# \[T-shirt Design\] Ed, please answer this question. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 25, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722 "2009-03-25T11:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/1 "2009-03-25T11:07:09Z")
Ed I personally would spend cold hard cash, American Dollars, for a nice Straight Dope T Shirt. With the mast head and ‘it’s taking longer than we thought’ on the front, and ‘Cite’ on the back. Decent quality, available in both men’s and women’s sizes, maybe a choice of 3 colours. (Please, none of that illustrator’s drawings.) Earns you hard cash, spread’s the word in a very underground kind of way, and, maybe gets people talking. Maybe you’d even see one on a celeb or in a current popular sit com. All this seems so obvious and so easy it strikes me as low hanging fruit, easy pickings. Whenever this comes up, and it has many times, there are dozens of ‘Yeah, I’d buy a few of those!’ posts. So please share with us what the resistance to this revenue stream is, cause we don’t see a downside. Every time you mention finding new sources of revenue someone mentions it and it seems to be then **roundly ignored**. I truly believe your membership would love this. I mean, it’s so easy rock bands and bars exploit it, why not the Straight Dope? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/2 "2009-03-25T11:53:48Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I truly believe your membership would love this. I mean, it’s so easy rock bands and bars exploit it, why not the Straight Dope? I’m not aware of any rock bands or bars that let their patrons dictate what their T-shirts will look like. I like Slug’s illustrations; can I insist there be two T-shirts, so everybody is happy? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/3 "2009-03-25T11:59:15Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I personally would spend cold hard cash, American Dollars, for a nice Straight Dope T Shirt. With the mast head and ‘it’s taking longer than we thought’ on the front, and ‘Cite’ on the back. Decent quality, available in both men’s and women’s sizes, maybe a choice of 3 colours. (Please, none of that illustrator’s drawings.) I second that emotion. Especially the part about leaving out Sig’s schoolboy scrawls. How about several designs? And I wear more sweatshirts than T-shirts. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/4 "2009-03-25T12:04:19Z")
I like the OP’s idea. I would buy one as well (3X, please). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/5 "2009-03-25T12:29:42Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I like Slug’s illustrations; can I insist there be two T-shirts, so everybody is happy? There’s already a Slug shirt – [have you bought one](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat#tshirt)? – so I’m assuming this would be “in addition to” and not “instead of.” Another vote – again, as cast every time this comes up – for a Slug-free T-shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/6 "2009-03-25T12:35:11Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > There’s already a Slug shirt – [have you bought one](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat#tshirt)? – so I’m assuming this would be “in addition to” and not “instead of.” Yeah, but it doesn’t say “Hi Opal!” on the back; wouldn’t that be cool? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/7 "2009-03-25T12:38:24Z")
Me too! 2XLT (tall) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/8 "2009-03-25T12:55:59Z")
Me three! 3XLT ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/9 "2009-03-25T13:03:45Z")
Me four – 100% cotton, please; none of this 50/50 crap. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/10 "2009-03-25T14:01:02Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Yeah, but it doesn’t say “Hi Opal!” on the back; wouldn’t that be cool? No. For One thing we are talking about a SD shirt. Not a SDMB shirt. So anything like “cite?” or [shudder] “Hi Opal!” wouldn’t work. From the stats that Ed quoted there are more unique hits brought in by the SD than the SDMB. That is the market you want to tap. Maybe if there were 3-4 designs one could be a SDMB shirt. I would also say that I would buy a non-Slug shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/11 "2009-03-25T18:43:55Z")
Well… I won’t promise I would buy one, but I can guarantee I will never buy the current design. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/12 "2009-03-25T22:57:39Z")
Okay, Second question, since no one has answered the question, and I didn’t see anyone ask anywhere up thread, how come the title of my thread now says (T-shirt design)? I don’t object or anything, and I see now I should have included it in the title. It just strikes me as odd that the title was changed but no answer was offered. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/13 "2009-03-25T23:22:10Z")
Perhaps because a mod other than Ed saw it? (i.e., able to fix the thread title, unable to answer.) ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/14 "2009-03-26T01:54:15Z")
Hey, I have a Slug shirt, and I like it. I agree a choice of designs and colors though would be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/15 "2009-03-26T02:07:58Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Okay, > > Second question, since no one has answered the question, and I didn’t see anyone ask anywhere up thread, how come the title of my thread now says (T-shirt design)? > > I don’t object or anything, and I see now I should have included it in the title. > > It just strikes me as odd that the title was changed but no answer was offered. I changed it to make the title more specific, but I really can’t say yay or nay to your idea because I don’t make merchandising decisions for the Straight Dope. The only person who can supply an official answer is Ed, so your title had that right. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/16 "2009-03-26T16:39:40Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Yeah, but it doesn’t say “Hi Opal!” on the back; wouldn’t that be cool? No. That would most definitely **NOT** be cool. 1. No one would get it. 2. Why highlight one of the SDMBs more pathetic posters? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/17 "2009-03-26T16:49:23Z")
1. The only people who need to get it are the ones who are wearing the shirt, and 2. That was way harsh. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/18 "2009-03-26T19:29:32Z")
\ **Seven** , you were over the line there. Way over. From the Rules FAQ: > [@](#): > > Generally, you may not directly insult other posters. The strictness of this rule varies a bit by forum, but the basic rule is that you should attack what the other person says, not the other person. If you must, take it to the Pit. \ ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/19 "2009-03-26T19:30:42Z")
I can’t speak for the PTB, of course, but generally the answer to “Why don’t they…?” is “money”. My guess is there weren’t enough people buying the existing shirts to justify new ones. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722/20 "2009-03-26T19:45:00Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I can’t speak for the PTB, of course, but generally the answer to “Why don’t they…?” is “money”. My guess is there weren’t enough people buying the existing shirts to justify new ones. That seems stupid, when dozens of us have made it clear that we’re not buying the existing ones because they’re godawful ugly, but that we would buy a Slug-free design. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/t-shirt-design-ed-please-answer-this-question/490722.md?page=2)