JJB Sports

ronanm

I bought a couple of hurleys on my lunch break in Dublin city centre yesterday for my 2 kids (ages 6,4). Within an hour of getting home, the kid from next door had broken the smaller one. To-day, I was passing close to Liffey Valley and I decided to replace it. I thought the retail park would be my best bet for a quick-turnaround. So I parked outside a large warehouse style JJB sports. After a minute or so of looking around I intercepted a purposeful looking bloke in a tie and asked him if they sold hurleys, he said no, and sensing my indignation, literally shrugged his shoulders and said: "English company, we don't sell Dublin jerseys either".

Now, I am not in anyway anti-English or associated with the GAA for that matter. In fact, I go to Lansdowne road a lot more than to Croke park - I've been to plenty of premiership games but I've *never* been to a GAA club game.

The upshot is that I will not be spending money in JJB and I will be urging as many people as I can to give their custom to sports shops and franchises that at least in some way acknowledge the culture of the people whose custom they rely on.

btw I got what I was after in the Blanchardstown retail park.

dulpit

I don't think that people should be boycotting JJB's just cos they don't stock GAA gear, they can stock whatever they want... Personally though I'm quite surprised that they don't sell any GAA gear, purely because it must be such a big earner in all sports shops... But still, they can stock what they want, who cares?

killbillvol2

dulpit wrote:

But still, they can stock what they want, who cares?

Exactly. For the OP's information, JJB give generous sponsorship in the communities where they're based. They also give the use of the JJB Soccerdome in Dundalk to local schools free.

Having benefitted from their generosity I really don't care what they stock. That's their business.

Maybe you could use your righteous indignation on a more deserving cause.

mcaul

ronanm wrote:

btw I got what I was after in the Blanchardstown retail park.

You could have gone about 500 yards and dropped into the huge Elvery's store on the Fonthill Road beside Smyths! Hurleys GAA jerseys and the lot and Irish owned!

ronanm

Hi, thanks for that, I don't know that shop. I made all my purchases in Elvery's anyway (in Clery's and Blanch.)

Just on the Irish owned thing, yipee and all that, but my moan was not really about the nationality of the owners. At the risk of repeating myself, it is that JJB has probably amongst the largest floor area sports shops in the country but don't sell any GAA stuff.

Is their a GAA conspiracy against these 'foreigners'? or is GAA on the way out and JJB are just not arsed. Of course, I fully respect their decision to stock pool cues and baseball mitts but not hurleys. (Is there really bigger business in pool cues?)

Anyways, if anyone has any info on how JJB are being excluded by a cartel of GAA suppliers...until then I'll make my occasional purchases elsewhere.

mcaul

In defence of JJB, they & Elverys are the only "real" multiple sports stores around. Champion, Lifestyle & Footlocker are simply fashion stores with a sporting twist.

JJB only have a few stores here and as such woulkd not have a buying office. The GAA support is primarily based outside the JJB sports areas and they would have a one size fits all policy. So if they carried Galway jerseys in Liffey valley then all the stores must carry them. If they grow larger they would probably open a local buying office and things would change. But at least they carry real sports equipment unlike Champion & Lifestyle!