I have completed this.
I don’t have a great deal of knowledge on this subject however shouldn’t this be targeted at the brands producing the kits rather than individual clubs. I presume City will get a lump sum of money from Puma to produce the kits but presumably do not get money from the shirts sold in sports direct etc.
I would imagine the kit manufacturer will have an idea of how many different types of kits they can make for each club each season and still have the demand for each one to make it profitable for them to produce.
So is it the clubs driving this or the manufacturer or possibly both.
A good example is the Chinese New Year shirts, the players never wear them but they are produced and sold. As far as I am aware this has only been since we started winning things and in turn attracted more fans that celebrate Chinese New Year. So supply and demand will have been weighed up by City or Puma or both.
I believe it will be Puma that drive a lot of this, it takes me back to when goalkeeper kits weren’t as popular as they are today and I could never get the matching socks for my son, when I asked city why this was the case they told me it was because (I think it was Nike at the time) Nike wouldn’t produce them as there wasn’t enough demand to make it economically viable to sell them.
Also, how do you measure the sustainability of the shirts as I am not sure how many get thrown away just because a new kit comes out. A lot of people keep them now as they will probably hope to still fit in them in 20 years and wear them to the games, similar to how people buy the retro shirts now.
A lot of kids will wear their kits pretty much most of their free time in the week playing footy in them, going to parties in them etc. whereas the ‘smart’ jeans, t-shirt and jumper you buy them in case you go anywhere ‘nice’ just gets left in a cupboard or drawer unworn which is surely less sustainable. Similar to the throw away fashion you see with people who buy a dress for a one off night out and never wear it again.
For the last question, I feel you need to go to a game at the Etihad yourself as part of your research as you will see lots of sustainability measures in place, inside and outside the ground. A lot of which have just become part of the match day routine such as reusable pint pots, no disposable sauce sachets, refillable water bottle station outside. If you then look wider at the academy site there are lots of sustainability measures incorporated there which link to the main stadium.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the detailed response. They touch on some critical points about the relationship between clubs and manufacturers.
My research specifically focuses on the role of strategic partnerships (first research objective), like the one between Manchester City FC and Puma, in driving sustainability initiatives. While Puma, as the manufacturer, undoubtedly plays a significant role in production and design, my study examines how these partnerships influence the club's broader sustainability strategies and how they are communicated to fans. For example, are they helping towards a circular economy, and towards their social sustainability like water conservation? What are the fans' as stakeholders views on these initiatives? It’s not just about the shirts themselves, but about how the club uses these collaborations to meet their Corporate Social Responsibility goals.
The point about the Chinese New Year kit is a good one. Puma and City will of course always prioritise economic sustainability. Its a business at the end of the day. Also, clubs like City may view these as opportunities to engage specific fan groups or expand their brand globally.
Regarding the sustainability of these shirts, PUMA claims they are made out of 100% recycled polyester, which is a start I guess because it will extend its lifecycle. But yeah you're so right about the disposal habits and long-term use being significant factors.
While my project doesn’t directly measure these, I’m interested in fans’ perceptions of the sustainability of these initiatives and how they influence purchasing behaviour.
Also, yeah going to a game would be great to see how well they are communicated. However, I am already collecting quite a bit of data set (content analysis of environmental reports, press releases, social media posts and surveys). I don't want to overload myself with data and analysis. But yeah, for further and better research this would be beneficial.
Not sure if I covered all your points there. But I hope you've got a little bit more clarity.
