Our very own JR would like to submit 2 extra kits, but will we let him??

[River Don]

For me if JR adds his preferred options, we might expect them to win a popular vote. It goes against the idea of the competition for the fans really and suggests he doesn't particularly like the winning options.

It would have been better if they could have been  submitted anonymously in the original vote but I suppose because it was a bit last minute and this wasn't thought about.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yep, I've changed my mind. John, if you empower fans to come up with the kits designs then leave us to it, otherwise you undermine the engagement process.   

[Sheepskin Stu]

What a lovely surprise this is.

[colfromdonny]

Whatever John Ryan wants John Ryan should get (just my humble opinion)

[andysly]

If John Ryan wants us to play in pink and purple stripes that's fine by me, he's the guy who pays the bills.
When I played a shirt sponsor had a say in the kit and how their logo was presented. JR does a tad more than sponsor Rovers.

[Not Now Kato]

Pity he didn't submit his designs on the forum like everyone else. 
 
If it's agreed now that he can put them forward, (unseen), then if his designs are chosen, (they WILL be quite obvious as we've seen all the others), then if he wins, (- and there's always the 'sheep factor'), the cry, rightly or wrongly, will be FIX!!!!!
 
Bad idea John, bad idea. 

[River Don]

Whatever John Ryan wants John Ryan should get (just my humble opinion)

Of course. Which is why Johns choices will almost certainly win. It makes the whole competition idea redundant though.

[DearneValleyRover]

It's all well and good saying John can do as he pleases but he along with all at DRFC gave us the fans a chance to choose the shirts, It would appear the type of shirt John would like to see isn't represented in the 10 voted for by the fans so he would like to submit the 2 he would and have us vote without seeing them or have any other design against them, this basically takes away any credibility of the voting that has already taken place. What John has done, continues to do should have no relevance on this matter.

[Rios]

I did warn you all not to get too excited because of previous "shirt design competitions" on one of the shirts threads and was told that was then, this is now... seems things don't change quite that much after all.

I fail to see why JR's waited until now.  As owner/hero/leader he could have submitted his choices initially and they would have got a bye into the public voting.  Now it just smacks of a similar situation to the horrid light blue away shirt we had the other season, where the fans were asked and their opinions summarily dismissed when they didn't return the required answer.

It's simple as far as I'm concerned.  If the owners put the majority of the money in and view the kit as important, then crack on and choose it.

[DonnyOsmond]

As a business decision surely he'd choose the shirt which gets the most votes as that is most likely going to be the one which sells the most, making the most money.

[wilts rover]

Given that we have c6000 regular fans of which 4000 are season ticket holders can we please know how many votes were cast in the polls?

Surely it wouldn't be just a small sample of VSC forum posters, it is going to be in the thousands isn't it?

If John Ryan wants his own shirt design he can have it - he's paying for it.

[Sheepskin Stu]

Imagine if John Ryan made decisions based on good business sense.

[Filo]

JR's designs should have been submitted before a short list was voted on, to enter now would disrespect all those that had designs that did n't make the short list

[Drover]

I have no problem with the idea that,IF JR wants the Rovers to wear a strip he wants,they should.After all there would probably be no Rovers without him,or atleast we would be lower down the leagues,BUT there should not be a competition and vote for the fans to choose the strip in that case.For me the whole idea of letting the fans choose,is to make as many fans happy with the strip as possible and hence the sales of replica shirts should be better.JR altering or making the final decision which I suspect has happened in the past will not help with the sales of shirts.

[streatham dave]

Difficult one. If we say no you can't submit we look ungrateful. If we say yes then the designs he puts forward will almost certainly win not because of a fix but because people will vote on the basis that after all John has done for the club he should have any shirt he likes. Also as others have said we know what designs have been put forward so will know which ones John has put forward. I don't sit comfortably on the fence I find myself on.

[River Don]

Given that we have c6000 regular fans of which 4000 are season ticket holders can we please know how many votes were cast in the polls?

Surely it wouldn't be just a small sample of VSC forum posters, it is going to be in the thousands isn't it?

If John Ryan wants his own shirt design he can have it - he's paying for it.

That's all fine and no one would ever begrudge John picking whatever kits he wants to see the club play in.

Just don't let's bother wasting the effort on running a competition, if it's not what we want to do.

[BobG]

Quite a tough call this isn't it? On the one hand there's the promise of an open competition with the most favoured designs chosen by the customers going forwards. A smashing idea that encapsulates the revival of the engagement with fans. Risking that would likely cause significant ill will. So on that basis, the answer is put them forwards to a vote John.

But, and it's a very big but indeed, John has earned the right to what he damn well likes with the Rovers. Without him there really would be no club at all now. It's his money, his dream, his hard work, his heartache, his drive, his judgement that has got us back to being a club worth supporting. So, on that basis, just wang in your ideas John and we'll all fall in line.

How do you make a judgement between those two points of view? I'm not sure I can - except on a purely visceral basis. So, although it's worth nothing at all, I'd let him go ahead.

BobG

[River Don]

I did suggest last week it might be better if we run the competition so each entrant submits a limited number of designs and we let John choose the winners, rather than have a popular vote.

[streatham dave]

What if either of John's designs are very similar to the Kit that finishes 6th in the original vote and then go on to win? Would this be a problem?

[River Don]

What if either of John's designs are very similar to the Kit that finishes 6th in the original vote and then go on to win? Would this be a problem?

I don't think so, I really think most people would  like it most if John is happy with the winning designs.

[Nudga]

Quite a tough call this isn't it? On the one hand there's the promise of an open competition with the most favoured designs chosen by the customers going forwards. A smashing idea that encapsulates the revival of the engagement with fans. Risking that would likely cause significant ill will. So on that basis, the answer is put them forwards to a vote John.

But, and it's a very big but indeed, John has earned the right to what he damn well likes with the Rovers. Without him there really would be no club at all now. It's his money, his dream, his hard work, his heartache, his drive, his judgement that has got us back to being a club worth supporting. So, on that basis, just wang in your ideas John and we'll all fall in line.

How do you make a judgement between those two points of view? I'm not sure I can - except on a purely visceral basis. So, although it's worth nothing at all, I'd let him go ahead.

BobG

It just smacks of the little rich kid who wants his own way. Why can't we see his designs? Why do we have to vote on DRFC's e-mail? Why do we have to suck up to John Ryan? I feel sorry for the guys that produced some stunning designs that must have taken some time and effort, only for the rich kid to throw a strop and stamp his feet until he gets what he wants.

[Sheepskin Stu]

Quite a tough call this isn't it? On the one hand there's the promise of an open competition with the most favoured designs chosen by the customers going forwards. A smashing idea that encapsulates the revival of the engagement with fans. Risking that would likely cause significant ill will. So on that basis, the answer is put them forwards to a vote John.

But, and it's a very big but indeed, John has earned the right to what he damn well likes with the Rovers. Without him there really would be no club at all now. It's his money, his dream, his hard work, his heartache, his drive, his judgement that has got us back to being a club worth supporting. So, on that basis, just wang in your ideas John and we'll all fall in line.

How do you make a judgement between those two points of view? I'm not sure I can - except on a purely visceral basis. So, although it's worth nothing at all, I'd let him go ahead.

BobG

It just smacks of the little rich kid who wants his own way. Why can't we see his designs? Why do we have to vote on DRFC's e-mail? Why do we have to suck up to John Ryan? I feel sorry for the guys that produced some stunning designs that must have taken some time and effort, only for the rich kid to throw a strop and stamp his feet until he gets what he wants.

f**king excellent work Nudga.

[SkellowRover]

As someone that designed over 20 home and away kits for this competition with around a dozen making the final fans choice i'm a tad p*ssed of with this. It took a large chunk of my time designing those kits and they were made public and voted on and i don't even know if any made the final 5 home or away.
Now don't get me wrong i love JR for what he's done for the club but to submit his own designs AFTER the competition deadline without them even being made public to view or vote on stinks of a fix and makes it look like the club aren't keen on any of the fans choices.
Sorry JR but you're wrong to even ask the fans to vote whether you can or not.

[River Don]

As someone that designed over 20 home and away kits for this competition with around a dozen making the final fans choice i'm a tad p*ssed of with this. It took a large chunk of my time designing those kits and they were made public and voted on and i don't even know if any made the final 5 home or away.
Now don't get me wrong i love JR for what he's done for the club but to submit his own designs AFTER the competition deadline without them even being made public to view or vote on stinks of a fix and makes it look like the club aren't keen on any of the fans choices.
Sorry JR but you're wrong to even ask the fans to vote whether you can or not.

I can understand you feeling disappointed. You obviously put a lot of effort in to it.

How would you feel about it if instead of a popular vote, John and the other owners were to pick the winners?

[SkellowRover]

As someone that designed over 20 home and away kits for this competition with around a dozen making the final fans choice i'm a tad p*ssed of with this. It took a large chunk of my time designing those kits and they were made public and voted on and i don't even know if any made the final 5 home or away.
Now don't get me wrong i love JR for what he's done for the club but to submit his own designs AFTER the competition deadline without them even being made public to view or vote on stinks of a fix and makes it look like the club aren't keen on any of the fans choices.
Sorry JR but you're wrong to even ask the fans to vote whether you can or not.

I can understand you feeling disappointed. You obviously put a lot of effort in to it.

How would you feel about it if instead of a popular vote, John and the other owners were to pick the winners?

It makes no difference as the competition was for the fans and THEIR choice, not the owners to play about with and get involved.

[River Don]

As someone that designed over 20 home and away kits for this competition with around a dozen making the final fans choice i'm a tad p*ssed of with this. It took a large chunk of my time designing those kits and they were made public and voted on and i don't even know if any made the final 5 home or away.
Now don't get me wrong i love JR for what he's done for the club but to submit his own designs AFTER the competition deadline without them even being made public to view or vote on stinks of a fix and makes it look like the club aren't keen on any of the fans choices.
Sorry JR but you're wrong to even ask the fans to vote whether you can or not.

I can understand you feeling disappointed. You obviously put a lot of effort in to it.

How would you feel about it if instead of a popular vote, John and the other owners were to pick the winners?

It makes no difference as the competition was for the fans and THEIR choice, not the owners to play about with and get involved.

Well, I can understand that point of view. And it is unfair that the rules change at the last minute.

I just wondered if there is a compromise, where we still have a fair competition open to the fans but John gets the kit he wants. I do think most supporters want John to be happy.

[DonnyNoel]

Could we at least have some clues as to what JR's designs are? I really don't like to criticise him but I fear this could go badly and isn't a good idea at all.

[Mild Rover]

People appear to be reading more into this than they need to.

It seems obvious to me that it is no more than a ruse to aquire email addresses for future marketing purposes - and there will now be 6 strips to vote on instead of just 5 as was the original plan. I really can't see a problem or 'conspiracy'.

[BobG]

Quite a tough call this isn't it? On the one hand there's the promise of an open competition with the most favoured designs chosen by the customers going forwards. A smashing idea that encapsulates the revival of the engagement with fans. Risking that would likely cause significant ill will. So on that basis, the answer is put them forwards to a vote John.

But, and it's a very big but indeed, John has earned the right to what he damn well likes with the Rovers. Without him there really would be no club at all now. It's his money, his dream, his hard work, his heartache, his drive, his judgement that has got us back to being a club worth supporting. So, on that basis, just wang in your ideas John and we'll all fall in line.

How do you make a judgement between those two points of view? I'm not sure I can - except on a purely visceral basis. So, although it's worth nothing at all, I'd let him go ahead.

BobG

It just smacks of the little rich kid who wants his own way. Why can't we see his designs? Why do we have to vote on DRFC's e-mail? Why do we have to suck up to John Ryan? I feel sorry for the guys that produced some stunning designs that must have taken some time and effort, only for the rich kid to throw a strop and stamp his feet until he gets what he wants.

Because it's his money, his time and his foresight Nudga. I don't necessarily agree with it. But ultimately he who pays the piper and all that. Still bad form, but we live in a real world you know. The opinions of plebs don't often count. We have the word of a very senior Tory politician confirming that.

BobG

[Dr Fundlekrotch]

And let's not forget that JR has put up a competition like this before and it saw the return of the hoops.  In that season we went from selling around 300 shirts per season to well over 1000.  He knows that the fans know what sells.