FOOTBAG CLOTHING LINE

zachatree · Post by **zachatree** » 31 Jan 2005 15:40

ok.... on this fourm there are a shit load of things about footbag clothing, shirts, bennies, hats, you name it. why dont someone start makeing alot of footbag clothing? like enogh so every one could have a full wordrob of footbag wear, like skateboarding. i would LOVE to wear footbag stuff everyday. im not going as far to say footbag pants, but some one should make a website or use a website and have alot of footbag clothing on it, and all other kinds of stuff, who knows it maybe could lead to a footbag line of clothing or something. i just got to thinking bc of the css6 shirt and joes shirt design, it be a good idea to have a web site that sold a SELECTION of footbag wear.... who would not agre with this?

Splint · Post by **Splint** » 31 Jan 2005 16:34

I'm actually working toward it.
Did you not see my "What would you actually buy?" thread in General Footbag? That was set up with a purpose.

How about my "Hats" thread in General Footbag? Also done with a purpose.

The Grateful Shred Shirt...seen here: http://www.footbag.org/gallery/show/3803
is the first shirt I've actually gone through with (thanks in large part to Chris Holden). I am offering it as a fundraising shirt because I feel the money is much more needed toward supporting CSS6

Here's just a sample problem that anyone facing footbag as a business runs into. Footbag is an extremely small market, but has the same demographic variability as an extremely large market.
What does that mean?
That means that out of 2,000 or so footbaggers there are about 50 different tastes in design style.
So lets's say I come up with a shirt design... which I did. Odds are than 40 people out of that 2,000 like it enough to buy it. So to be safe I ordered 36 shirts. However, being the extremely poor and lazy (myself included) group of customers that footbaggers are, people tend to not buy the shirts online, rather they buy things at the actual tournament.
So, my fundraising shirts have thus far only received 5 orders out of 40 potentials and at least 20 who either replied or PM'ed that they "HAD TO HAVE ONE".

e.g. Even as a fundraising effort a clothing line can go in the hole. I have faith that this first effort will actually turn out well, but that's just a sample of problems that footbag businesses run into.

Here's the shirt "buy" the way...(I'm shameless

)
http://www.footbag.org/gallery/show/3803

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 31 Jan 2005 23:13

So far footbag hasn't been very condusive to coporate greed, thankfully.

Is this really a step in the right direction?

I am not calling selling footbag shirts corporate greed. I am just thinking that this is a step towards super stars with mega contracts and mega egos.

Mo money, mo problems.

Splint · Post by **Splint** » 01 Feb 2005 00:25

First off, would you or anyone else you know actually turn down a multimillion dollar contract to play footbag? I don't think so. It's very idealistic to say you would turn it down, but if the prospect actually arose where you could play footbag for a living...a damn good living... and all you'd have to do is wear a shirt that said "Mountain Dew" or (god forbid) "Walmart" do you really think you'd turn it down?

Second... there are Mega Egos abound with or without mega contracts and corporate greed. I'll refrain from giving examples.

Third... instead of talking about greed let's talk about reluctance.

I have watched over the last 10 years as many people have fought tooth and nail to keep the sport of footbag alive. I have watched Steve Goldberg donate THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of his own hard earned dollars to keep Worlds from being flushed down the toilet. I've watched as officers have been voted into IFC and IFPA positions without anyone to oppose them, so that footbag sports could retain a governing board. I have watched bag makers come and go. I have watched Paul Mestas invent one of the top freestyle bags in the world. I have watched Daryl Genz leave a cushy office job to follow a passion. I have watched Ellis develop into one of the top video makers and footbag promoters in the world. I've seen Little people get big and big people belittled.

Sadly, I've also seen a great deal of reluctance from players to support the efforts these people make for the sport. Do you realize that Daryl donates bucket loads of bags and videos to events every year? That he donates money to the IFPA regularly? That he thinks of the footbag community first and himself second?
I constantly hear whining about what the IFPA does. In a word... WORLDS. In more words, they make it possible to get sponsors due to the non-profit status. They make it possible for Footbag.org to act as the Number 1 footbag resource on the Internet.
How about the WFA... anyone bought from them recently? They have been footbag for over 20 years.

So before worrying about corporate greed and selling out, how about just supporting the honorable souls that make footbag possible for you to have ever found out about in the first place.

As for a line of clothing, be it from me or anyone else who starts one. I think footbag clothing is pretty fucking cool. I wear my event shirts often and I know a lot of others do as well. It's not selling out to wear something you love and are passionate about, and it's not selling out to purchase those things from people who share your passion.

'nuf said

NotHisRealName · Post by **NotHisRealName** » 01 Feb 2005 04:21

I'm guilty of being slack in ordering stuff, yet I couldn't agree more with what Brad K just said.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 01 Feb 2005 08:49

Brad, I don't mean to stand in the way of your nobel dreams.

I shouldn't have worded what I wanted to say so harshly.

What I really meant is that so far it has proven that footbag isn't a very big money making thing. Rather, it costs money to love footbag.

This forces people to love the sport for what it is, I LOVE that there is no money for me to win in this. it will keep peoples motives pure.

zachatree · Post by **zachatree** » 01 Feb 2005 12:51

first off brad, *clap clap clap clap clap* that was really touching, i wish i had money to just throw around and donate, this sport is really the best thing since sliced bread.

tom, i love footbag too and i agree that the fact that there isnt money or fame ( out of the footbag community ) involed is a + to this sport, but yet i side with brad on that if i got offered money to shred, id take it....

i just want to see every one with footbag clothing, showing it off, maybe it would even help on geting the sport bigger.

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 01 Feb 2005 23:48

there is one! it's made up mostly of t-shirts, and costs a fair bit (since you have to show up at events to get them!)

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 03 Feb 2005 16:27

Bravo, Brad. That was so well put. I only buy my lavers from the WFA. They helped sponsor the first tournament I ever went to, the New York Footbag Explosion. Seriously, I`d much rather pay 60 bucks for Lavers, knowing that some of that money goes into worlds, than pay $40 for lavers, knowing that all of that money goes to Foot Locker and Adidas.

Buy your lavers from the WFA.

Pay the entry fee of every tournament you attend, even if you don`t compete.

Buy a membership to the IFPA.

Seriously, how much fun have you gotten out of footbag? How little have you paid for it? If you were as enthusiastic about snowboarding as you are about footbag, how much would you spend on a season ski-pass? A snowboard? Boots? Getting to the mountains? Footbag is a fraction of that.

Buy Steve Goldberg lunch the next time you see him. God knows he deserves at least that much.