2009: possibly the last year for Winners Circle?

[Fred_W_Fan]

Another round of layoffs today at M.A. Rumor is, that Winners Circle will be gone by the end of the year

Again this is just a rumor at this point.

[kspool]

Wow!! Big news there-- is the brand losing money?

[Billy Kingsley]

Thanks for the update. I'm actually not a fan of Winner's Circle like most on this board are. But I would hate to see NASCAR not have any retail store presence for the first time since 1980. (although Ertl's run from 81-90 was sketchy at best).

[thunder_alley1984]

Whooohoooo BYE BYE BYE MA ya'll can kiss my.....nevermind.

[Believe]

Hmm. That would help me figure out where in the hell I could put more hoods next year!

[Fred_W_Fan]

yeah i would take it with a grain of salt, as winners circle pretty much makes the most % profit and is the open door to Walmart and other mass markets.

but i do know a few of the people that were let go of today, had a fairly large size hand in WC.

[JT179]

I can't imagine them shutting down the Winner's Circle brand, those things sell like hotcakes at my Wal-Mart. Would really kill some of the younger collectors just starting out. Where would they get that first Tony Stewart or Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

[thunder_alley1984]

MA/Action is dumb enough to kill of WC because they have never fully understood how to mass market an item. Hasbro kicked MA's for quality and quantity and getting items on store shelves. Plus they had ways of getting rid of all their overstock I have never seen a WC since the buyout anywhere other then big lots or gordmans and even then they are still $3 or more. I used to find em at dollar stores for a buck 2 years after release when Hasbro had em. Overall my opinion MA destroyed a great brand in WC.

[JT179]

I agree, MA is dumb as a box of rocks!

[Scatpack]

Originally Posted by thunder_alley1984

MA/Action is dumb enough to kill of WC because they have never fully understood how to mass market an item. Hasbro kicked MA's for quality and quantity and getting items on store shelves. Plus they had ways of getting rid of all their overstock I have never seen a WC since the buyout anywhere other then big lots or gordmans and even then they are still $3 or more. I used to find em at dollar stores for a buck 2 years after release when Hasbro had em. Overall my opinion MA destroyed a great brand in WC.

Totally agree and the fact that Hasbro would do things other then sell the same car with a different trinket. Such as the Lifetime series, NASCAR Illustrated series, the various hood series, etc...