The Stubby Club Reports Sales Growth During NRL's Player Movement
As the second half of the NRL season swings into gear, a frenzy of player movement, signings for 2022 and talks of introducing a player loan system are dominating the headlines.
MELBOURNE, Australia, June 7, 2021 (Newswire.com) - As the second half of the season kicks on, NRL merchandise retailer The Stubby Club has reported a huge increase in sales of NRL merch as fans commit to their favourite teams, with a surge in sales of merch from teams sitting in the top four positions on the ladder.
Despite news that the beloved captain of the Rabbitohs, Adam Reynolds, will be moving on to the Brisbane Broncos next year, The Stubby Club says sales of Rabbitohs merchandise is skyrocketing, as the club sits comfortably in fourth position on the NRL ladder.
There has been a frenzy of mid-season player movement and news of 2022 signings, including news that rising stars Will Kennedy and Toby Rudolf have signed with the Sharks, while Parramatta have re-signed their star playmaker, Mitchell Moses as well as second-rower, Ryan Matterson. According to The Stubby Club, sales of NRL merch for both of these clubs has spiked following the signing announcements.
In other news, the NRL is considering a loan system that could revolutionise the player transfer market. During the chief executives conference held in Brisbane last month, a new concept was flagged with clubs in which players could leave their teams mid-season for opportunities at rival clubs.
The concept has been backed by the RLPA after successfully being implemented for the New Zealand Warriors last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Warriors were locked out of their home country and the NRL granted exemptions for other teams to loan them players.
According to The Stubby Club, allowing players to be loaned to other clubs has the potential to help teams out of problematic salary cap situations with underperforming players. It also creates opportunities for fringe first-grade players, while rewarding development clubs.
The Stubby Club, who sell licensed products for all the major sporting codes, with products including stubby holder dispensers and beer pong tables, say the player loan system has the potential to transform the NRL. If approved, it will be introduced in time for the 2023 season.
Source: The Stubby Club
