New Jersey to overhaul uniforms for 2017-2018 season, Part 4: and Gnashing of Teeth

[Classic Devil]

If you're product is above average, you're in the most famous city in the world, and you've been around forever, you don't need to even market your product anymore. You become a household name.

If the Yankees decided they were going to change their uniforms, I guarantee they'd have a spike in sales the following year for exactly the reasons you identified. But they know it's not worth it because they've established traditions that have their own, non-financial value.

 

[StnTwnDevil]

So what? We held ourselves with the same kind of franchise pride and self-respect, just like Detroit does. And then we decided that we'd sell that self-respect for the pocket change that comes with a new uniform. And we didn't even make it a nice one.

I by no means am arguing for this jersey redesign. It even irritates the **** out of me looking at these sad jerseys in NHL18.

 

[Emperoreddy]

So what? We held ourselves with the same kind of franchise pride and self-respect, just like Detroit does. And then we decided that we'd sell that self-respect for the pocket change that comes with a new uniform. And we didn't even make it a nice one.

We also aren't in the same ballpark as Detroit.

You can't compare our product, history, or really anything to original 6 teams, or the top teams in other sports.

We are a small market team in the 4th rated sport in North America. Small and medium market teams make changes to drive sales all the time.

And look it worked. They sold out.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If the Yankees decided they were going to change their uniforms, I guarantee they'd have a spike in sales the following year for exactly the reasons you identified. But they know it's not worth it because they've established traditions that have their own, non-financial value.

Yeah those traditions were established 100 years ago with success for all that time in the biggest sports market on earth.

We aren't that and we never will be.

We didn't even touch the logo, something that majority of teams tweak constantly.

 

[Classic Devil]

We also aren't in the same ballpark as Detroit.

You can't compare our product, history, or really anything to original 6 teams, or the top teams in other sports.

We are a small market team in the 4th rated sport in North America. Small and medium market teams make changes to drive sales all the time.

And look it worked. They sold out.

Yeah those traditions were established 100 years ago with success for all that time in the biggest sports market on earth.

We aren't that and we never will be.

We didn't even touch the logo, something that majority of teams tweak constantly.

I just radically disagree with all of this. We have less history, but that doesn't mean we should have any less respect for our history or traditions.

We took something that made us different, something that let us talk about ourselves as a team that maintained traditions with the same kind of pride as Detroit does, and now we can never get that back. We had something special and we decided its value was equivalent to whatever small amount of money the team gets in additional merchandise sales.

I know I'm in the minority on this, but I find it infuriating.

 

[NjDevsRR]

So much complaining

 

[StnTwnDevil]

I just radically disagree with all of this. We have less history, but that doesn't mean we should have any less respect for our history or traditions.

We took something that made us different, something that let us talk about ourselves as a team that maintained traditions with the same kind of pride as Detroit does, and now we can never get that back. We had something special and we decided its value was equivalent to whatever small amount of money the team gets in additional merchandise sales.

I know I'm in the minority on this, but I find it infuriating.

I agree, I've argued this as well. We're arguing what businesses deal with all the time. Devils being a small market team is irrelevant. If you're business feels the product is strong and you want it to eventually be a household name, you're product not only needs to be very good, it needs to have a strong consistent identity. If you're aiming for that, you don't take the shortcuts along the way to make a quick profit. That method muddies the brand's product and makes you more of a Microsoft than an Apple. Both are successful, but Apple has a much more powerful identity and is more profitable. Though things seemed to have dipped a bit without their founder Steve Jobs.

You end up splitting hairs when breaking down the jersey though. Some people feel that the identity is in tact as long as the colors and logo aren't touched. But I see a team's jersey more as their brand image than a product that varies from model to model. I feel if the jersey is done well, the longer it stays the same, the stronger the identity.

 

[njdevils1982]

I just radically disagree with all of this. We have less history, but that doesn't mean we should have any less respect for our history or traditions.

We took something that made us different, something that let us talk about ourselves as a team that maintained traditions with the same kind of pride as Detroit does, and now we can never get that back. We had something special and we decided its value was equivalent to whatever small amount of money the team gets in additional merchandise sales.

I know I'm in the minority on this, but I find it infuriating.

its like tampa

their fans love(d) the blue white black grey and the cult knowledge of the "victory stripes" part on the underarm

it was destroyed with the leafs/wings one night stand ******* child the jersey became

same for canes

warning flags became a bad team canada copy but they did go to a much better look with adid-ass

im with you

change for the sake of change for the worse

if youre going to alter the look of the team dont take steps in the wrong direction

 

[MadDevil]

Not true AT ALL, I strongly disagree






Am I doing this right?

It needs more of a smartass tone.

 

[njdevils1982]

you want controrversy?

design a blackhawks logo but instead of the chief facing left make it a white man looking the other way to the right

not to get into things here

but it was just an image/statement that popped into my head

 

[NjDevsRR]

I want a pair of the rosey red glasses some of you on here have. Perfectly fine for people to like the jersey and disagree with those who don't. Perfectly fine to not care about the new jerseys and condemn the people that do. That's your opinion. It's cool.

What's ridiculous is a few posters consistently living in an alternate reality. Facts:

1) Most of this board strongly dislikes the jersey
2) It quickly became the most ridiculed "new" jersey on the mainboard during and after the reveals. Are we going to attribute that to the "woahhh is me, the world just hates the Devs" mentality? So, independent 3rd party dislikes the jerseys. Mind you they didn't grab pitchforks in masses regarding other new jerseys.
3) Nearly every damn posting/article the jersey is pictured in on the internet, it gets heavily ridiculed in the comments section (and sometimes by the writer).

Yet we have people in here telling individuals who don't like the switch that they are in the minority and most people like them. It's *** insane. I haven't seen one poster who doesn't like the jersey say that they won't sell, by the way.

Says the guy posting in his own 'alternate reality'. Dude you literally just made stuff up and put words in my mouth. I was the one who said 'you are in the minority'. But but but I said that to your post about the jerseys looking worse on the players. Not that you are in the minority for not liking the jersey itself. Hilarious. If you are going to criticize people for living in an 'alternate reality', try not living in one yourself.

They actually look worse on the players. Didn't think that was possible.

You have to be in the minority on this. They look a million times better with the name plates and numbers in the full gear and its not even close. They are an abomination plain but at least its passable with full gear. Still bad though but not as bad as the plain jersey mock up.

They just layed down the Prucenter rink in case you need some ice for this burn.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Our brand was never strong. Even when we were winning it wasn't strong.

You weren't seeing neutral fans buying our jerseys. Attendance was always an issue. National TV doesn't want to put us on the air.

That is why rebranding happens. They don't want to try and sell Lou's Devils anymore.

 

[blood gin]

Our brand was never strong. Even when we were winning it wasn't strong.

You weren't seeing neutral fans buying our jerseys. Attendance was always an issue. National TV doesn't want to put us on the air.

That is why rebranding happens. They don't want to try and sell Lou's Devils anymore.

But we weren't rebranded. It's the same logo and colors. And it wasn't a uniform update, or a futuristic attempt either like what the Seahawks or Bucs did or what Oregon does. It was a stripping down.

When the Devils were winning and one of the elite NHL franchises between 1994 and 2012, our brand WAS strong, respected, and admired. And this was among legitimate hockey fans and diehards .The NHL is not a casual fan followed league

Devils fans were buying Devils jerseys. There was no marketing done at all, no promoting individual players because that's what Lou demanded. The NHL moreso than the other leagues is comprised of mostly legitimate fans & die hards. Neutral fans are fickle. And if they're only somewhat interested in hockey, are they really going to dish out tons of $ for a new jersey? Probably not.

Once Lou was kicked upstairs to be VP it was no longer Devils. And if Shero's plan comes together, they'll be a fast, exciting team that scores goals and wins. And they won't be Lou's Devils and we'll be on the air more often

Attendance was an issue because we played in an unreasonably enormous capacity arena in the middle of nowhere and no public transportation for something like 25 years. For many years only the Saddledome and Detroit were larger. We could get 16,000 Byrne and it still looked bad because that was 3k short of a sellout

 

[Emperoreddy]

Coca Cola removed the swoosh on their cans. Now their is a ton of red space on the can and it looks dumb.

They have ruined their tradition, and no one should ever drink coke again.

Oh wait no because consumers still care about what the actual product is and not its wrapper.

 

[Emperoreddy]

But we weren't rebranded. It's the same logo and colors. And it wasn't a uniform update, or a futuristic attempt either like what the Seahawks or Bucs did or what Oregon does. It was a stripping down.

When the Devils were winning and one of the elite NHL franchises between 1994 and 2012, our brand WAS strong, respected, and admired. And this was among legitimate hockey fans and diehards .The NHL is not a casual fan followed league

Devils fans were buying Devils jerseys. There was no marketing done at all, no promoting individual players because that's what Lou demanded. The NHL moreso than the other leagues is comprised of mostly legitimate fans & die hards. Neutral fans are fickle. And if they're only somewhat interested in hockey, are they really going to dish out tons of $ for a new jersey? Probably not.

Once Lou was kicked upstairs to be VP it was no longer Devils. And if Shero's plan comes together, they'll be a fast, exciting team that scores goals and wins. And they won't be Lou's Devils and we'll be on the air more often

Attendance was an issue because we played in an unreasonably enormous capacity arena in the middle of nowhere and no public transportation for something like 25 years. For many years only the Saddledome and Detroit were larger. We could get 16,000 Byrne and it still looked bad because that was 3k short of a sellout

Our brand was never strong or respected. Rest of the league hated us and claimed we ruined hockey in the 90s.

They tried to claim our first cup didn't count because of the lockout, and claimed we nearly killed hockey.

 

[blood gin]

Coca Cola removed the swoosh on their cans. Now their is a ton of red space on the can and it looks dumb.

They have ruined their tradition, and no one should ever drink coke again.

Oh wait no because consumers still care about what the actual product is and not its wrapper.

They care about both. And in hockey, you actually buy the "can" without the product in it.

And Coca Cola focus groups the hell out of everything before it gets rolled out. Somehow I don't think the Devils focused grouped these jerseys otherwise they wouldn't be here. Coke isn't taking out a swoosh or introducing those green cans until they go through a lot of rigorous testing and feedback

 

[blood gin]

Our brand was never strong or respected. Rest of the league hated us and claimed we ruined hockey in the 90s.

They tried to claim our first cup didn't count because of the lockout, and claimed we nearly killed hockey.

Then stop listening to Rangers and Flyers fans. The Devils were respected throughout the league for the way they went about their business. And you see it everywhere where teams win and win often. They Yankees buy championships, the Patriots cheat, Crosby is a cheap crybaby and the refs favor Pittsburgh. On a smaller scale you saw it with us too. It's called jealousy. They were saying we're ruining hockey when we were leading the league in goals (nearly 300 btw in 2001). The Devils haters of that era made no sense at all.

I remember I think it was game 5 against Dallas in 2000. Those boring ol Devils I believe played what to that point was the highest rated US hockey game a since the Islanders Cup clincher in 1980

 

[MadDevil]

EA didn't do this jersey any favors in NHL 18. It's way too bright red. Although the wider arm stripes and lack of waist stripes don't look quite as bad in the game as I thought they would.

Speaking of EA they somehow have Lovejoy rated a 79 and Greene a 78.

 

[bobilly45]

EA didn't do this jersey any favors in NHL 18. It's way too bright red. Although the wider arm stripes and lack of waist stripes don't look quite as bad in the game as I thought they would.

Speaking of EA they somehow have Lovejoy rated a 79 and Greene a 78.

They also made Cory alot better, even after his horrible season. Can't believe there's been 4 threads about a jersey.

 

[StnTwnDevil]

Our brand was never strong. Even when we were winning it wasn't strong.

You weren't seeing neutral fans buying our jerseys. Attendance was always an issue. National TV doesn't want to put us on the air.

That is why rebranding happens. They don't want to try and sell Lou's Devils anymore.

That's not true at all. Those are related to logistical issues not a branding issue. You're already aware the Devils are a small market team surrounded by a few big market teams in close proximity. The Devils have also not been around that long. To survive in this environment that's been stacked against them is impressive. This area isn't exactly a hockey market either. Despite the Ranger fans thinking their fan base is huge, in the big picture, nobody cares about them compared to the 3 other major sports. I'm also not sure there is any truth in your estimation of neutral fans being interested in the Devils considering their scale. The proportion of home-state fans to out of state seems pretty strong when seeing fan turnout in some opposing buildings.

 

[StnTwnDevil]

Coca Cola removed the swoosh on their cans. Now their is a ton of red space on the can and it looks dumb.

They have ruined their tradition, and no one should ever drink coke again.

Oh wait no because consumers still care about what the actual product is and not its wrapper.

A team jersey is not the same as a throw away item like a a wrapper/can. A more fair comparison for that coke can is the team souvenir products or the devil themed plastic drinking cups. Some people do care a lot about the clothes they choose, or the look of the car they buy, and some people don't. That's what a jersey should be compared to, because it's an item you physically wear or have wrapped around you. That is a different type of identity product, because the person's image changes. A soda can is a throw away item that generally does not change your image, unless you're Francessa who has a Pepsi sitting next to him every time he's on camera.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Coca Cola removed the swoosh on their cans. Now their is a ton of red space on the can and it looks dumb.

They have ruined their tradition, and no one should ever drink coke again.

Oh wait no because consumers still care about what the actual product is and not its wrapper.

This thread officially jumped the shark.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

holy crap this last page is really, really bad. I can't believe people are comparing us to the Yankees and Coca Cola. Some of you guys need a reality check.

 

[R8Devs]

lol I can't believe what people have said over changing one from one of the more generic templates in the league. it's a good template no doubt but so many teams have used it or a slightly modified version of it. it's not unique to the devils. and also this thread is wild def one to remember hahah. although I do hope if they change the jersey again after this I hope it's a redesign that is just meant to look good (not based on the Rockies for example) while also being unique in terms of design.

 

[StnTwnDevil]

holy crap this last page is really, really bad. I can't believe people are comparing us to the Yankees and Coca Cola. Some of you guys need a reality check.

Here's a reality check, I don't think you know how to compare things that aren't directly related to make a point.