New Kit unveiled.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

I suppose you're right in terms of history, success, and all that. But yeah, ascendancy wise they're definitely on the up.

Napoli have a very large fanbase though - they are like the Newcastle of Italy.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Look at the teams who have Nike kits:

Clubs - Arsenal, Man United, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan

National teams - Brazil, France, Holland, Portugal, Serbia, USA, Korea, Australia

It is good for Aston Villa to be associated with those teams.

Is it? Oh, little Aston Villa should be so fucking grateful that Nike has time to give us a shoddy kit, a bit late, and not a full range of the stuff, but it's okay! Because they work with United and Barca.

Macron work with Napoli and Mallorca. Napoli is a club with much higher ambitions than us right now. Should they run off to Nike because Macron dare work with smaller clubs too?

It's better than having Macron.

Seriously who has ever heard of Macron?

Everyone has heard of Nike.

[Toronto Villa]

Look at the teams who have Nike kits:

Clubs - Arsenal, Man United, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan

National teams - Brazil, France, Holland, Portugal, Serbia, USA, Korea, Australia

It is good for Aston Villa to be associated with those teams.

Is it? Oh, little Aston Villa should be so fucking grateful that Nike has time to give us a shoddy kit, a bit late, and not a full range of the stuff, but it's okay! Because they work with United and Barca.

Macron work with Napoli and Mallorca. Napoli is a club with much higher ambitions than us right now. Should they run off to Nike because Macron dare work with smaller clubs too?

It's better than having Macron.

Seriously who has ever heard of Macron?

Everyone has heard of Nike.

so what? If the product is naff then what does it matter? You're being completed swayed by little swoosh in the corner of the kit. It means nothing at all if the quality isn't there. Honestly, what has Nike done for us that Macron can't?

[Walmley_Villa]

A Nike kit won't win us anymore matches than a Macron one. Could be worse, could be Xtep......

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Look at the teams who have Nike kits:

Clubs - Arsenal, Man United, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan

National teams - Brazil, France, Holland, Portugal, Serbia, USA, Korea, Australia

It is good for Aston Villa to be associated with those teams.

Is it? Oh, little Aston Villa should be so fucking grateful that Nike has time to give us a shoddy kit, a bit late, and not a full range of the stuff, but it's okay! Because they work with United and Barca.

Macron work with Napoli and Mallorca. Napoli is a club with much higher ambitions than us right now. Should they run off to Nike because Macron dare work with smaller clubs too?

It's better than having Macron.

Seriously who has ever heard of Macron?

Everyone has heard of Nike.

so what? If the product is naff then what does it matter? You're being completed swayed by little swoosh in the corner of the kit. It means nothing at all if the quality isn't there. Honestly, what has Nike done for us that Macron can't?

Having Nike as kit manufacturer reflects very well on your club - big clubs have big brands such as Nike and Adidas.

Having Macron reflects very badly on your club - crappy kit manufacturer = small/unimportant club.

[Walmley_Villa]

Mmmmm, you refer to 'your' club twice. What do you think of Xtep?

[Toronto Villa]

how does having Nike reflect well on the club? From what standpoint? Villa fans will buy Villa kits yet our kit sales are down because the team isn't doing well. Having a Nike swoosh on it won't make a difference to kit sales if the team isn't doing well. Just like if you were a Napoli fan you'd buy a Macron kit because the team is in the CL.

[Des Little]

Let's no kid ourselves - being associated with a global brand is good PR and gives us kudos.  The opposite is also true and we all know it.  We all laughed at Blues's Xtep deal and we are descending down that road.

[Toronto Villa]

Let's no kid ourselves - being associated with a global brand is good PR and gives us kudos.  The opposite is also true and we all know it.  We all laughed at Blues's Xtep deal and we are descending down that road.

I'm not dismissing brand equity but it's only as valuable as the commodity that carries it. It Blues get promotion and get into Europe as an example (prays that it doesn't happen), Xtep or anyone else won't matter because fans will buy merchandise. The relationship with Macron is more a reflection of our brand power today than theirs.

[Somniloquism]

I find it funny that Nike are moaning we don't make them enough money when it is down to them mostly. How many times have have they delayed our kit until after the lucrative Summer holiday period. Then they made them so shoddy that they had to remake them. And also with their insistence of not making specific ladies tops. All the above meant less sales then they would have got.

As for Macron, so what, the only worry we should have is they think they already make a Claret and Blue English top and decide to just make one for the both of us.

[Brian Taylor]

Macron is international
Macron is a European company. The headquarters are in Bologna, Italy, and the production facility is in Tianjin, China. Macron employs 75 people.

Macron goes for sport
Macron is responsible for everything connected with its own brand name: from fabrics production to retailing. The Macron collection features 400 items. 8,000 teams wear Macron clothing. Macron has a network of over 700 specialist outlets in the territory.
http://en.macron.com/Company/Jobs/Work-for-Macron_old

Genting is Chinese. Villa players are on the sides of Buses in HK and Shanghai. The stuff is made in Tianjin, a few miles from Beijing. reciprocal deal perhaps? We'll have a Chinese player in team next. Wait and see.
2bn potential fanbase..what percentage do you need to swamp local followers? 1%?

[KRS]

how does having Nike reflect well on the club? From what standpoint? Villa fans will buy Villa kits yet our kit sales are down because the team isn't doing well. Having a Nike swoosh on it won't make a difference to kit sales if the team isn't doing well. Just like if you were a Napoli fan you'd buy a Macron kit because the team is in the CL.

I strongly disagree. I would suggest that a lot of ppl buy Villa kits and merchandise because of it being Nike branded, and this would be even more so for the kids and teenagers. Having a brand like Nike or adidas can make the difference between someone buying or not buying. Sure merchandise sales are also influenced by design and performance on the pitch, but if the kit is made by Macron then dont be surprised if kit and merchandise sales fall tragestically. I tend to prefer merchandise these days but I certainly wont be buying anything made by Macron.

[Somniloquism]

Let's no kid ourselves - being associated with a global brand is good PR and gives us kudos.  The opposite is also true and we all know it.  We all laughed at Blues's Xtep deal and we are descending down that road.

Hardly the same boat. Look on the Xtep website and try to find all the teams they supply kits to. The only reason Xtep was chosen is because the Blose Dodgy Hong Kong Chairman probably took some back handers from a mate in the Hong Kong business scene. In fact this season, Xtep have just announced their second ever (I think) Football shirt deal outside of the far east with Villareal.

[gervilla]

It matters not a jot who makes our shirts as long as they look decent. The same people at our club will give a design a yay or nay whether it be Nike or Macron who supply the design.
The benefits of being "associated" with Nike mean tosh as we are only a little fish to them and I doubt if they loose too much sleep when they don't get our kit out till Christmas.

[Grande Pablo]

There's a huge amount of Macron bashing going on here.  How would what appears to be an up-and-coming global sportwear company get the exposure they need without getting clubs with a better image?  With all respect, they're not going to get the Manure or Liverpool contracts as they sign 10 year deals with their manufacturers. 

What this offers us if handled correctly is a design hopefully as a result of careful consulation with what the fans want.  It's in Macron's interests to do so.  When you enter a market, you enter at a level where you can prove your performance & supply chain sustainability, so go ahead & practice on a WHU, Sheffield United...

We were one the first English teams to have Le Coq, Henson, Hummel, Diadora...indeed, I don't recall a Diadora backlash when this is such a 'Sports Direct' style brand.

Where else could be realistically go?  The US link would suggest Reebok, but if Bolton's current Lego design is anything to go by, this'd be best avoided.  That leaves your Kappa, Lotto, Admiral, back to Umbro...hardly exciting?

Playing devils advocate, if were going to play the Xtep card, the Malaysian national side play in Nike!
http://www.uksoccershop.com/p-14166/2011-12-Malaysia-Nike-Asian-Cup-Home-Shirt.html