Ever Notice the Whole Marketing Scheme....

[Brian R. VanCise]

Have you ever noticed the whole marketing scheme behind BJJ rank and apparel. I mean eveyone and their brother is now selling BJJ Gi's, (Kimono's) Belts, and stickers, etc. They literally have pressed themselves into the market big time. I remember buying my early Gracie Gi's for $75 only to have them rip out after two to three months. (now I was rolling four to seven times a week) Still I went through those like water and then moved onto Double Stiched ones and still they only lasted six to eight months top. Funny thing is I started buying Judo Gi's cheaper and they were lasting longer. When I first got a blue belt we just had a sleeve sewn on ourselves. Now there are belt's with sleeves being sold for quite a bit of money. BJJ is big business now, big business and truthfully I wonder if this is why people are getting rank faster now as they are the instructor's livelihood.

Just a thought I had today flashing through one of the latest Martial Arts Magazine...

(Oh and yes I love Brazilian Jiujitsu, just love it)

 

[Steel Tiger]

With the gi situation its pretty clear that they cottoned on to the throw away nature of modern society quite well. At a not unreasonable price people are willing to buy something new if the old one breaks or tears. If it were more expensive you would see a lot more repair jobs I reckon.

Once you have decided that with each new rank there will be a noticeable change in apparel then you can easily fall into the situation that BJJ appears to be in. If you are making more money from gear sales, then you will want to maximise those sales. One possible result is faster movement through the grades.

This is especially true if you, as an instructor, are paying your own instructor an amount for each of your students. This works down the line, pyramid scheme style, so it is most efficient to get people to black in order to get them instructing and bringing in the students and cash. If you do it right you will get to a point where you never have to teach again, just sit back and watch the money flow in.

At my university there was a sort of rival gong fu school that operated in this fashion. Their enticement was extremely cheap lessons. About $5 for an hour I think.

Personally, I think that when merchandising starts to become more important than the teaching then there is a significant problem. It is unlikely that BJJ as a whole is like this, but enough of it appears to be to worry about it.

 

[Andrew Green]

Yup.

That's one thing the "plain white" idea has over the anything goes one. When they all look the same people buy the better product, not the one that is written across there favorite fighters butt.

 

[Marvin]

Brian, I agree. I have a Kwon judo gi that I have worn for years, still in good shape. The brands and patches are a by-product of the popularity of the sport. Skill by association, if you get my meaning.
I may be giving away my age, but remember Chuck Norris's "kicking jeans"? Everyone had to get those!!! Or Bear brand karate gi's and belts!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Brian, I agree. I have a Kwon judo gi that I have worn for years, still in good shape. The brands and patches are a by-product of the popularity of the sport. Skill by association, if you get my meaning.
I may be giving away my age, but remember Chuck Norris's "kicking jeans"? Everyone had to get those!!! Or Bear brand karate gi's and belts!

You know Marvin I have several judo gi's that have withstood awesome punishment and were pretty reasonable on price and they may have not had the patches but they were five times more durble than some of my Brazilian Kimono's! (Gi's)

 

[Perpetual White Belt]

I may be giving away my age, but remember Chuck Norris's "kicking jeans"? Everyone had to get those!!! Or Bear brand karate gi's and belts!

I remember those and the Rank pants sold by Century. They tried to bring them back a year or so ago, but they were Billy Jack kicking jeans instead.

 

[Jai]

I think alot of this has to do with the UFC personally. BJJ has become more main stream because of how it has been exposed. Now suddenly everyone is a master at BJJ, and everytime you look in any MA wholesale book or flyer, theres cheep BJJ gear. Personally I think it is sad.

 

[Steel Tiger]

You know Marvin I have several judo gi's that have withstood awesome punishment and were pretty reasonable on price and they may have not had the patches but they were five times more durble than some of my Brazilian Kimono's! (Gi's)

I wish that I could get some kit that is at durable. CMA gear is appallingly weak. I guess the people who manufacture it don't think CMA practitioners actually touch each other.

 

[Marvin]

You know Marvin I have several judo gi's that have withstood awesome punishment and were pretty reasonable on price and they may have not had the patches but they were five times more durble than some of my Brazilian Kimono's! (Gi's)

But I confess, I have do a "nascar" gi with all kinds of patches on it. including a Newcastle patch and a one like...

 

[Andrew Green]

But I confess, I have a "nascar" gi with all kinds of patches on it. including a Newcastle patch and a one like...

I feel like a geek... I thought it was a Klingon warship

 

[Marvin]

I feel like a geek... I thought it was a Klingon warship

Apparently, not geeky enough... lol :jedi1:

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Marvin in the past I had all kind's of Brazilian Gi's with patches etc. but frankly I got fed up with constantly wearing them out and having to replace them. Worse yet was when one $200 plus Double Weave Gi shrunk even though I only air dry. (that really hurt

)

And do not get me started with all the kid's now in BJJ or all the
one year to Blue Belt courses. (that is just to fast but hey money talks)

 

[Wild Bill]

Let me get this straight. You have a different gi design every time you gain rank. Even mediocre gis that you need get pricey and don't last long. People are gaining rank faster and BJJ is a big business. All they need to do is invent more ranks and a special belts for assistant teachers who are not really qualified but need to stand out. Then they charge higher prices for each test you take. Then they will start making students pay incredibly high prices for mandetory seminars and tournaments for each belt level. The instructors will get younger and younger. Eventually only rich suburbanites will be able to do BJJ and all of the dangerous (effective) techniques will be phased out so little Johnny doesn't get bruised and sensei doesn't get sued.

Seek out good instructor. It isn't about the style (brand). It is about quality.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Let me get this straight. You have a different gi design every time you gain rank. Even mediocre gis that you need get pricey and don't last long. People are gaining rank faster and BJJ is a big business. All they need to do is invent more ranks and a special belts for assistant teachers who are not really qualified but need to stand out. Then they charge higher prices for each test you take. Then they will start making students pay incredibly high prices for mandetory seminars and tournaments for each belt level. The instructors will get younger and younger. Eventually only rich suburbanites will be able to do BJJ and all of the dangerous (effective) techniques will be phased out so little Johnny doesn't get bruised and sensei doesn't get sued.

Seek out good instructor. It isn't about the style (brand). It is about quality.

Wild Bill you are definately right in that it is all about the quality!

 

[Perpetual White Belt]

Apparently, not geeky enough... lol :jedi1:

Yeah... :jediduel:that's where I went with it... I need to get out more...

 

[Marvin]

Hey Marvin in the past I had all kind's of Brazilian Gi's with patches etc. but frankly I got fed up with constantly wearing them out and having to replace them. Worse yet was when one $200 plus Double Weave Gi shrunk even though I only air dry. (that really hurt

)

And do not get me started with all the kid's now in BJJ or all the
one year to Blue Belt courses. (that is just to fast but hey money talks)

Let me get this straight. You have a different gi design every time you gain rank. Even mediocre gis that you need get pricey and don't last long. People are gaining rank faster and BJJ is a big business. All they need to do is invent more ranks and a special belts for assistant teachers who are not really qualified but need to stand out. Then they charge higher prices for each test you take. Then they will start making students pay incredibly high prices for mandetory seminars and tournaments for each belt level. The instructors will get younger and younger. Eventually only rich suburbanites will be able to do BJJ and all of the dangerous (effective) techniques will be phased out so little Johnny doesn't get bruised and sensei doesn't get sued.

Seek out good instructor. It isn't about the style (brand). It is about quality.

I hear ya. Well, we know its mainstream now, cuz BJJ sounds like the rest of the MA world.

 

[Marvin]

Check these out, gimme a frickin' break! http://onthemat.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=23

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Check these out, gimme a frickin' break! http://onthemat.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=23

I see that I need to start up a BJJ uniform shop. I would make a fortune.

 

[joemoplata]

Actually, you guys are a bit off. I know a lot of people in the MMA industry, including the owner and operator of NHB Gear so I have some knowledge here that you guys don't.

Most of the gis made for BJJ and Judo are expensive, very expensive, to have made. The amount of cotton used to make just the collar is as much as it takes to make an entire Karate uniform. Double weave gis weigh as much as 7 pounds dry. The markup for these gis isn't usually that much and the profit is negligible.

In fact, my buddy makes WAY more money selling patches to Karate and TKD schools than he does selling BJJ gis! Talk about markup!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Well I know how much I can buy a Judo/Brazilian Jiujitsu GI wholesale (multiple sources in Brazil and Pakistan) and it is roughly half price. I also know the wholesale dealers (mostly out of Pakistan as alot are being made there) and it is roughly half price or less again. You can make a killing selling Brazilian Kimonos. Not to mention patches, etc. Still I would agree with you on the mark up for Tae Kwon Do schools as well.