An idea about funding...

[Guest Grand Slam]

My wife works at a company that does custom embroidered t-shirts and polo shirts for companies, events and "occasions" (family reunions, weddings, etc.). I mentioned to her that we were trying to raise money to host the forums and maybe, if there was a little left over, to fund the website in case Thugg runs low on cash someday. I asked about the possibility of getting some SWF shirts done and how much it would cost. She asked "How many shirts are you asking about?"

 

So that is what I'm asking you. Assuming the price is reasonable (less than what the WWE charges for their shirts), how many people would buy a professionally made, embroidered SWF shirt, assuming that all of the proceeds go to funding the SWF?

 

Currently, the design my wife (the designer at the company) says will work the best is on a polo shirt. Over the left breast, there would be the SWF logo and the website address. Then, either on the right sleeve or on the back just below the collar, it would have our motto, "Raising workrate by typing faster." and the website address.

 

I'll give this a couple of weeks and see how many people are interested, then get my wife to get us a price and see if it is worth pursuing.

 

Questions Answered!

depending on the colour - Currently, we were looking at basic colors for the shirt (white, black, grey) and the logo would be the same color as on the website. Writing would be whatever color is best for the shirt (white on black, black on white, color on grey).

 

However, I can assure you that we'd never need money for the website....EVER! - Good! If we end up with more money than is needed for the hosting, we can always "put it in the bank" for next year's hosting fees or, heaven forbid, buy some advertising somewhere. You never know.

 

I want a detailed preview of what this shirt will look like first. - Makes sense to me. This is just to see if there is enough interest to even move forward. From what I understand, there is a "sample" design built before the actual run of shirts is done. I will try and keep it as classy and cool looking as possible. What I am shooting for is something like what JR would wear. Logo is subtle but noticeable and it advertises us a little.

 

I like it, although the website address is a little too dorky for my tastes. - Fair enough, but the address is there so that if anyone sees it and goes to the site, they might sign up. Why not do a little advertising while we are at it?

 

Pretty sure that the point was one T-shirt design originally at least. - That is correct, although I have to admit that Debbie (my wife) and I have discussed other ideas for shirts later in the game. Maybe a classic "Property of" athletic shirt or a "Genesis IV" shirt, but for now... basic is good.

 

Stevens could model it for us. - You should be so lucky...

 

I couldn't get one now, but when I get a debit/credit card when I turn 18 in April, I'd be game. - I'll be frank, it will probably take until then to get it up and running. As far as how payment will go, i think this might be jumping the gun a little, but the only way I'll be able to take credit card / debit card payments is through PayPal. But that is a way off yet...

 

I think that a simple t-shirt would be more appealing - As it stands now, no decision has been made on the t-shirt / polo shirt issue. It may very well end up that people prefer a t-shirt to a polo, and if that is the case, that is the way we'll go. As I have said, let's not jump the gun. This is only to see if there is enough interest to even pursue the issue.

 

Wait till October, knock off the URL, and allow for custom slogans and I'm sold. - I'm not sure of a timeframe yet. It might be until October, but I hope to have it ready by this summer at the latest. Why does everyone want the URL off the shirt? Nobody wants to advertise the fed? As for custom slogans, I don;t think I've explained myself well. So... here goes...

 

Custom Slogans

Custom slogans would be near impossible at this point and I'll explain why. Back when I was retiring, I wanted to do something to thank Edwin and King for all the work they put into my retirement angle and match, so I designed a logo for the Midnight Carnival and asked how much it would cost to get it put on a plain t-shirt. She asked me "How many?" I said, "Three" and she laughed. Where she works, they make sweatshirts and t-shirts for big events and people generally order over 100 shirts. This makes it worth their time to run them on the stitching machine. When they aren't making those they are making shirts for catalogues and stores (Cracker Barrell for example) with runs in the thousands. Now, every change to the design counts as an individual run, so if everyone got a custom design, the price of the shirt would start off close to $50. Tack on shipping, tax and a little on top to help the fed, and you're looking at a $65 shirt. I wouldn't buy one and I doubt any of you would either.

 

However, if we can get a decent number of people together, get all the same design and use as few different colors as possible, the price can drop fast. As I said, I am shooting for under $25, but it all depends in how many people I can count on to buy one. Thus the poll.

 

I want to remind everyone agin that this won't be some cheap "I printed the iron-on transfer off the computer" thing. This will be stitched with high quality colored thread, and look very, very professional. This is a shirt that will survive actually wearing it.

 

Hopefully this has cleared up a few things. As the poll stands now, we are starting to get close to a number of people that would make this worthwhile. I need everyone to vote on this so I know if this is even a remote possibility. All lurkers, retirees, Leaguers, Wrestlers and Legends... I need your opinion!!!

[Guest Ace309]

I'd love this, and depending on the colour I'd probably wear it to class.

[Guest realitycheck]

For some reason, this strikes me as both magnificently dorky (I mean, it is a T-shirt for a e-fed), yet unbelieveably cool. (I mean, it's a T-shirt for an e-fed!)

 

Count me in.

 

-Z

[Guest HVilleThugg]

I like this as an idea for raising money for these boards. However, I can assure you that we'd never need money for the website....EVER! Just as long as I'm hosting, at least. Fortunately for the SWF, the server on which I host belongs to me and my best friend. It resides at his house, and costs nothing. It runs on his DSL connection (which is why, at times, the site might come up slow or go down, if his DSL is down). The point is, it is completely free for me to host the site, so there would never be a need for funds for that, unless of course, my best friend (not X, my other one) decides to be a dickwad and charge me for the space, which he won't since it's not a commercial space and he makes oodles and oodles of money as one of the top Flash Developers in the world. If you're into Flash, I guarantee you've heard of him...

 

Oops, a tangent. Anyway....no money would ever be needed for the webspace. However, I love the T-Shirt idea...although, to be honest, I doubt I'd buy a T-Shirt. I know, I know...it sucks and i'm a loser, but I can honsetly say that the SWF is not something that I broadcast as something I'm a part of. I guess you can call me an in the closet geek....I haven't reached a comfort level to go around and broadcasting that I'm part of an e-fed.

 

That's a long post just to say...

 

- Great idea...love it.

- Website if free.

- I won't by a shirt.

 

Da "sorry...although, if it's nice and we reallly need me to, I guess i could by one for the good of the fed" H

[Guest Thoth]

I would buy one with no hesitation.

[Guest El Luchadore Magnifico]

As would I. This is the kind of thing that seperates us from other E-Feds.

[Guest Ace309]

I'd be really thrilled if I could get a black XXL SWF polo. That'd be, like, teh roq.

[Guest 5_moves_of_doom]

I want a shirt that says "THIS IS MAH HOUSE!!" on it... hell, even "The Crown Prince of Flash and Pinache" would work. Heh... though I might not have any money right now... *cough*

[Guest Suicide King]

Pretty sure that the point was one T-shirt design originally at least. Stevens could model it for us.

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Hmm...I want a detailed preview of what this shirt will look like first. If I like it, sign me up.

 

It'd be yet another shirt for my growing line of uncommon "fan support" shirts, which currently includes UFC, Pride, New Japan Pro Wrestling, a local radio station, and PlayStation 2.

[Guest Powerplay]

Hmm...I want a detailed preview of what this shirt will look like first. If I like it, sign me up.

 

It'd be yet another shirt for my growing line of uncommon "fan support" shirts, which currently includes UFC, Pride, New Japan Pro Wrestling, a local radio station, and PlayStation 2.

NO DDR~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?~?

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Oh shit, Judge busting out the tilde-question mark combo.

 

I forgot to mention the good ol' DDR Freak shirt because I figured it was a given.

[Guest TheBostonStrangler]

I like it, although the website address is a little too dorky for my tastes. I couldn't get one now, but when I get a debit/credit card when I turn 18 in April, I'd be game.

[Guest Beingz0wningj00]

"I want a shirt that says "THIS IS MAH HOUSE!!" on it... hell, even "The Crown Prince of Flash and Pinache" would work. Heh... though I might not have any money right now... *cough*"

 

Dammit... TNT with another fine idea. It's gotta say "THIS IS MAH HOUSE!!" Come on... that's so badass!

 

*Gives Jay Dawg a T-Shirt*

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Believe it or not, I have thought of a design for a Bemani Cross Wizards shirt...just now...even so, it's pretty damn spiffy and serves as both a DDR shirt and an e-fed shirt.

 

Shirts for e-fed wrestlers. What a crazy world we live in.

[Guest Beingz0wningj00]

Stevens... if you get a shirt that says SWF "THIS IS MAH HOUSE!!!"

 

I'll give you a hundred bucks!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok only a quarter.

[Guest Muzz]

Nobody Expects Sacred's Inquisition!

[Guest SupaTaft]

I would defineitly buy a shirt but I'm a little leary about polos. I think that a simple t-shirt would be more appealing to us younger cats in the fed.

 

But still, even if all we get is a polo, I'll still buy one. Though if you could lay a t-shirt on me, that'd groove a little better.

 

-Taft

[Guest Crowe]

Wait till October, knock off the URL, and allow for custom slogans and I'm sold.

[Guest Grand Slam]

*Bump*

 

Last I checked there were more than 18 people in the WF, not counting Retirees and Leaguers.

 

I really do need everyone to vote in the poll. The more people that can give me a real answer, the better idea I will have about prices.

[Secret Agent]

I had planned on funding the version 2 of the website myself. I buy my server space up in one year slots as it seems to be a hell of a lot cheaper that way. Seems like a good idea still.

[Guest Mr. Slim Citrus]

Well, I don't wear T-shirts, but depending on the price, I'd buy one just to show support for the Fed'.

 

EDIT - can't spell

[Guest Grand Slam]

Ok, sorry this took a while, but other things have taken precedence over this for the last month or two, but here we go.

 

Tonight, I will be passing along the artwork, lettering and numbers to my wife who will take it into work tomorrow. I should have an answer by the end of next week. Thus...

 

This is the last chance to vote. Whatever numbers I have by 11:00 PM are the numbers I run with. Currently, I have 21 people showing interest and only two with little to no interest. This is a pretty good number, but the more the cheaper!