WHATS THE BEST GAER FOR TEAMS ,GAELIC GEAR OR O'NEILLS ?

[Leo]

My biggest problem with O'Neill's is their heavy handed branding on the jackets and leisure shirts. You are hard pressed to identify the club name or logo but the O'Neills name is plastered everywhere. Clubs should demand better identity in their designs and reject this corporate hijacking.
This company thinks they own the GAA and that's bad for our ethos.

[Overthebar!]

Surley now is the time for clubs to take a stance with oneills and start to reneigotiate their contracts with them  & start playing hardball & put them on the backfoot for a change 

It would be very interesting to see thier reaction. I would panic stations

sir do you actually work for gaelic gear?

[TonesAbú]

Sorry not quite on the same discussion here lads, but does anyone know if there will be a certain cut-off point where all jerseys will have to have GAA and a number on the front. I know that our own club still does not have a number on the front or gaa.

[OverThePostsAWide]

O'Neills is best hands down.. What's peoples opinions on the McKeever's balls?

Definitely wouldn't mess with Ciaran's...

[mournerambler]

Sorry not quite on the same discussion here lads, but does anyone know if there will be a certain cut-off point where all jerseys will have to have GAA and a number on the front. I know that our own club still does not have a number on the front or gaa.

As far as I know it hasn't been passed yet at Croke Park that club teams must have numbers on the front of there jerseys.

[lob her in lad]

O'Neills is best hands down.. What's peoples opinions on the McKeever's balls?

Definitely wouldn't mess with Ciaran's...

Neither would I,

You couldn't possibly look past the O'Neills balls for durability and quality, when I was out in oz the NSW gaa board did a deal with Gaelic Gear for supplying gear such as balls and stuff (not sure of the details but $20,000 was mooted as a price on the deal at the time). This was scrapped for one reason or another but thank god because the balls were useless and after using them for a week or so it was the same as playing with a light basketball or cheap soccer ball, there is a reason why we all play with the O'Neills balls, I haven't used the McKeever balls though so I couldn't possibly comment upon it.

[mournerambler]

O'Neills is best hands down.. What's peoples opinions on the McKeever's balls?

Definitely wouldn't mess with Ciaran's...

Neither would I,

You couldn't possibly look past the O'Neills balls for durability and quality, when I was out in oz the NSW gaa board did a deal with Gaelic Gear for supplying gear such as balls and stuff (not sure of the details but $20,000 was mooted as a price on the deal at the time). This was scrapped for one reason or another but thank god because the balls were useless and after using them for a week or so it was the same as playing with a light basketball or cheap soccer ball, there is a reason why we all play with the O'Neills balls, I haven't used the McKeever balls though so I couldn't possibly comment upon it.

Our club got a dozen footballs from O'Neills about three years ago & they were far from good, they went out of shape after about two months which made me think that they were possibly '2nds' stock that they were trying to get rid off.

[Archie Mitchell]

Is there much Tyrone gear up in the O'Neills shop in Andytown or is it all Antrim stuff?

Might head up and get a new Tyrone geansaí for the final.

[Archie Mitchell]

Is there much Tyrone gear up in the O'Neills shop in Andytown or is it all Antrim stuff?

Might head up and get a new Tyrone geansaí for the final.

Plenty. They tend to have far more Tyrone gear than any other county's gear, Antrim included.

Cheers, might take a run up some time in the next 2 weeks to see what's about. Are they shifting much Antrim gear these days?

I'm suprised O'Neills dont have a shop in the city centre somewhere. I think it would be busy enough, as they do sell alot of leisure wear and it doesn't have to be just GAA gear that they could sell. Think I have only seen GAA gear in a few of the sports shops in the city centre, and this has been limited gear on display, stuck in a corner somewhere.

[RednBlack]

McKeever footballs are ok. Our seniors have a few and dont hear any complaints. A lot of the stuff about footballs is down to personal taste. It s like a golfer preferring Titleist, Calloway, Taylormade. Most of its in the head!!!!

Our club uses O'Neills. Not impressed with GG. Our under 14s just went to feile in Kildare and the club were supplying the boys with tracksuits, training tops etc. Liston, O'Neills etc all claimed to offer deals but one of the coaches got a contact for Puma in the UK and got them class gear. Even as far as the training tops being customised and having each players name on the back. Bags included as well and like for like he saved the club over 1000 euros. Think it was john henry sports or a branch of them in the uk.

[supersub]

Have to say O'Neills gear is getting ridiculously expensive! Whether it be for one county top from the shop or an order from O'Neills for a set of jerseys or tracksuits etc, they are extortionate prices! It is good gear and they have a lot of fine products in their range but surely they could take the prices down a wee bit to make it more affordable for clubs, especially smaller clubs!

[JamesH]

Our boys have been using www. gaakit.com owned by one of our members Brian Kearney, they opened in Cargan Glenravel about approx 18 months ago and a couple of weeks ago opened a branch in Ballycastle, seem to be very busy. He is mainly involved with O Neills, but brings in Azzurri and Puma, CCC , Square Ball, etc . We used Puma in the All Ireland for wetgear very cheap and they crested all the gear themselves. our lads bought King Boots in team deal for about £40 each.
We get a kickback about 15% i think of him for all Gear we buy as do all clubs.  The staff got new designs for us, much easier and more reliable than O'Neills to deal with. Our club now sells our gear along side other clubs in his stores and we sell loads on line to our members abroad. He buys the stock and sells it and we get % with no hassle. He's easy dealt with

[hurlingspeed]

Our boys have been using www. gaakit.com owned by one of our members Brian Kearney, they opened in Cargan Glenravel about approx 18 months ago and a couple of weeks ago opened a branch in Ballycastle, seem to be very busy. He is mainly involved with O Neills, but brings in Azzurri and Puma, CCC , Square Ball, etc . We used Puma in the All Ireland for wetgear very cheap and they crested all the gear themselves. our lads bought King Boots in team deal for about £40 each.
We get a kickback about 15% i think of him for all Gear we buy as do all clubs.  The staff got new designs for us, much easier and more reliable than O'Neills to deal with. Our club now sells our gear along side other clubs in his stores and we sell loads on line to our members abroad. He buys the stock and sells it and we get % with no hassle. He's easy dealt with

To the original question...O'Neill's surely...it's not even a contest!!

However, ordering gear is getting to be a nightmare from O'Neill's...they have held the monopoly for too long and therein lies their trouble.  Quality has suffered badly lately and their service is woeful.  GAA Toolkit is an excellent alternative even though they deal a lot with O'Neills and Puma seems to be doing a fair turn within the GAA at minute...very good quality and price although their range is still a little limited.  McKeevers have tried to make an impact but their prices are way too dear for what you're getting.  But hopefully, this may change if they get a foothold in the market.

Definitely shop around and be prepared for a change...for too long clubs have been unsure and just stick to what they know and head back to O'Neill's...even though they are getting reemed!!

OB Sports are a quality alternative and that crowd that is in with Ulster Rugby does very good stuff!!

[cavanmaniac]

O'Neills is best hands down.. What's peoples opinions on the McKeever's balls?

Definitely wouldn't mess with Ciaran's...

You couldn't possibly look past the O'Neills balls for durability and quality, when I was out in oz the NSW gaa board did a deal with Gaelic Gear for supplying gear such as balls and stuff (not sure of the details but $20,000 was mooted as a price on the deal at the time). This was scrapped for one reason or another but thank god because the balls were useless and after using them for a week or so it was the same as playing with a light basketball or cheap soccer ball, there is a reason why we all play with the O'Neills balls...

Was it not openly admitted a few years ago that all O'Neills footballs are made cheaply in a foreign market and then shipped to Ireland where they have the logo we all know so well stamped on them? Hardly in keeping with their fior-ghael image.

On the original question I think O'Neills have the edge in terms durability of their product, but everything else they do besides just smacks of laziness. Generic designs, 'over-designing' for the sake of it, high prices and billowing, shapeless jerseys (we're not all fat bastards like!) and just generally operating in a comfort zone. They're always way behind the curve of the global brands and I don't accept that it's down to resources either, I just don't think the will is there because they're under no pressure.
It amazes me that in this day and age with the EU sniffing about and what not that the legal shakiness of GAA-enforced monopoly hasn't opened the way for sharper operators like Adidas to come into the market.
If O'Neills made a bit more effort I think a lot of people would still gladly choose them because of a loyalty and true sense of identity with the 'real' GAA. 

[Leo]

Was it not openly admitted a few years ago that all O'Neills footballs are made cheaply in a foreign market and then shipped to Ireland where they have the logo we all know so well stamped on them? Hardly in keeping with their fior-ghael image

On this point I understand that the Gaelic Gear footballs were made in the same (foreign!) factory.
There appear to be vested interests at work in this whole area otherwise proper competition would have been actively promoted by GAA and would flourished in such a lively market long ago.