So I Go Into A Basketball Clothing Shop Here in Riga....

[BillMc]

A huge shop of NBA merchandise has just opened up here in Riga, Latvia. I pass it everyday. Its got giant pictures of Damian Lillard on the windows. I wanted to see what Spurs stuff they had. What materials for the World Champs, a team packed with European players no less....

One pair of Spurs socks. That's it. No jerseys, no hats, no posters, no shoes...

But they did have, of course, Kobe Bryant jerseys, and lots of OKC stuff (Westbrook, Durant, generic) and lots of Rockets too.

Strangely very little LBJ, but Melo was everywhere. Melo?? What's he ever done besides piss on Colorado and collect $$$?

The owner was a little embarrassed, and a pretty nice guy, but told me he doesn't think the Spurs would sell.

Man, that was disappointing. RC better bring Davis Bertans over quick, to get this country on board.

Okay, rant over. Thanks for the listen. Spurstalk posting is a bit cheaper than lithium. :)

[Dex]

Spurs don't get no respect.

twX8S4rLfLc

[EVAY]

See, Bill, the owner couldn't/wouldn't tell you that CIAPop won't allow Spurs' team merchandise to be sold in public in a former Soviet Bloc country.

It's all part of the Stealth Merchandising approach that CIAPop wants used for his retirement plan.

[BillMc]

See, Bill, the owner couldn't/wouldn't tell you that CIAPop won't allow Spurs' team merchandise to be sold in public in a former Soviet Bloc country.

It's all part of the Stealth Merchandising approach that CIAPop wants used for his retirement plan.

:lol

Pop (and Evay) playing on another level. Way above mine.

[diego]

here in south america the same, every sports store / street merchant i see with NBA stuff has chicago, lakers, rockets etc, no spurs gear at all

[BillMc]

here in south america the same, every sports store / street merchant i see with NBA stuff has chicago, lakers, rockets etc, no spurs gear at all

That's too bad. Not even some Manu or Splitter stuff? I see you're in Chile, so I guess it doesn't stretch across country lines. I wonder how hard it is to get Spurs stuff in Argentina or Brazil?

Not sure what the global appeal of the Rockets is. Yeah, I get they took the Chinese market because of Yao Ming. But a) he's long retired. and b) why does that make them popular in countries as varied as Latvia and Chile?

You'd think as the world champs we'd get some market penetration.

[Old School 44]

I think it's still because the NBA pushes stars and the Spurs don't promote themselves globally. Yeah, I know Tim, Tony and Manu are stars in this league, but their understated, not only by the league, but by their own franchise. It's either you like the Spurs or you don't, they're not going to promote themselves.

[pgardn]

Latvians...

What drives their basketball tastes?
The mystery continues.

[Sean Cagney]

I think it's still because the NBA pushes stars and the Spurs don't promote themselves globally. Yeah, I know Tim, Tony and Manu are stars in this league, but their understated, not only by the league, but by their own franchise. It's either you like the Spurs or you don't, they're not going to promote themselves.

This, plus they are not a media darling team.

[BillMc]

Latvians...

What drives their basketball tastes?
The mystery continues.

Well, here is an excellent film "Dream Team 1935" that shows the roots of Latvian basketball, for what it is worth:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXEMRhEkKEQ

[ElNono]

A huge shop of NBA merchandise has just opened up here in Riga, Latvia. I pass it everyday. Its got giant pictures of Damian Lillard on the windows. I wanted to see what Spurs stuff they had. What materials for the World Champs, a team packed with European players no less....

One pair of Spurs socks. That's it. No jerseys, no hats, no posters, no shoes...

But they did have, of course, Kobe Bryant jerseys, and lots of OKC stuff (Westbrook, Durant, generic) and lots of Rockets too.

Strangely very little LBJ, but Melo was everywhere. Melo?? What's he ever done besides piss on Colorado and collect $$$?

The owner was a little embarrassed, and a pretty nice guy, but told me he doesn't think the Spurs would sell.

Man, that was disappointing. RC better bring Davis Bertans over quick, to get this country on board.

Okay, rant over. Thanks for the listen. Spurstalk posting is a bit cheaper than lithium. :)

You know what's even more embarrassing? The NBA store in NYC, the store that probably receives the most tourists all year round, has almost no Spurs gear. You couldn't even find a Spurs jersey there.

It didn't used to be like that, you could find everything there from every team. It used to be a joy to visit.

I guess they decided to stop stocking on stuff and sell online instead.

[BillMc]

You know what's even more embarrassing? The NBA store in NYC, the store that probably receives the most tourists all year round, has almost no Spurs gear. You couldn't even find a Spurs jersey there.

It didn't used to be like that, you could find everything there from every team. It used to be a joy to visit.

I guess they decided to stop stocking on stuff and sell online instead.

Yeah, that sucks. I understand with online purchasing inventory may be more selective, but, c'mon, we're the world champs. Didn't that create a spike in interest / demand for our team?

The evidence says no. :depressed

[ClipperLuva]

You know what's even more embarrassing? The NBA store in NYC, the store that probably receives the most tourists all year round, has almost no Spurs gear. You couldn't even find a Spurs jersey there.

It didn't used to be like that, you could find everything there from every team. It used to be a joy to visit.

I guess they decided to stop stocking on stuff and sell online instead.
It's sold out tbh

[ClipperLuva]

Yeah, that sucks. I understand with online purchasing inventory may be more selective, but, c'mon, we're the world champs. Didn't that create a spike in interest / demand for our team?

The evidence says no. :depressed


To be fair aren't you trying to have your cake and eat it too? You like the Spurs for the same reasons they aren't popular elsewhere; not flashy, effective against flashy teams, consummate champs, not flashy.... oh and not flashy.

[BillMc]

To be fair aren't you trying to have your cake and eat it too? You like the Spurs for the same reasons they aren't popular elsewhere; not flashy, effective against flashy teams, consummate champs, not flashy.... oh and not flashy.

You're right to a certain extent. But, even still, you'd like to see a bump of interest/appreciation from the masses based on their recent success.

[spurs10]

It's sold out tbh For a Clips fan that's pretty astute. Exactly, they can't give that Melo bling away! The Spurs probably gets stolen at customs. Go to airport customs and I bet all those Latvians are decked out in Big Three gear! :lobt2:

[BillMc]

Go to airport customs and I bet all those Latvians are decked out in Big Three gear! :lobt2:
:lol

[spurs10]

:lol Even more bizarre is El Double No going into the NYC store and finding zip! :wow

[BillMc]

Even more bizarre is El Double No going into the NYC store and finding zip! :wow

Yeah, that is amazing. Let's assume they were sold out.

[PingPong]

A little off topic but... There is a small latvian village down here. 100 km from my city.

[BillMc]

A little off topic but... There is a small latvian village down here. 100 km from my city.

How cool. I bet it was formed by an exodus from either the Nazis or the return of the Soviets in '44.

Cheers man!:toast

[MI21]

You know what's even more embarrassing? The NBA store in NYC, the store that probably receives the most tourists all year round, has almost no Spurs gear. You couldn't even find a Spurs jersey there.

It didn't used to be like that, you could find everything there from every team. It used to be a joy to visit.

I guess they decided to stop stocking on stuff and sell online instead.

I was amazed by that as well. My wife (then girlfriend) went in 2010 and brought me back a whole lot cool Spurs stuff and said the NBA store is amazing and a lot of fun.

Fast forward to December 2014 and when I get a chance to visit, it's changed and isn't even as good as Lids Locker room for merchandise :cry

[PingPong]

They came after in 1922. It had two thousands people circa 1930. Nowadays, there are some old houses and church.

http://i.imgur.com/pdDSx3u.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8Tiep0Z.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tsGeB0V.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4kfOPDC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uRNrkaI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eZdx44D.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CqeDwVS.jpg

[BillMc]

They came after in 1922. It had two thousands people circa 1930. Nowadays, there are some old houses and church.

http://i.imgur.com/pdDSx3u.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8Tiep0Z.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tsGeB0V.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4kfOPDC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uRNrkaI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eZdx44D.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CqeDwVS.jpg

Wow. Some amazing pictures. Very interesting. Thanks bro!:toast Came in '22, during the Russian civil war when Latvia gained its first independence.

I'll do more research on this city. I many even use it in a story sometime. Many thanks!!

[ElNono]

I was amazed by that as well. My wife (then girlfriend) went in 2010 and brought me back a whole lot cool Spurs stuff and said the NBA store is amazing and a lot of fun.

Fast forward to December 2014 and when I get a chance to visit, it's changed and isn't even as good as Lids Locker room for merchandise :cry

Yeah, I pick up Spurs gear at either Academy or the AT&T Center whenever I visit Texas now.

[diego]

That's too bad. Not even some Manu or Splitter stuff? I see you're in Chile, so I guess it doesn't stretch across country lines. I wonder how hard it is to get Spurs stuff in Argentina or Brazil?

Not sure what the global appeal of the Rockets is. Yeah, I get they took the Chinese market because of Yao Ming. But a) he's long retired. and b) why does that make them popular in countries as varied as Latvia and Chile?

You'd think as the world champs we'd get some market penetration.

i've been to brazil, argentina and uruguay since last june, its basically the same everywhere (granted the big cities in arg and brasil should have more if you look harder). in argentina in a few shops there was a little bit of manu gear, and a little indoor basket with a print of him on the backboard, but its knockoff/ non official crap and really pretty rare to see- its funny that everyone assumes he is extremely well loved in argentina, when he is really not very popular (especially since arg senior team hasnt won anything since 04). i saw more rose(!?) / kobe / lebron jerseys than anything else.

Once i was at a speaker store and the guy behind the counter was wearing a duncan jersey. I start giving him props and he tells me "yeah never heard of em a friend gave it to me". The only people here who know anything about the NBA are people who actively play basketball.

[BillMc]

"yeah never heard of em a friend gave it to me".

Yet, Marco gets naked magazine covers in Italy.:lol

But, it makes sense. I am surprised Manu isn't bigger in Argentina. But as you see the national team hasn't won since '04. A long time in sports.

I once high-fived a guy wearing a DeJuan Blair jersey when I was living in Eastern Ukraine. He had no idea who Blair was either. Such is life.

That said, you do get a lot of hard core basketball fans around the world who know as much or even more than their American counterparts. All down to the individual.

[Cellophane_eyes]

Hi BillMc

I'm in Riga on vacation - could you please post the adress of the newly opened NBA store in Riga? (or the name of the shop? etc.). Google searches dosn't give me much to go on�� or perhaps it's my missing skills in the Latvian native tongue that is the problem.
My son and I really like to go see the shop.