club rugby team and you can't buy anything more than an jersey outside of the province.
A half decent set up would be selling anything from car stickers to duvet covers to pencil cases with Leinster slapped all over it. Unfortunately you are more likely to pick up a man United air freshener than a Leinster cap and it's embarrassing.
After the success of the last 7/8 years you would think the club would be looking to make as much money of it if as possible but it looks like amateur hour when it comes to that side of the organisation. Shame. Rant over!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Leinster rugby in general are still in the dark ages when it comes to merchandise. The most successful irish club rugby team and you can't buy anything more than an jersey outside of the province.

Why do you think that might be?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Couldn't get an Adult size Euro jersey in the weeks leading up to Christmas and this is the lastest update from Lifestyle Sports when questioned when it would be available again:

Thank you for contacting Life Style Sports.

Unfortunately we do not have an official update on this product.

Please keep an eye on our social media platforms and our website for any further updates and promotional offers.

If there's anything else I can help you with please let me know.

Kind Regards,
Niamh

That's appalling. It's not her fault that they don't have the stock but surely she could take note of your issue and say that she'll get back to you?

[carlow man]

Leinster rugby in general are still in the dark ages when it comes to merchandise. The most successful irish club rugby team and you can't buy anything more than an jersey outside of the province.

Why do you think that might be?

You tell me

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Well you're not going to sell much Leinster gear in Limerick, Galway, or Belfast.

[carlow man]

Oh so you only have Leinster supporters living in Leinster?! I get it. Bit like only having man u fans living in Manchester then. By the way I wasn't saying to sell at that stuff across the country but they could put a Leinster shop somewhere in Dublin instead of the broom cupboard that's currently in use.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Don't disagree that improvements could be made (went into one Lifestyle a few months ago and there was barely any stock and the stuff that was there were all in huge sizes) but just saying you can't expect much outside of Leinster. Leinster fans living elsewhere can still order online, I think that's perfectly acceptable in terms of how they can purchase stuff, but obviously that service needs to improve.

[carlow man]

Agreed, I feel it's just the range of merchandise they could improve hugely on. Also kids tend to want to follow the best/most successful teams historically. I think kids all over the country would want a Leinster jersey if it meant wearing the colours of the a trophy winning team. Understand people want to encourage their kids to follow their local teams but the amount of kids and adults wearing man u, city, Liverpool and arsenal jerseys tells you people like wearing the colours of winning teams. I know it's hard comparing rugby to football but you can buy an all blacks jersey in any half decent sports shop across the world. Why not a Leinster one? Suprised no one hasn't mentioned it before.

[tomthefan]

Agreed, I feel it's just the range of merchandise they could improve hugely on. Also kids tend to want to follow the best/most successful teams historically. I think kids all over the country would want a Leinster jersey if it meant wearing the colours of the a trophy winning team. Understand people want to encourage their kids to follow their local teams but the amount of kids and adults wearing man u, city, Liverpool and arsenal jerseys tells you people like wearing the colours of winning teams. I know it's hard comparing rugby to football but you can buy an all blacks jersey in any half decent sports shop across the world. Why not a Leinster one? Suprised no one hasn't mentioned it before.

I can't see kids outside Leinster wanting to wear a Leinster jersey. People follow their own provinces.
You'd be more likely to see it in England where Leinster wouldn't be a rival but then no one watches the Pro14 over there

[Dave Cahill]

Agreed, I feel it's just the range of merchandise they could improve hugely on. Also kids tend to want to follow the best/most successful teams historically. I think kids all over the country would want a Leinster jersey if it meant wearing the colours of the a trophy winning team. Understand people want to encourage their kids to follow their local teams but the amount of kids and adults wearing man u, city, Liverpool and arsenal jerseys tells you people like wearing the colours of winning teams. I know it's hard comparing rugby to football but you can buy an all blacks jersey in any half decent sports shop across the world. Why not a Leinster one? Suprised no one hasn't mentioned it before.

It has been mentioned plenty and was the subject of a fairly heated debate at the OLSC AGM. But Leinster are happy that the big bag of cash they're getting in return for letting the tail wag the dog Lifestyle having exclusivity compensates for lack of presence in other outlets.

You're never going to sell many Leinster jerseys in Ireland outside of the province. We didn't when we won three HECs in four years and there was no exclusive deal then.

[carlow man]

Agreed, I feel it's just the range of merchandise they could improve hugely on. Also kids tend to want to follow the best/most successful teams historically. I think kids all over the country would want a Leinster jersey if it meant wearing the colours of the a trophy winning team. Understand people want to encourage their kids to follow their local teams but the amount of kids and adults wearing man u, city, Liverpool and arsenal jerseys tells you people like wearing the colours of winning teams. I know it's hard comparing rugby to football but you can buy an all blacks jersey in any half decent sports shop across the world. Why not a Leinster one? Suprised no one hasn't mentioned it before.

I can't see kids outside Leinster wanting to wear a Leinster jersey. People follow their own provinces.
You'd be more likely to see it in England where Leinster wouldn't be a rival but then no one watches the Pro14 over there

Why would a kid not want to wear one? Not every one in Leinster follows Leinster. Plenty of Munster fans who live in Leinster but choose to follow Munster. Also when the pro14 was on sky sports it had good viewing figures, now that it's on premier sports it won't get the exposure it needs.

Leinster have plenty of admirers in England and most fans know how good the team is.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It's apples and oranges comparing provincial rugby with English football.

Lifetstyle also have an exclusivity deal with Munster so you can't expect them to reduce Munster's presence in Limerick shops to make way for Leinster gear that nobody will buy. If Lunsters or Meinsters want gear then they can order online, or at least they SHOULD be able to.

[Laighin Break]

Whatever about non-Leinster fans wearing Leinster jerseys, but things like shorts or tracksuits they might. I had a pair of Connacht trackies yeeeaars ago because they were nice.
I could imagine lads wearing Leinster shorts or socks for training or gym if they were decent. You see it all the time with GAA.

[Jonny tight lips]

Anybody know anywhere I can get a European jersey, they only have XXL online and let’s just say I’m more a scrum half than a second row.

[Grubber]

I have noticed this too with Lifestyle sports, they never have any Leinster gear I want in stock. I was home from Canada for the month of October. Throughout the month I kept trying to buy the jersey with no luck. Probably best anyway, its feckin ugly! I'm far from a fashionista but if they keep the trend of screen printed, tacky, cheap jerseys, I would rather have them come out with a traditional rugby shirt with a bit of a fit to it for supporters. The selection is very poor, The best chance I had of buying something was the fake scarfs outside the RDS at the wasps game (Which I wouldn't buy). Is there even a store at the RDS? I had one too many to care about looking after I entered.

[Serb]

There’s a Leinster store in the RDS, behind the Anglesea stand.