Help with sports equipment

By god. And you didn’t even need your father in law for that one

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Thanks a million. I knew this place would be the best chance. :+1::+1::+1::green_heart:

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Just rang them. Out of stock :slightly_frowning_face::slightly_frowning_face:
Thanks a million though mate. I appreciate it.
They said there’s none anywhere in Europe.

any lead time for them to get you one?

No, said unavailable anywhere. No lead time.

There must be an equivalent.

why are you set on the spalding, you’d pick one up no bothers of another brand, and they really are all the same.

I just rang and asked him, there’s sure shot available, but the lad wants a Spalding. Mother died in tragic circumstances earlier this year, so I’d like to get him what he wants if I could, but he’s grateful for even trying tbh.
I rang him to get his post code before ordering on that site you kindly found, and he was absolutely delighted. Fortunately he didn’t tell the lad just in case.

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I’d give Uhlsport a ring if I were you. They should know if any of their distributors have any. Ring the UK number at the top of this page

https://www.uhlsport.com/en/dealer/119/ireland

Thanks mate. Will do. The lad at the other place reckoned there were none coming from Spalding at all.

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#neverconquered

Ring these lads and see if they will deliver to Ireland.

Telephone: +44 (0)800 0488891

https://www.sport-thieme.co.uk/Team_sport/Basketball/Basketball_Sets-Accessories/art=1187700

Decathlon seeks local supplier of hurling equipment for new store

THE NEW DECATHLON SHOP IN BALLYMUN. PHOTOGRAPH: DARA MAC DÓNAILL

French sports giant prepares to open first Irish outlet in Ballymun on Saturday

Barry O’Halloran

Global sports retailer Decathlon is seeking a local partner to supply hurling equipment to a potential six to nine Irish stores so it can lure players of both national games to its business.

The French-based giant has spent €13 million on a 4,000sq m flagship store for the Republic in Ballymun, Dublin, which it plans to open this Saturday, June 13th, according to Bastien Grandgeorge, chief executive of Decathlon in Ireland.

He maintains that the group is not fazed by opening as Covid-19 restrictions continue to hinder business, saying that it is here for the long term.

“We are asking people not to rush to the store on Saturday: we are here for life, we will be open seven days a week,” Mr Grandgeorge said yesterday. He added that the store would allow 150 people in at a time, including staff.

Meanwhile, store leader Kieran O’Shea said Decathlon was seeking a local partner to design, make and supply hurls, sliotars and helmets for the chain.

Decathlon manufactures about 95 per cent of the products it sells at its stores, but takes on external suppliers where equipment is particularly specialised.

Mr O’Shea explained that it decided on this route with hurling because the game was “very specific, very Irish”. He stressed meeting the demand for GAA equipment and kit was one of the chain’s priorities.

Decathlon will make its own Gaelic footballs, along with jerseys, shorts and socks, although it will not be producing these in county colours. The chain, dubbed the “Ikea of sports”, makes and sells clothes and equipment for more than 70 activities including rugby, soccer, fitness, golf, tennis, water sports and outdoor pursuits.

Design

Decathlon focuses strongly on design. Mr Grandgeorge said it was France’s fifth-biggest spender on research and development, placing it just behind players in defence and motor manufacturing.

Each sport has a dedicated space within the store, staffed by a specialist team lead.

The group owns the Dublin outlet, its flagship in the Republic, and already has a store in Belfast. Mr Grandgeorge said Decathlon was eyeing Cork and Galway for its next outlets.

He added it was looking at locations in six cities and towns. “We would like to implement six to nine stores in the Republic of Ireland,” Mr Grandgeorge said. However, he indicated it first wants to see how the Ballymun store performs.

Mr Grandgeorge also said that as it would lease the other properties, rents would have to be reasonable. He argued that landlords would need to take into account that Decathlon would be a long- term tenant.

A good response from Irish shoppers to its website prompted Decathlon to open its first store here. It came close twice before, including shortly before the financial crash in 2008.

Of the €13 million Decathlon spent on the Baile Munna sports hub, as the chain calls it, €9 million went on the store.

A basketball court, cycling area, miniature pitch and playground surround the building. Mr Grandgeorge said these would be open to local people as well as customers.

Founded in 1976 by Michel Leclercq with the idea of making sport accessible to everyone, Decathlon had sales last year of €12.9 billion. It sells about 1.2 billion items a year.

The Leclercq family still control the business, but workers also hold shares in the group, which now trades in 71 countries. About 40 per cent of its products are made in Europe, with 55 per cent in Asia and the balance in South America.

Decathlon shops are deadly.

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There’s a huge one about 40 mins drive from the villa in Spain - it’s a half day outing - some great gear to be got.

A sports shop that sells actual sports stuff is badly needed

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You need to be careful. A good bit of stuff in them is dearer than you’d buy elsewhere.

That’ll have the usual suspects seething.

I’d say the stuff will fly off the shelves in ballymun. Remains to be seen how good sales are in the current environment.

I’ve been in a few stores now and they never struck me as cutting-edge. The gear is only so-so as well.

Big one in Las lagunas de mijas, the opposite side of motorway to fuengirola… Dunnes stores there too.