YaneA Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I don't have the link but the GF Herald is reporting today that the campus Barnes and Noble Store here at UND has caved to pressure from 50 UND faculty members who signed a petition and will stop selling shot glasses emblazoned with the Sioux logo as well as play-down the display of all other logo merchandise. Can you imagine a campus bookstore anywhere else that can get away with not promoting the sale of sportswear and novelties featuring the official school nickname and logo? Apparently, the contract UND negotiated with B&N which gave them the cushy location, location, location on campus right next to the Ralph and who knows what other incentives also gave B&N the right to sell or not sell official merchandise as the whim strikes B&N. If you want to comment to the corporate suits about their policy decision, you can call or e-mail: Carolyn Brown, Director of Corporate Communications at 212-633-4062 or cbrown@bn.com Quote
lawkota Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Here's the link: Bookstore Makes Call on Shot Glasses I think that's fine. It accomplishes nothing. In fact, I think B&N should cease sales of all Sioux merchandise. Then fans would have to buy their stuff at the Ralph. UND would still get the licensing $$$ and would also benefit indirectly from increased profits at the arena. Quote
YaneA Posted January 7, 2003 Author Posted January 7, 2003 lawkota-- If, as you predict, increased sales at Ralph's pro shop is the outcome of B&N's short-sighted knee-jerk reaction to the tiniest bit of pressure from UND faculty, then only Barnes and Noble will be hurt by its decision. I just had to register my displeasure with our "campus" bookstore failing to support our school. Their decision sends a message that there's something unsavory about Sioux merchandise and that it has to be sold from under-the-counter. Such a notion flies in the face of everything those of us who support the Sioux nickname and logo are fighting for. Quote
The Sicatoka Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Should any campus bookstore be selling shot glasses with the school logo?* The rest of it? Hey, go to the pro shop at REA. The licensing fee and the sales profits both go to UND that way. * I'll refrain from direct mention of a recent incident involving a student and shots at a rival school. Quote
PCM Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 If you want to comment to the corporate suits about their policy decision, you can call or e-mail: Carolyn Brown, Director of Corporate Communications at 212-633-4062 or cbrown@bn.com I've been told that this is the best person to contact about B&N's decision at UND because he's more directly involved with the college bookstores. Stan Frank Director of Marketing Barnes & Noble College Bookstores, Inc. 33 East 17 Street New York, NY 10003 sfrank@bncollege.com I would encourage everyone to let B&N that you'll be voting with your feet and dollars. That's the best way to get the attention of a business -- assuming the business is interested in turning a profit. Quote
PCM Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Should any campus bookstore be selling shot glasses with the school logo? Not having shot glasses with the Sioux logo doesn't bother me, although this statement by Alva Irwin of BRIDGES does: "They took it to the limit on that one," Irwin said. "Besides having the T-shirts with the Indian heads on there, they put it on a shot glass, so right away, you have the stereotypical image of the alcoholic Indian." If Irwin can't look at a shot glass with a Sioux logo on it without thinking about "the alcoholic Indian" stereotype, it makes you wonder who the real racist is. Quote
jimdahl Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Then fans would have to buy their stuff at the Ralph. Â UND would still get the licensing $$$ and would also benefit indirectly from increased profits at the arena. Awkward plug: Or buy stuff online to help keep SiouxSports.com alive (http://siouxsports.com/hockey/merchandise.htm) Seriously, though, this is a very dangerous precedent. If outsiders perceive the bookstore as a UND institution, it changes the situation from a small minority opposing the Sioux logo to a school institution taking the stance that the logo needs to be hidden away. While it's true that REA next door will pick up any slack in availability of merchandise, further moves in this direction could send very dangerous signals if they're perceived as coming from a UND institution. I now the bookstore is private, so can do whatever it wants, but that's not how a lot of people will perceive it. Quote
lawkota Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I think it would send mixed signals Jim, but not necessarily dangerous ones. A situation like that, where the public (alumni) preceive that the administration is phasing out the name and logo, could be a catalyst for a more aggressive pro-name movement. PCM, good call. It has never occurred to me that having the logo on a "shot glass" typified alcoholism among Indians. Of course, I am unenlightened. Quote
The Sicatoka Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 God help Notre Dame if they have their moniker or logo on a shot glass. Quote
JBB Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Thank you for the email information. I too have checked in along with the 50 faculty members. Quote
jimdahl Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 They are particularly offended by such items as shot glasses, beer mugs and sweatpants with the word "Sioux" across the back side. Don't get me wrong, the campaign against shot glasses and beer mugs is crazy and racist. But what's up with attacking the sweatpants (the word is too near your behind? you sit on it?) Wait until they discover the offense of boxer shorts with logos! Quote
ScottM Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Well, if 50 people can whine enough to get logo merchandise out of one store, perhaps all good Sioux fans should buy from merchants other than BN. There are a myriad of places to buy logo wear and other things, including textbooks, especially online, so let BN die on the vine. I sent Mr. Frank an email expressing my displeasure with BN's lack of spine, and informed him that I would never shop at BN, anywhere, again and tossed the $100 gift card I just received. I suspect Amazon and Borders will be getting my business in the future. Another asinine "victory" for the PC nazis. Has there been any comment from the Alumni association? Moreover, how long is BN's contract with UND? Perhaps, REA can sell textbooks, and shot glasses. Quote
PCM Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 As long as it doesn't go any farther than shot glasses, beer mugs and butt-monogramed sweat pants, I don't see it as a problem. It's the first foot in the door that concerns me most. Quote
Taz Boy Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Thank you for the email information. I too have checked in along with the 50 faculty members. Well then, hello #51. taz Quote
Goon Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Thank you for the email information. Â I too have checked in along with the 50 faculty members. Because your a liberal sheep, a follower, go ahead hang out with your hand wringing, out of touch, left wing liberal p.c. nazi professers, who time has passed by. Who have never worked a honest day in their lives. Besides the point most of them are insignifigant, a lot of them are hateful jealous of student athlete, they are also vindictive has beens. Also, when is the last time 15,000 showed up to watch a sociology/english lecture? Never... I don't have a problem with them doing away with the shot glasses, its an educational institution. Fine if Barnes and Nobel wants to act like an idiot fine, then they can't be that smart, Fighting Sioux gear sells and makes tons of money for the University. 50 college professors, are you kidding me? Thats hardly a big number, it would be intersting to see how many of them are in departments that make little or any income for the univeristy... Hum smells like the______________department? Peace Studies, Womans studies, English/Literature College of arts and science. Yesh, UND alumni we can not allow this to happen... Quote
The Sicatoka Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Shot glasses. Sure, I understand the message there. Like I said, no school should be there. But they're worried about sweat pants? It would be interesting to find out if any of those 50, uh, excuse me, 51, petitioners ever had a pair of "protest blue jeans" back in the 1960s/1970s. You know the ones I'm talking about. They had a US flag stitched on the hind quarters (and goodness knows you daren't eliminate that form of free expression). It'd be really interesting to know. PS - I've never understand why anyone would want anything bulletin-boarded on their gluteus maximus region, but (pun intended) that's a whole other conversation. Quote
PCM Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 Today's Grand Forks Herald has an article with a response to the B&N controversy from Tim O'Keefe and Earl Strinden. (Herald readers probably noticed that the Sioux name defenders got page 2 for their response while the attackers got the front page.) It mentions that among the items the UND bookstore will no longer carry are golf balls with the Sioux logo. Just as I thought. Give them an inch and they'll take your balls. Quote
jimdahl Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 It would be interesting to find out if any of those 50, uh, excuse me, 51, petitioners ever had a pair of "protest blue jeans" back in the 1960s/1970s. You know the ones I'm talking about. They had a US flag stitched on the hind quarters (and goodness knows you daren't eliminate that form of free expression). This actually clears things up a bit for me. I honestly didn't understand how the sweatpants were offensive. If this group of people used to sew flags on their pants' rear ends as a way to denegrate the flag and America, it's understandable that they view anything else on the rear end of pants as being denegrated (despite a wave of change in fashion that they failed to notice). Lacking the historical context, I'm just used to seeing team names sewn on the rear-end of sweat pants and exercise shorts. The coeds who wear such items are people who are "behind" the team, not people who are against it. Quote
YaneA Posted January 8, 2003 Author Posted January 8, 2003 They'll take your balls! LOL Pat, you slay me! Quote
diggerdan Posted January 8, 2003 Posted January 8, 2003 I wonder what B&N would do if 51 people signed a petition asking that Catcher in the Rye, Go Ask Alice, Adventures of Huck Finn, Of Mice and Men, etc. be removed from the bookstore or be sold "under the counter". Maybe the situation with these books isn't the same but should B&N be put in a position of having to determine the potential "offensiveness" of a new literary work before they put a big display in the front of the store to market it? Quote
Riverman Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 It mentions that among the items the UND bookstore will no longer carry are golf balls with the Sioux logo. OK, Now they have gone way to far! A golf ball and a logo? Does anyone have the number to that English teacher? I think that Mr. McKenzie feels the guilt of HIS ancestors. Who betrayed MY Highland Kin so many years ago. 31 yrs he has been at UND? I can't help but wonder how many young minds this man has brain washed. JD,It won't stop with just the golf balls! Think about the hockey pucks!! On the serious side, Tim O'Keefe The "Irishman" is ok by me. I vote we give him the torch that Earl has held so high for so many years! I loved what he had to say in the herald today!Go Get'm Tim! _______________________________________________________ Quote
The Sicatoka Posted January 9, 2003 Posted January 9, 2003 How Tim O'Keefe can succeed so well at his endeavours, considering the pain that Notre Dame moniker must give him, amazes me. Quote
elmduf Posted January 10, 2003 Posted January 10, 2003 Okay. I sent my boycott threat email to Ms. Brown. I guess I'll have to buy my books online now. I hope they aren't all colored in before I get them! I save my $$ for UND stuff to buy at the Ralph anyway..... Quote
JBB Posted January 11, 2003 Posted January 11, 2003 Because your a liberal sheep, a follower, go ahead hang out with your hand wringing, out of touch, left wing liberal p.c. nazi professers, who time has passed by. Who have never worked a honest day in their lives. Besides the point most of them are insignifigant, a lot of them are hateful jealous of student athlete, they are also vindictive has beens. Also, when is the last time 15,000 showed up to watch a sociology/english lecture? Never... Quote
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