Coming soon - the 2010/11 Ospreys jersey

The waiting is almost over for Ospreys fans, after it was confirmed that the 2010/11 jersey will be officially unveiled at the Liberty Stadium on Thursday 19th August.

It will go on sale exclusively at the Ospreys Superstore that day, and supporters will get their first chance to see the team in the new-look Kooga manufactured jersey two days later when Gloucester visit the Liberty Stadium on Saturday 21st August (KO 2.30pm).

The launch of the new Ospreys jersey is always an eagerly awaited event and it’s no different this year, after the 09/10 version once again proved a hit with supporters right across the UK. With a record high of 45,000 jerseys sold over the last year, the jersey remains the second biggest selling club or regional shirt in the UK and Ireland.

Ospreys Managing Director, Roger Blyth, said:

“Once again, the figures are absolutely fantastic. It’s been a difficult year economically for everybody, so for the 09/10 jersey to have sold in such numbers is a tremendous achievement. We have worked incredibly hard as an organisation to build an attractive and exciting brand and it is clear that people are buying into it and want to be a part of what we are trying to do here. The Ospreys brand, and the mask in particular, is now internationally recognised.

“45,000 Ospreys jerseys were sold over the course of the last year, which is a clear indication of where we are at the moment, and of the strength of our relationship with Kooga, who have been our partners since our inception in 2003 and do a great job in ensuring our jersey is available in such a wide range of outlets.”

Bill Newton, Managing Director of Kooga, said that last season had been another great year of sales for the region:

“Once again, the Ospreys shirt has continued to defy belief and sell in huge numbers. It sells well right across the country, Scotland, London, Cornwall, the Northwest; there isn’t anywhere that it doesn’t sell.

“Despite the country suffering a recession throughout last season which has had a major impact on the sportswear business, we’ve seen that the Ospreys brand has stayed strong, with 45,000 bought over the course of 09/10. Such a performance means that not only have they maintained their position as the second biggest selling shirt in domestic rugby, they are closing the gap on the number one, Munster.

“The amazing thing about the Ospreys is that normally, when it comes to sales away from your immediate catchment area then it is only the home shirt that sells, but that isn’t the case with the Ospreys. The home and away shirts are both popular, as the figure of 45,000 shows, but there is also significant demand for a third shirt, the training jersey, and polo’s. In fact, anything with the Ospreys brand on it - we sell an incredible amount of beanies for example. There is one thing for certain, and that is the Ospreys brand is continuing to grow.”

Roger Blyth, added:

“We have grown rapidly, but our strong regional identity is important to us as we are proud to represent the communities of south-west Wales. This is another reason that our relationship with Kooga is such a strong one, as the support they give us in terms of initiatives like the Kits for Clubs and School’s offer really allows us to strengthen our position in the heart of communities across Ospreylia.

“The 09/10 jersey will get its final outings for the pre-season games against a Regional Select XV and Leeds, before we unveil the new version ahead of the Gloucester game at the Liberty Stadium, going on sale on Thursday 19th August. Having seen the new jersey from its development right through to the final version, I’ve no doubt that Kooga have created another winner for us, which will prove to be just as popular with our fans as the 09/10 one was.”