Lack of merchandising for Asian Cup
"Fans leaving Qatar empty handed due to failure by organizers to sell souvenirs at Asian Cup"
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jKNUm4GsQrB...
This isn't a new thing for Qatar (not merchandising huge sporting events held here).
Years ago I noticed that there were no souvenirs for sale for the MotoGP and World Superbike races. I mean, Qatar was (is) one of the only non-European place to host on the circuit. They must have paid enormous sums to get it here in the first place -- quite a coup -- and then they drop the ball on promoting and merchandising the event.
To me, it's a massive error on organizers' parts here.
I think it makes Qatar's efforts look myopic at best, and devoid of the necessary level of sophistication and skill to host such events at worst.
When I can buy over twenty items emblazoned with my son's school logo, but I can't purchase any souvenirs for a worldwide sporting event I go to in Doha, somebody isn't doing their job properly.
Let's hope Qatar can get better organized for 2022.
prasanthgabriel,
You got the wrong thread!
By the way, do they refund hotel and air tickets to those that came to watch the games from overseas and were stopped by the Qatari organizers?
s_isale,
Sorry I didn’t understand what you meant by your comment above.
I clarify what I meant: no matter one's nationality, due to the country's system, no one here has any long term commitment; all are here for the money only.
I hope it’s clear that I didn’t differentiate any nationality.
yes Nic, when westerners are involved reason is one, if its Qataris or rest of the Asian its a different matter for you isnt it. This "sell" and "buy" would not come in your vocabulary then.
s_isale,
You know that here, nobody (no matter their nationality) really cares for nothing except for the money they can make!
NIc, I had seen a few Europeans running around with these mascots and sticking it onto lamp posts and a few asian labourers giving a hand to them in tying up the mascots
surely there has to be some expat advisors who gives them idea about all these things
Expatgeezer,
The launching of those mascots was done in a Qatari style: no planning, last minute improvised quick fix, limited promotion and that is why there was no time to manufacture and sell them!
If you go the official AFC website, you’ll se that they are not even part of it!
I was really looking forward to buying the 5 desert rat mascots. They got their picture all around town yet you can not buy any in the shops.
To me, the massive error is to "sell" the right to host certain events to certain countries!
What can we do when we are in a world where, more than ever, money can buy almost anything... apparently it can't buy know how!
WSG was managed by whom?
There was a press conference yesterday about this at Aspire....
It is out of Qatar's hands....and the AFC organisers here are mighty angry.
WSG..the, Singapore based company, didn't send anyone to the press conference although they said they would.
The bought the rights and didn't deliver the goods.