Where We Discuss Ideas for the Daily Norseman Online Store

by Gonzo on Jan 31, 2010 8:09 AM CST in Site Stuff Comment 38 comments

I briefly mentioned the other day about SBNation moving forward to another stage of development that involves the creation of online stores for each individual site. Well, here are a couple of examples from a couple of the sites that already have a few things available in their stores.

http://sbnfootballstores.com/shop/product/842608

http://sbnfootballstores.com/shop/product/842208

http://sbnfootballstores.com/shop/product/817873

You can check out all of the available products by clicking here and checking out all of the currently available products. Only a few sites have them right now, but each site will eventually have its own store.

So, this is the point where I ask you good folks out there for some good, creative ideas for stuff that could potentially go on t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and so forth. I know that shirts with the site logo on them are probably a must (similar to the Baltimore Beatdown shirts above), and I believe that the shirts can have stuff on the front and the back as well.

Some of the things that can't be done, due to intellectual property issues and so forth, is naming a specific team. For example, we couldn't put something out there that said, "Beat the Lions." "Beat Detroit," however, would be acceptable.

Now, I know that we have some witty, creative folks out there amongst our readership. This means that I know we can come up with a lot of great ideas for potential designs and stuff like that. So, if you want to have at it, here's the place to do it!

We'll be back with more later on today, folks. Continue enjoying your Sunday until then!

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Cool!

Where do the profits generated from sales go? Is SBN a for profit entity? Guess I can/should do some research, just asking these type questions, because I would like to see some of any profit diverted for assisting an international NGO or other local cause in MN….I do want to support/promote DN (and do), just would like to use the leverage generated by doing so to help others too…

I would rather be IN the Arena than watching from the stands...That is my life!
* Read Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you need further explanation...

by vikingfanfrom afar on Jan 31, 2010 8:18 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Please have some items for the ladies!

I will be first in line to buy the logo T shirt in black with long and short sleeves! Please be sure to have a ladies version of it. Mens T shirts are not cut for women and I hope that I’m not the only female viking out there. My other suggestions for t shirt slogans would be anything purple, purple power, purple people eaters, purple patch (dunno if we could do purple haze or purple rain, probably not). I don’t think we should be negative towards other teams as that is not what defines our team. So let’s be positive and focus on our team and the pride we feel for it.

by PAViking on Jan 31, 2010 9:18 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

It is very sexy to see a girl in a Viking tee, ewww wee!

Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.

by VikesPma on Jan 31, 2010 12:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks VikesPma!

Hey Pma thanks for the feedback! Guys look good in Vikings gear as well!!!!

by PAViking on Feb 1, 2010 4:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How about?

Front Side of Shirt:

ITS CAUGHT! ITS GREG LEWIS! TOUCHDOWN! OH MY HEAVENS!!!!

Back Side of Shirt:

Welcome to Minnesota Baby….

I love Twins Baseball and Minnesota Vikings Football.

by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Jan 31, 2010 10:20 AM CST reply actions 1 recs

Nice ideas!

This is very cool. A few questions come to mind though….

1) The NFL defends it’s IP pretty vigorously, so I know actual team names (e.g. Minnesota Vikings) would be out, but there’s a fine line there. They don’t own the name, ‘Vikings’, it’s an historic term that long predates the use by the NFL, which is why you find it in use in the media and in high schools across the country (e.g. the Woodbridge Vikings, a high school team where I leave, which actually uses the Minnesota Vikings face-image in green rather than purple). Some more research needs to be done to find out what’s actually allowed, because buying stuff that says, “Those Guys Who Wear Purple” isn’t very appealing. Exactly what can we do, how close to the line can we go?

2) Does the creator get to keep the copyright IP on their creation?

3) What’s the split on the profit? How much does to the creator, and how much to the manufacturer?

4) There’s another company which does something very similar, www.zazzle.com . Well worth looking into, they can produce mugs, coffee cups, tankards, on an on-demand basis, with a built-in profit split with the creator.

Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!

by DCPurple on Jan 31, 2010 10:54 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks DC....

I will check that zazzle site for my own use. We do different marketing items like lanyards, buttons, tshirts, and caps…Minimum order quantities are an issue, since our budget is somwhat limited, compared to say Coke LOL…..Like to see people in action here. We can be a force for change and growth. All of us! Cheers and have a great Sunday!

I would rather be IN the Arena than watching from the stands...That is my life!
* Read Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you need further explanation...

by vikingfanfrom afar on Jan 31, 2010 10:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Zazzle doesn't do a minimum order

It’s produced on-demand, so you can buy as many, or as few, as you want. I just purchased a nice set of 4 Atlas Shrugged logo coffee mugs from them, each one from a different design set.

by DCPurple on Jan 31, 2010 6:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure but

I’m not sure but I think a high school or college team that uses Vikings logos or trademarks, like the warrior head, or derivatives of those logos, must have received prior written permission from the Vikings and the NFL. Otherwise, it would not be legal.

by medicineball on Jan 31, 2010 3:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Viking Logo Variations

There’s a page which is a case-in-point about the Viking logo. The extent to which the logo is compromised and in use by other businesses and institutions has to be seen to be believed…

Viking Logos In Use

The only explanation I can think of is that the Viking logo isn’t copyrighted, but I need to research that further to know with certainty.

The name itself, ‘Vikings’, is definitely not the property of the NFL, nor the ‘Minnesota Vikings’. I don’t think you could get away with using, ‘Minnesota Vikings’, however.

by DCPurple on Jan 31, 2010 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure exactly either,

but my high school used the patriots logo just in solid blue.

on the helmets of the football team, the CP was not there.

by Gerd989 on Feb 1, 2010 1:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I would have some of the same questions that DC does, primarily relating to compensation. I already have some Vikings-related stuff ‘in the can’ so to speak, but would this be on a volunteer basis, or would designers actually be compensated for their work?

Let us know Gonz.

by thisguyzig on Jan 31, 2010 11:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I like it. How bout 1st shirts for the Vikes says,

“Viking Vengence”.

Andrew Davidson over at Niners Nation showed me the VD and Crabs shirt. Hilarious. Fooch does a good job over there as well.

I really like the team oriented message. It’s a nice change from the “property of shirts”.

Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.

by VikesPma on Jan 31, 2010 11:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

As far as some of the questions so far

SBNation is a “for profit” venture, and a % of the revenue from the shirts sold go to the folks that run the respective sites.

[Stephen A. Smith] HOWEVER [/Stephen A. Smith], I would have no problem with putting those proceeds towards some sort of charitable venture.

As far as designs that are submitted, I would have to get back to everyone on that. Give me a little while.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Gonzo on Jan 31, 2010 12:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Anything with The Four Norsemen (of the Apocalypse) would be awesome!

"If you don't love it, leave it, USA #1" Ricky Stanzi

by cutlassbob on Jan 31, 2010 3:38 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

+69

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"All morons hate it when you call them a moron." -Holden Caufield

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jan 31, 2010 9:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Guys I do this proffesionally.......

I am a local guy who is a huge Vikings fan. I work in the industry (custom printing), and would love to help make this a reality. Zazzle and the like are decent options, but use digital printing and this severely limits you on color choices for garments and designs. I can do digital but prefer screen printing as it is a better quality product, and comprable pricewise even at relatively low numbers. If you like you can check out my website at www.marqueeapparel.com, it will give you an idea of who I am and what I do. I am a small business and know a lot about how to make these kinds of small to mid scale projects successful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Gonzo if you would like to get in touch, even if it’s just to get my two cents on what to be aware of and how to move forward I would love to hear from you. I am a big fan of this site, and come here often. I hope I can help contribute and keep this place the lively, interesting, and engaged forum that it has become. Skol Vikings!

-STC_Spaceghost

P.S. Through my industry I can also do other kinds of items. We do hats, jackets, glassware, you name it. Licensed gear is also a possibility. I will track the site and this post to see what kind of interest is out there. Hope to help, Skol Vikings!

by Stc_Spaceghost on Jan 31, 2010 5:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Up-side to Zazzle is Creator Recompense

The creator owns the work, the creator gets a percentage of the sales, back, and the products are produced on-demand. The creator uploads the design, and Zazzle does the rest.

If the creator isn’t being paid for their work, good luck in finding a steady stream of “charitable contributions”. Perhaps if the DN were to provide a receipt at the end of the year for proof that the money went to a charity so that it can be used as a tax deduction… That might work… maybe.

If the DN is looking for free fan-work contributions that can be sold for SB*Nation or the DN’s profit, I’d want to know that before getting involved.

by DCPurple on Jan 31, 2010 6:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Screenprinting is a better quality...

than digital sublimation or direct to garment printing? No flippin’ way! Digital printing allows you to print at digital resolution, compared to the resolution of a screen. Smooth gradients anyone?

I’ll somewhat give you the color choices on the shirts. Although there are many options coming out now that offer a digital under-base to be applied, which allows the printer to print on black and other dark colored substrates. Not to mention, the ability to completely customize your garments/ designs.

And with digital printing, you can do more than garments and glassware, mugs, keychains, dog tags, football plaques, other trophies, white boards, ceramic tiles, team flags, car flags, blankets, golf towels, coozies, coasters, et cetera… and all completely customized.

I’m not completely against screen printing, but there’s no way it’s better quality than digital garment or sublimation printing. Nor is it cheaper for customized or short run print orders.

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 4, 2010 9:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And don't even get me started...

on the wash-fastness or the “hand” in comparison to screen printed garments.

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 4, 2010 9:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Purple People Eaters

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

by Cobra312004 on Jan 31, 2010 10:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

How about horns ???

I’ve been thinking some more about this and maybe we can use slogans with the word “horns”. How about let’s lock horns, or our helmets have horns or feeling horn-y. Love the rest of the suggestions guys!

by PAViking on Feb 1, 2010 4:40 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good call

There are all sorts of horn-related jokes/slogans swirling around in my head right now. For instance:

“The Daily Norseman: The Horniest Site on the Internet
(That Won’t Get You Fired From Your Job)”

by ericj69 on Feb 1, 2010 3:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

HAHA

I love Twins Baseball and Minnesota Vikings Football.

by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Feb 1, 2010 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+2

by Gerd989 on Feb 1, 2010 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The 'Who Dat' controversy

Hot off the presses, the NFL has decided that it OWNS the phrase, ‘Who Dat?’ in reference to the Saints. They advised a New Orleans tee-shirt maker of this and told him he has to pull the product. The tee-shirt maker has decided not to roll over and the issue is now going to court.

Now, I really don’t give a rat’s hairy patootie about the Saints or their slogans, but this is an example of how far the NFL stretches in trying to own everything and anything related to it. We’ll really need to be certain that what we do is passing muster.

I don’t see them suing us for an infraction as long as we knuckle under and stop selling whatever it is they’ve decided they own…. but if we know ahead of time exactly what they do own, it’s some peace of mind and the opportunity to create something that the creator owns and they can’t take away later.

by DCPurple on Feb 1, 2010 7:56 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I read about this the other day...

extremely interesting. Good for them (the Who Dat people).

Did you read Vitter’s letter to the NFL?

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 4, 2010 9:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No, I didn’t see it. Can you post it?

by DCPurple on Feb 4, 2010 11:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No problem…

January 29, 2010
Roger Goodell, Commissioner
National Football League
280 Park Avenue, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Dear Commissioner Goodell:

I was stunned to learn recently that the NFL is taking the position that it owns the exclusive trademark of the term “Who Dat” and has even threatened legal action against some mom-and-pop merchants selling T-shirts using the term. I would urge you to drop this obnoxious and legally unsustainable position and instead agree that “Who Dat” is in the public domain, giving no one exclusive trademark rights.

This letter will also serve as formal legal notice that I am having T-shirts printed that say “WHO DAT say we can’t print Who Dat!” for widespread sale in commerce. Please either drop your present ridiculous position or sue me.

“Who Dat” was probably first heard in New Orleans minstrel shows well over 130 years ago. Much more recently, but before it was used in connection with the Saints, it was used as a rallying cry by St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. In the 1980s it was adopted by Saints fans in a completely spontaneous way. Only later did any legal persons, including the Saints and the NFL, try to claim it through registration.

Perhaps more significant than this history, “Who Dat” has become part of New Orleans and Louisiana popular culture. For the NFL to try to claim exclusive ownership of it would be like me registering and trying to claim exclusive ownership of the terms “lagniappe” and "laissez les bons temps rouler!"

Under Paul Tagliabue’s leadership, the NFL was an unbelievable partner in helping us recover and rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Thank you again. We look forward to your dropping your "Who Dat" position so that this partnership can continue without strain or blemish.

Sincerely,
David Vitter
Junior Senator of Who Dat Nation

• • •

Follow-up from the NFL here

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 5, 2010 7:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry,

here’s the link to the Vitter letter.

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 5, 2010 7:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks!!

That’s really great to see the Vitter is fighting this, I think the NFL is way over the line and seriously encroaching on freedom of expression. At that rate, I’m surprised they haven’t tried to patent the football itself.

The NFL now says the phrase is only problematic when used together with the Saints logo.
- excerpt from the NFL response link

This is a serious crock. The Saints logo is the French Fleur-de-lis symbol, which has been around for hundreds of years and in no way, shape, or form, belongs to the NFL exclusively. I can where, if you use the logo, and the words, “New Orleans Saints” together, you’re in their territory. Just like the word ‘Ford’ is public domain (it’s a common last name, and it’s a shallow water river-bed crossing), but you put it in a blue oval and you’re in trouble.

by DCPurple on Feb 5, 2010 10:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely agree.

Stuff like this really does turn people off of it’s product. The problem is, the NFL knows that they hold the power over the consumer. And we (myself included) will continue to support said product, even though we may disagree with how they handle situations like this (and their DTV monopoly).

I do like that Vitter is still fighting the NFL’s current stance:

Representatives for Vitter said the senator welcomed the NFL’s decision, but that he still had some issues to iron out.

“The Senator is pleased that the NFL is already coming off its original position. However, he is continuing to demand that the NFL drop any claim on the phrase ‘Who Dat’ under any circumstances and will be sending a more detailed letter to the NFL Monday,” said Joel DiGrado, Vitter’s spokesman.

I guess it helps that he’s a U.S. Senator.

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"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by smudgers on Feb 5, 2010 10:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs