Bettis also points to how the Bramall Lane commercial staff are keeping a close eye on Beerschot striking out on their own in terms of an innovative kit deal as to the benefits that can potentially come from being part of an umbrella organisation.
“Beerschot now make their own kit,” he says. “The joke of this is that the majority of these kits are all made in the same factory in China. Adidas, Nike, all made in the same area to the same standards.
“That is where we have gone with Beerschot to get their kits made. At the moment, we are not doing the same here.
“We have seen Sheffield Wednesday do it (under the Elev8 brand that is owned by chairman Dejphon Chansiri). They make their own kits and I think, at times, that has not been really liked by the supporters.
“So, we thought, ‘Let’s not go straight away and make our own Sheffield United kits — instead, let’s trial it elsewhere’. We wanted to get comfortable with it.
“Let’s make sure the factories are the right ones, that they deliver the kits on time and that the quality control is there. Then, at a later date, if we decide to go down that road it is an option for us.
“We can do that kind of thing lower down the pyramid and then, if the idea works, push it up. What I will say is Beerschot have never sold as many kits in their history. I don’t know the exact numbers but we are not talking 10-20 per cent increases but hundreds of per cent.”
