How important is a club logo or patch?

We put our logos on our club shirts and give members one for free thinking it will a reinforce a sense of place and group identity. It's free advertising too I suppose.

How important is a patch on the uniform? We're thinking about patches...

Marty
Metro Tacoma http://www.geocities.com/micromarty/tacomaFencing.html

[Dragoneye]

Hi Marty,

Patches are a nice touch, especially if your group competes (again, increases group identity, et cetera). Depending on what you go for, however, they can be outrageously expensive. My club has embroidered, sew-on patches that were quite pricey. Unfortunately, they've got our old logo on them and we can't afford to replace them at the moment (we're working on getting T-shirts, though).


Cheers,

Dragoneye.

[mango fever]

patches. i have never worn a patch on any jacket, while a member of any club, not even a martial arts club. we just never did it. i would consider it if you did a lot of competitive fencing or team fencing.

[space_cadet]

It's not important.
You can always bring it up with the members of your club as an idea and see what they think.

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Cadet à Space

[Moonitic]

It took a lot for us to get jackets & shirts. Patches were the next idea. However (Schoolcraft beware), I don't think I want to be president next season in order to accomplish the task!

[scarlet_woman156k]

I think it's a great way to promote the club if there are plenty of members regularly competing.

At the same time, it unifies the club members and makes a more tangible feeling of a team with a desire to participate as a team.

We got together and had patches and jackets made. We also have club T-shirts.

As putting patches on the actual uniform, I do not do that (I think visual promotion should stay off the strip, otherwise it gets to be a bit much). I wear the jacket and shirt off the strip, but when I'm on the strip, I fence for no one but myself.

scarlet.

[sabreuse]

Our club has a patch and the folks that regularly compete wear one. However, as a sabre fencer, there's not really a way to show it off at a tournament. The jacket is all covered by the lame. I'm only 5'4" so even my five-letter last name takes up most of my leg. It looks too goofy on the knickers pocket. Other than that I'd wear one. I think team warm-up suits are a better idea. Granted, they're a lot more expensive but they are visible from a distance and are practical as well.

Slightly off topic but....
What about a favor? Anybody wear their sweetheart's favor at a tournament? And if so, is it visible? I've still got a small silk hankie (given to me as an inspiration)that I occasionally wear on my left sleeve. Is this gauche?

Jeff the Romantic.

[arcon]

[ 10-19-2001: Message edited by: arcon ]

[vegan]

Good morning guys,
I think that patches are much good except for baseball caps. If you wish to be identified with a club wearing warm ups is better! T-shirts and polos are good as well. My club has all of this, except hats- So I made one (took a patch and put it on a hat; but it is a warm winter hat, not a baseball cap!).
Cheers
B.

[Purple Fencer]

I wear my SwordPlay hat everywhere I go ('cause my balding head would probably blind tall people in bright sunlight ), and my SwordPlay jacket when it's cold out.

As far as theimportance of patches go. Well, we're basically a tribal culture at the root. Just look at how a community stands behind and roots for pro sports teams, as an example. The community identifier of a club patch, warmups, hats, etc servs the same purpose, even though this is primarily an individual sport, for the most part.

There's one guy at my club who has a bit of a cocky attitude, and I was kinda hoping he'd get knocked out of the last local tourney he was in. But when he got to the gold medal bout, I rooted for him full-on because he would (and eventually did) bring home the gold for himself and, more importantly, to my club.

As far as wearing a ladies favor, the closest I've come was a pendant my wife gave me a few months ago. I believe it's an oriental symbol of some sort for my birth year...but upside down it kinda looks like the Playboy logo!

He he he he

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[RedsectorA]

Moon -

SCFC has jackets and shirts? I will have to get one!

All -

Personally, I think that such items promote awareness of the sport. Advertisement as you will!

In my own experience, throughout my life I had occasionally thought about fencing but never seriously considered pursuing that dream! I had always thought that nothing like that existed here in Michigan, until I saw a logo for some fencing club or organization on this guys shirt. I cant remember the club or even the name of the guy that was wearing the logo, but I talked to him and he told me that there were fencing clubs here in Michigan. This inspired me to do some research and I am glad to say that I start my first class this Friday!

So IMHO I think patchs, shirts, jackets, etc., are just what we need to get the message out to those that might just have the same dream!

[big poppa]

I love patches. On my training jacket I wear three: club , usfa, and usca On my competive jacket I wear three: Presidental Sports award,club and Sponser(Triplette). Do i look like a billboard yes, but I love the color and my first instructor worn three(Dr Alex Rubins). Two of the best reasons in the world for me