Mike Ashley

[quayside]

 

 

There's two different issues in your post. To clarify (I hope) I think that the advertising you refer to has been a mistaken effort to promote SD's business. I don't think it does anything. The merchandising and whatever outsourcing arrangements the club has with SD (unclear at this stage) are entirely different. 

 

Why would we have plastered the advertising around the pitch with foreign SD adverts during European games if he had nothing to gain?

 

Why would the club spend money advertising SD at all if it wasn't for gain?

 

The fact that the club does it doesn't mean I think that it is effective. This is purely my opinion and no one can (not even SD) would be able to quantify the effect the advertising has.

[ikri]

I think they had included all the exposure and every time Newcastle were mentioned in the paper he was referred to as "Sports Direct Tycoon". It wasn't solely relating to the adverts at SJP. I don't know how accurate it is myself but I dont think it will be far off, he's been here quite a long time now.

 

I actually think Ashley's involvement with NUFC has done very little to add anything to the Sports Direct brand. If anything it has a negative effect, most people you talk to about the club think he's a bit of dick and that what he has done to our stadium is brainless. It seems unlikely that its led to more punters going to his shops. Clearly the advertising space at SJP has some monetary value but its limited imo.

 

Why do you think he bought us then? Or why hasn't he sold us? It can't be keeping the club because it's a gas and he's having loads of fun....

 

I think the official & rumoured reasons are both probably true.  He believed that he had the opportunity to purchase the club & quickly re-sell it for a profit, at the time he believed that he had a midas touch and couldn't possibly fail.  Plus what better status symbol for a billionaire is there than to own a football club?  Better than a yacht or large mansion, every fucker has those, but a football club?  That's real status. Buy it quickly before anyone else can, flip it & reap the rewards.

 

Then reality hits.  The club has debts everywhere and the bank has just demanded repayment, suddenly he finds out the reason that every other potential purchaser has run a mile when they've looked at the books.  He has to spend a lot of money repaying those debts and even if he can make a 30m profit on his original investment he's still losing money.  He'd overpaid for the shares and if he'd done due diligence he'd have known that, the club was probably worth what he paid minus the immediate debts.  If he'd paid that he'd have been able to get out quickly, either breaking even or making a small profit.

 

Looking back & knowing what was to come it's obvious that we'd have been better off if Ashley had done due diligence & run a mile with the rest of the potential investors.  We'd have still have had some huge financial problems that were likely to come due any time, but the Man City buyers would have turned up & Hall would have likely sold out to them instead (or potentially the other buyers who Ashley thought he could flip to, though with our luck it'd have been the Blackburn chicken brothers). 

 

Ashley initially tried to play it off as something he'd always wanted to do but with the finances quickly turning sour and the fans following his proffered enthusiasm turned to apparent dislike and spite.  He's an incredibly successful businessman who has made a billion, lost millions and recovered to make even more and yet every time he touches the club it fails. 

 

I think there are a couple of positions fit Ashley now:

1) He hates the club because it represents failure and he's not a man who does failure and the only benefits the club now gives him is as a billboard for his shitty brand and a whipping boy for him to take his spite out on.  He won't sell up because he hates the club and he enjoys spiting the fans.

2) He genuinely believes that he should be able to make a success of the club as he has managed to do with every other business venture and all his bizarre and stupid decisions are based on that belief.  He won't sell up until he's either made a success of the club or he's sold it for a profit.

 

Unless he can make a profit on the club I can't see him selling, no matter what the fans think.

[Dr Venkman]

 

Well that's not tangible is it, so your guess is as good as anyone else's.  Known facts are that Sports Direct have gone from strength to strength and the exposure of the Premier League knows almost no bounds.  The amount of publicity SD has had since Ashley bought NUFC, well there's no comparison versus what was the case before that.  If you don't believe that all publicity is good publicity (especially at the extraordinary levels we're talking, where Ashley is now a household name and Sports Direct often features heavily on the Sports/News pages as well as the Business pages) then that's your prerogative, but you'll find plenty of people down the years who disagree, such as that chap from RyanAir who is in the papers every few months bragging about how he'll rip his customers off next.

 

I don't know how typical I am but I had never heard of Sports Direct until Ashley bought the club.

 

Me neither. But at that time Sports Direct was recently floated, underperforming company. Since then Ashley has virtually eliminated all competition in its market place and is several times the size it was in 2007. The debate here is how much NUFC has played a part in that. I think that his involvement in the club and his brazen attempts to promote SD through it are generally viewed negatively and have done nothing to contribute to where SD is today. The growth of SD has come due to factors other than Ashley's involvement with us imo.

 

You think the level of exposure a premier league club has given SD over 5 years has done nothing to increase SD business? Seriously?

[Minhosa]

Well that's not tangible is it, so your guess is as good as anyone else's.  Known facts are that Sports Direct have gone from strength to strength and the exposure of the Premier League knows almost no bounds.  The amount of publicity SD has had since Ashley bought NUFC, well there's no comparison versus what was the case before that.  If you don't believe that all publicity is good publicity (especially at the extraordinary levels we're talking, where Ashley is now a household name and Sports Direct often features heavily on the Sports/News pages as well as the Business pages) then that's your prerogative, but you'll find plenty of people down the years who disagree, such as that chap from RyanAir who is in the papers every few months bragging about how he'll rip his customers off next.

 

I don't know how typical I am but I had never heard of Sports Direct until Ashley bought the club.

 

Me neither. But at that time Sports Direct was recently floated, underperforming company. Since then Ashley has virtually eliminated all competition in its market place and is several times the size it was in 2007. The debate here is how much NUFC has played a part in that. I think that his involvement in the club and his brazen attempts to promote SD through it are generally viewed negatively and have done nothing to contribute to where SD is today. The growth of SD has come due to factors other than Ashley's involvement with us imo.

 

I tend to agree with this. I don't think the outcome for SD would've been any different whatsoever with or without his NUFC purchase.

 

As for the questions on why plaster their brand everywhere, I guess his view is why not? It's his asset, he'll have no desire to allow any other brands or competition gain exposure and there may be some indirect benefits in terms of headlines (Sports Direct Arena) but does that actually deliver more footfall into his shops than say an advertising campaign in the sun, chronicle or mirror would do? I don't think so, not for me.

[Andymc1]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

[Dr Venkman]

Can someone post Sir John Halls quote about why Ashley bought the club?

[Wullie]

Sports Direct has, at times, been the main news on Sky Sports News for days on end, it made the front page of national newspapers, it made the main BBC headlines when he renamed the ground.

 

And that has had absolutely no effect advertising-wise? Some absolute fucking crackers on here like.

[Minhosa]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

[Dr Venkman]

Honestly man, we've got a team full of French players and French SD adverts on the billboards at games and people think he just changed the name of the stadium, covered the gallowgate roof, ruined the Newcastle United sign and has countless (unless you're Dave) SD billboards in the ground.......for the craic.

[SEMTEX]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy fucking advert on the radio, and you hate every cunt responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

[Dr Venkman]

 

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

You don't understand advertising.

[Dr Colossus]

There are basically no other sportswear outlets apart from SD now, that's got to help as well.

[Wullie]

There are basically no other sportswear outlets apart from SD now, that's got to help as well.

 

Why doesn't he pull all the ads from the ground in that case? Job done.

[Wullie]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy fucking advert on the radio, and you hate every cunt responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

 

[JH]

 

SEMTEX is spot on mind.

[Dr Venkman]

There are basically no other sportswear outlets apart from SD now, that's got to help as well.

 

No-one's denying that. A few have already said you can't quantify how much Ashley owning NUFC will have benefitted SD, and they're correct. But to think that this level of exposure (NUFC has been directly associated with SD for five years) in the premier league will only have a negligible affect on brand awareness is mental, imo. Bear in mind that a football club is the perfect vehicle for a tacky sportswear shop as well.

[quayside]

Sports Direct has, at times, been the main news on Sky Sports News for days on end, it made the front page of national newspapers, it made the main BBC headlines when he renamed the ground.

 

And that has had absolutely no effect advertising-wise? Some absolute f***ing crackers on here like.

 

So tell us what effect it has had? Do you think more people go into Ashley's stores because of that? Most people who offer an opinion on it think it was cheap, tacky and denigrated a great football club. Just because someone has a different opinion to you doesn't mean they are "fucking crackers" btw.

[Andymc1]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy f***ing advert on the radio, and you hate every c*** responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

 

 

[Dr Venkman]

 

Sports Direct has, at times, been the main news on Sky Sports News for days on end, it made the front page of national newspapers, it made the main BBC headlines when he renamed the ground.

 

And that has had absolutely no effect advertising-wise? Some absolute f***ing crackers on here like.

 

So tell us what effect it has had? Do you think more people go into Ashley's stores because of that? Most people who offer an opinion on it think it was cheap, tacky and denigrated a great football club. Just because someone has a different opinion to you doesn't mean they are "fucking crackers" btw.

 

Yes, and more people have visited sportsdirect.com and sportsdirect.fr as a result as well.

[Wullie]

Sports Direct has, at times, been the main news on Sky Sports News for days on end, it made the front page of national newspapers, it made the main BBC headlines when he renamed the ground.

 

And that has had absolutely no effect advertising-wise? Some absolute f***ing crackers on here like.

 

So tell us what effect it has had? Do you think more people go into Ashley's stores because of that? Most people who offer an opinion on it think it was cheap, tacky and denigrated a great football club. Just because someone has a different opinion to you doesn't mean they are "fucking crackers" btw.

 

More people will go into shops they've heard of, yes.

 

Anybody who thinks advertising doesn't work is indeed fucking crackers.

[Andymc1]

Pre takeover I'd never been to a SD store. Post takeover I've been in numerous times for football equipment. This isn't by chance, it's because I've became aware of the place and what products it sells. I only knew this information due to the adverts in newspapers/tele/SJP. I'm one of millions in the same boat.

[Superior Acuña]

Absolutely bewildered by people thinking SD exposure through NUFC has been negligible. It may have been succesful without it, but it's undoubtedly played a significant role. Anyone interested in the PL is exposed to it way more than any rival just by reading the sports news pages or seeing our stadium. Even many of us with our negative impressions, when I think of needing to go to a sports shop I'd immediately think of SD and have gone numerous times as a result. I can't think of any way I've been exposed to SD apart from through NUFC and passing the shop (the latter of which does't happen more than I pass JD, or until recently, JJB).

[Minhosa]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy fucking advert on the radio, and you hate every cunt responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

 

Understand that but does a brand that's xxx% cheaper than anyone else in their market, on every street corner, in a sector where they've pretty much got the monopoly actually need the exposure he's gained from NUFC, including all the negative stuff too and is that actually dragging more people through the doors than if it weren't the case?

 

Edit - surely £200m could buy loads more 'exposure' if it's required?

[Andymc1]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy f***ing advert on the radio, and you hate every c*** responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

 

Understand that but does a brand that's xxx% cheaper than anyone else in their market, on every street corner, in a sector where they've pretty much got the monopoly actually need the exposure he's gained from NUFC, including all the negative stuff too and is that actually dragging more people through the doors than if it weren't the case?

 

As already explained, I used to by sports equipment from online stores and the odd time JJB. Now, I don't think twice about it - straight to SD. This isn't by chance.

[Minhosa]

I can't agree with you. You're arguing that advertising is pointless - it's an outrageous argument.

 

I'm only speaking from a personal point of view but I don't watch a match in our stadium and see their signs and suddenly think 'I must pick those cheap shin pads up next time I'm passing SD', in the same way I don't think 'I must change to Barclays Bank' every time I hear about the Premiership or neck a can of Carling every time I hear about the 'Carling Cup'.

 

Perhaps it's part of a wider SD campaign (?) but I think it's affect would be negligible in terms of the bigger picture footfall numbers.

 

That business, in the midst of a recession, was only ever going to grow and rapidly at that. A blind man could see it. Cheap stuff when people have less money, during Olympic time etc. I don't think a boat load of banners at the ground had any bearing on that.

 

It's not meant to be hypnotizing you into immediately dropping a couple grand on Lonsdale Boxers, it's giving you an awareness of the company. So when it comes to you needing X, the first thing you think of is Sports Direct.

 

It's the same as that WEBUYANYCAR bullshit. You hear that filthy f***ing advert on the radio, and you hate every c*** responsible for it. But then as soon as you want to get rid of your 30 year old Vauxhall Nova, WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM WEBUYANYCAR DOT COM ANY ANY ANY ANY

 

Understand that but does a brand that's xxx% cheaper than anyone else in their market, on every street corner, in a sector where they've pretty much got the monopoly actually need the exposure he's gained from NUFC, including all the negative stuff too and is that actually dragging more people through the doors than if it weren't the case?

 

As already explained, I used to by sports equipment from online stores and the odd time JJB. Now, I don't think twice about it - straight to SD. This isn't by chance.

 

JJB is gone and SD (I assume, don't shop there) is probably the cheapest outlet online for this stuff? Surely you would've stumbled upon it anyway - no?