Monday, 01 Dec 2014 11:20 GMT

Sports Branding

With the market booming, Brendan Perring asks: “What lucrative opportunities are there in the sports branding and signage market and what are some of the obstacles for entry?”

Jumpers for goalposts

Traditionally print and sign companies see textile and sport manufacturing as a separate business completely, so very often it doesn’t even enter their heads that there’s potential to enter this market. A lot of sign-makers already have solvent machines that they use for t-shirt transfers, so they are already doing some garment production without realising it.

A lot of sign-makers already have solvent machines that they use for t-shirt transfers, so they are already doing some garment production without realising it”


A lot of the reasons sign-makers might not get into sports branding is they see it as a bit of a black art. Though the machines are fundamentally the same, the inks and finishing are different and that can be a barrier. But it’s a perceived barrier.

When people think of textile production they think of large machines and a big outlay of cost but that is not necessarily the case. Mimaki has a huge range of equipment and some entry level machines, such as the TPC 1000, the new JV 300 and the JV 150, which are ideal for sublimation without the huge cost upfront.

Also we work with some very specialist resellers, who cover the UK and Ireland. They are a very important piece because they have a lot specialist knowledge in that area. So Mimaki has a huge amount of experience with sublimation, textile printing, and direct to textile.

In terms of markets, sports branding is ideal for local suppliers. From Ireland’s perspective, organisations like the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) have stipulated that all kit and accessories have to be manufactured in Ireland and they do that on a licencing basis, on both county and club level. On a wider scale I have also heard that a huge amount of textile production is now returning to the UK, not just sublimation. People want smaller, more bespoke orders, which is hard to do overseas. This presents a big opportunity for Mimaki customers to enter a lucrative market.

Passing down the line


Rob Ledger, director, Exeter Signs














There are many lucrative opportunities whilst working with large sports brands. The most obvious is financial as a lot of these companies have huge advertising and marketing funds with allocations for signage that is required.

What we have found to be the largest benefit to us is the way we can expand our own brand through association and partnering with these companies. We can have access to the thousands of social media followers that these companies have to get our own brand in front of the end user. By association and their success, we in turn have a greater audience for our own company.

What we have found to be the largest benefit to us is the way we can expand our own brand through association and partnering with these companies”


It has taken many years for us to earn the trust of some of the sports brands we currently work with. We have had to consistently deliver on quality, always be ready to produce a product or design within very tight deadlines, and always be open to ideas and opportunities.

Of course it always helps to know about the brand you decide to contact, as this will give you a better chance of understanding their requirements and what you can offer. Don’t be afraid to make contact: you never know how you can help and just because they have a big name it does not mean they won't need your services.

Also, don’t forget to research your existing customers as they might well have a contact or know someone that can gain you access. A great example of this is a customer of ours. A builder who we had completed numerous jobs with turned out to be the father of a famous freestyle Motorcross rider and was able to recommend and set up a meeting, which turned out to be extremely lucrative for us.

Best foot forward


Debbie Astle, marketing manager, Grafityp UK














The sports branding and signage market can be extremely lucrative when targeted at the right area.  Initially, for large football clubs for instance, artwork will come via a design agency but at entry level, there are plenty of smaller clubs and schools who require such items. Garment transfers such as shirt team numbers, logos, sweatshirts, shorts, and hats are always needed for teams, clubs, and events as well as promotional items. This area of business is relatively easy to set up. 

The biggest outlay will be equipment and, before jumping in feet first, plenty of research on how much business is to be had, pricing, sourcing materials, and machines, is paramount”


The biggest outlay will be equipment and, before jumping in feet first, plenty of research on how much business is to be had, pricing, sourcing materials, and machines, is para-mount. For CAD cut transfers, a cutting plotter, heat transfer press, computer with suitable software for design and cutting and quality, proven films such as those stocked by Grafityp in the GrafiFlex range, made by Siser in Europe are a good starting point without massive outlay. There is a wide range of films available to cater for application on to different materials, whether it be nylon, cotton, stretch fabrics or even leather.

Grafityp also stocks a range of quality cutting plotters from GCC and Roland and heat presses from Siser and SEFA to facilitate various needs—single plate or double plate, manual or automatic—depending on requirements.
 
Further expanding business of this type would be to install a quality eco-solvent print and cut machine such as the Roland BN-20, VersaCAMM, or SolJet Pro4. This would enable businesses to offer bespoke, full-colour printed, and contour cut garment transfers using such products as C-Print in a variety of types for different fabrics with high-coloured graphics or even photographs. A digital printer would also give the ability to provide banners, car window stickers, advertisements and posters, labels and decals for the whole package. To spread your wings even wider, offering print could take you into the world of vehicle graphics and wrapping where advertisements will be seen on the move.

That’s a wrap


Paul French, chief executive officer, Metamark














Within sports branding there are big opportunities. All you’ve got to do is watch any event, turn on the TV to any sports channel and you see a whole array of brand advertising marketing in stadiums, cars, motor vehicles, and so on. I think what’s happening is that the marketing teams are getting more conscious of brand awareness to drive traffic to their Twitter, or Facebook pages. Whereas before they would often try and use a product, this got more difficult to justify, and you will rarely see a big brand advertising products.

Also, if you think about how much digital technology has improved over the last five or ten years, the print quality is far greater than it was. The cost of the machines hasn’t changed particularly, but the cost of the output has changed significantly. If you look back five years ago or so, you’re getting five times more productivity an hour now than you were back then.

A lot of it is short term promotional material, and the biggest growth we are seeing is calendared vinyls. When it comes to cast, one challenge for the customer is price, another is that the material is over engineered for the job required. When you look at it now, it’s up for less time than it would have been, because we live in a short term world, and the thing it’s being fitted to is less complex than it used to be. There are less complicated shapes to wrap or cover so you can do it with a lower cost material and with less skilled fitting.

If you can’t wrap in five years you probably won’t be in the sign market”


I said a year ago that, for a sign-maker, wrapping a sports vehicle or branding vehicle is going to become a staple diet. If you can’t wrap in five years you probably won’t be in the sign market.

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