SigPig banned from Parra Stadium

One thing I find hard is that these big sellers wo tend to ruin it for us genuine collectors are also helping us get some cards to help complete sets. Especially the ex or harder to get players they seem to have the means and the time to get them & I like others will admit that when I see a card on eBay I'm chasing I'll throw a bid or two on it. At times I don't want to bid as I know the more I buy the more they will keep getting and selling signatures but there is still a need & market there for people and it is helpful. It's just sad that they don't put any of the profit back into the NRL or the players pockets.
I think that's why many of us get thought of as sellers as we don't want to buy cards but we want to trade and to trade you need to have doubles.

I think there are some great ideas listed in this thread but I think that some of the sig pigs will still buy bands in bulk and get the mini bus full of kids and still profit hugely. I get the occasional IP if I am bothered but have never sold one, or bought one off ebay, but have traded some. However, a player is not to know that and I still cop the occasional "look" from a player even though I get a max 2 cards signed and different cards, usually the oldest card(s) I have of that player. It'll be interesting to see if there are and global changes implemented by clubs and/or the NRL re going piggin'!

ooneil said:

You would probably be better to push back something via ESP. They have a relationship with the NRL.

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I think this is the way to go. OCT put together a presser, highlighting the collecting community concern over Sig Pigs, how we are prepared to work with both ESP and the NRL to weed out these sig pigs, suggestions for the way forward, blah, blah, etc, etc

No offence, but the NRL's answer will be to charge for all sigs as they will see it as a revenue stream.

Yep ^^^^

The Mad Hatter said:

No offence, but the NRL's answer will be to charge for all sigs as they will see it as a revenue stream.

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I assume they already have a revenue stream from cards which is whatever ESP pays them. I'm not sure how they would administer extra revenue streams from players signing cards after training or whilst shopping. Can't see the players carrying around an eftpos machine either processing payments, I think most of them would mistake it for their iphone and try to use it to send a twitter about their new cool phone. Arf.

I have just spent some time reading through this thread and there are some good ideas floating around.

On a personal level I am a big collector of Knights sigs but find it difficult to get them in person. I rely heavily on the good people who utilise this site as a means to fills holes in my own PC, and if I see something I really need on Ebay then I'll grab it if I know the seller. I know there are others here in exactly the same boat.

The wristband is a great idea in principle, however I also agree that those who want to abuse that system would be able to do so. I also think that limiting players to signing a few cards would only encourage the sig pigs to get more kids to ""work" for them. It may have a small impact but I don't think it will fix the problem. From the players perspective, I'm sure they don't want to disappoint anyone by refusing to sign.

I think that the key to making something work lies with the players being able to recognise who is a genuine collector and who is in it simply for their own profit. To build a little on the wristband idea, how would people feel about establishing something like an NRL Collector's Association (for lack of a better title). I understand it would take some work as there would be complications, legalities, agreements etc etc to work through, but if it was set up correctly with some ground rules, proper administration (I mean official website, newsletters and the like), it could work.
In my mind members would be in possession of an individually numbered photo ID card that could be presented to a player if required. It could be run by some reputable people who know the industry and how it works. Communications could be made to clubs advising the players of what to look out for. Persons in possession of an ID card could get priority and maybe some kind of special access to the players (but still limit the number of cards), and all other requests can be facilitated completely at the players discretion. Rules of the Association can be determined by the members.

I imagine that initial members would need to have "runs on the board" as far as being in it for the right reasons. We would have members in all areas (Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, New Zealand and probably even Melbourne).

This is all just off the top of my head at the moment, but you can see what I mean. I would be happy to sit down and discuss how to move forward if anyone was interested in picking up the ball. I'm sure we could get a few members from here who would be keen to contribute.

At the end of the day I think we need to keep as much integrity in place as we can and give as much power to the players as we can at the same time.

ozfootball said:

I assume they already have a revenue stream from cards which is whatever ESP pays them. I'm not sure how they would administer extra revenue streams from players signing cards after training or whilst shopping. Can't see the players carrying around an eftpos machine either processing payments, I think most of them would mistake it for their iphone and try to use it to send a twitter about their new cool phone. Arf.

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They will sign contracts with NRL and/or ESP direct, and as part of that deal, there will be no sigs on the street, pre/post game, etc. Only be allowed to sign at NRL/club sanctioned events.

And as for carrying an eftpos - CBA's new tap and go, even the ice cream vendor walking around the aisles/bays with his ice creams at the cricket venues will have tap and go next summer. Hell, you won't even need your card, you'll have a phone app to do it.

https://www.commbank.com.au/personal/online-banking/commbank-app.html

Just stumbled across this thread.

Here's a pic from the start of the year.

Nice to see him branching out. Lol

Not much of a line up there Ricko...

What if they did something like say, a signature pass added to your membership. Like maybe you could pay an extra $20 and you could get as many signatures as you want at the home games you attend. Or they could just make signatures only for Member exclusive fan days.

Rocket1908 said:

What if they did something like say, a signature pass added to your membership. Like maybe you could pay an extra $20 and you could get as many signatures as you want at the home games you attend. Or they could just make signatures only for Member exclusive fan days.

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The Panthers have actually started doing something like this for members. After most home games the whole team goes back to the Evans Theatre in Panthers where Football club members can come along and mingle with the players and hear from the captain/coach and of course get stuff signed.

The Panthers have also started doing a lot of warm down exercises after games in the training facility and take quite a while to come out of the sheds these days. If they do they generally go straight over to the club.

The Sig Pig tends to target the away teams anyway.

Rekless said:

Just stumbled across this thread.

Here's a pic from the start of the year.

Nice to see him branching out. Lol

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Looks like Punter is actually happy to sign something, anything even if it's for Mick!.

Rocket1908 said:

What if they did something like say, a signature pass added to your membership. Like maybe you could pay an extra $20 and you could get as many signatures as you want at the home games you attend. Or they could just make signatures only for Member exclusive fan days.

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I dont know that it would work. A sig pig will ahppily pay the extra $$$ to get signatures if it means a better return. I know a few people who are members of several clubs so that they can attend members events to get autographs. Sig Pigs will work out ways around memberships or wristbands and so on. They will just get one from someone else or use a decoy name to access.

I personally think the best attack is exposure. An Ebaying sig pig likes to remain annonymous, we need to expose them for who they are. Other than telling players personally, I have gathered undoubtable evidence against a few people that can expose them as Ebayers. If they want to limit the ability for collectors to get autographs, it will be used.

Players should just personalise the cards, will fix the problem quick smart...

become a member of the club you support then go to the fan days easy problem solved

shane_sharks said:

become a member of the club you support then go to the fan days easy problem solved

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Yep - I got a whole jersey signed. No issues, no raised eyebrows, no making me feel like an ar$ehole.

too easy mad hatter

I've always been a fan of the Idea of the Club holding a signing session where you are charged a decent fee ($50-$100) MUST be a club member to gain admission, allowed a certain amount of items per player (3-4). Easy to organise, Probably take an hour to get everyone through, Club makes a profit.... And those who "Really" want the sigs would be happy to pay it!!

Of course this system would also be exploited by the kind that ... Do this for a living!!

batboy said:

I've always been a fan of the Idea of the Club holding a signing session where you are charged a decent fee ($50-$100) MUST be a club member to gain admission, allowed a certain amount of items per player (3-4). Easy to organise, Probably take an hour to get everyone through, Club makes a profit.... And those who "Really" want the sigs would be happy to pay it!!

Of course this system would also be exploited by the kind that ... Do this for a living!!

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I see your point.

But as Shane-sharks said, become a paid up member, rock on to the fan/member day, get stuff signed.

Look, I don't think the players begrudge the sigs. I'm sure most of them are flattered. But I don't think - like all of us - that they like having their generosity abused ( I mean, really, a bus full of kids given stuff to get signed…that's just BS!) or to be given crap. There are times and places to get sigs too. If the same people have piles of stuff to sign, it just means they really selling it…and I wouldn't begin to begrudge the players attitudes if it was me.

I don't want to see people having to pay for sigs.

I just think you need to be courteous (try some flattery or at least a please & thank you), and don't bother them. If you don't know how to do this, take a lesson in body language and manners.

For mine, a trick I have used, if there are always heaps of kids and young ladies waiting for a sig/selfie. When there's a lot of people standing around like that, when the player looks up and says who is next, take control and say 'that kid was next' OR 'she has been waiting, sign hers first'. Seriously, players respond to that and are more than likely happy to finish up signing your item. Even make light of it: "Phew! Geez, what a lot of fans! Thanks again/Good luck with your next game." And also remember: sometimes you just won't get that sig. It's annoying but it happens.