: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:13 pm  

For a club like Leeds, I think it's important to distance themselves from other sporting clubs within the city. For instance, would you ask someone to 'come and watch Leeds this week'? Or 'come and watch The Rhinos'?
Similarly, the Wigan public use 'Athletic' and 'Warriors' simply to distinguish a difference between the two clubs.

In Warrington, most people refer to the club as simply Warrington or 'Wire', but then we don't have any competition from other professional sports.

It's easier to market and sell merhcandise, however, for Tigers, Bulls, Wolves, Rhinos than it would be for Northern, Wire, Loiners and The Boys From Darn T'lane.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:05 pm  

'Hitman' Norvern Soul wrote:

For a club like Leeds, I think it's important to distance themselves from other sporting clubs within the city. For instance, would you ask someone to 'come and watch Leeds this week'? Or 'come and watch The Rhinos'?
Similarly, the Wigan public use 'Athletic' and 'Warriors' simply to distinguish a difference between the two clubs.

In Warrington, most people refer to the club as simply Warrington or 'Wire', but then we don't have any competition from other professional sports.

True, but in Hull although 'city' and 'fc' are used for the footy team and hull fc respectively, most people refer to both as 'hull'. Is it really that important to distinguish the difference? Fans in Leeds have obviously survived this problem for enough years in the past.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:39 pm  

Ask anybody from Donny and nobody supported the name Lakers, just because the stadium is built next a large pond. Also Lakers in Yorkshire means Idle T-ats. Come on you Dons.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:25 pm  

For some, its worked well, Cas Tigers, Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Bulls ect, Others it didnt work at all, Halifax Blue Sox, Hull Sharks ect.

Some of it was down to Marketing and Budgets as well as on field success.

Some clubs have made strange ways to add to the name, Leigh wanting fans to refer to Hilton Park as The Coliseum (probably due to its age and condition) was never going to work and they soon binned it. Or going back a number of Years, "Arena 84".

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:32 pm  

Brew wrote:

For some, its worked well, Cas Tigers, Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Bulls ect, Others it didnt work at all, Halifax Blue Sox, Hull Sharks ect.

Some of it was down to Marketing and Budgets as well as on field success.

Some clubs have made strange ways to add to the name, Leigh wanting fans to refer to Hilton Park as The Coliseum (probably due to its age and condition) was never going to work and they soon binned it. Or going back a number of Years, "Arena 84".

didn't the Leigh fans vote/protest to keep the Centurions name though?

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:42 pm  

UllFC wrote:

didn't the Leigh fans vote/protest to keep the Centurions name though?

Dont think the nickname is a bad thing, if its used right, the coliseum idea was ridiculous though, especially as there was talk of a new stadium at the time

Re: Club nicknames : Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:43 pm  

reddan wrote:

If this has been discussed recently, I apologise, I couldn't see a relevant thread.

Basically all I want to know is how important or relevant you think the 'super league era' nicknames are eg. Rhinos, Giants etc. Do you think they're an important part of a club's 'brand', maybe help attract younger fans or would you rather see a return to the likes of Trinity, Northern etc?

Considering saints didn't bother, hull dropped theirs and two newish clubs (quins and celtic) have each taken a different option, what do you think about them in general, and in the context of your own club? Any thoughts appreciated.

I'm sure a "Hull FC" team played in the Hull & District league whilst the "Sharks" were going

: Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:07 am  

I don't have a major problem with them, however I prefer to see the 'nickname' as being relevant to the region of the club

For example - when the whole issue of the new Leeds brandname was being discussed, I would have preffered them to have considered the Leeds Rams or Leeds Owls. The Leeds coat of arms has a fleece and a couple of owls on it. Ok, so the fleece might be a sheep but its near enough. Although maybe Leeds Owls sounds a bit lame. Although they do have sharp beaks and are probably quite nasty.

At least Hull had a link to sharks in that Hull is next to the sea and sharks live in it. Leeds is a cold city in the middle of England, and Rhinos live in hot places like Africa. They don't have much in common.

: Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:13 am  

RescuedBlue wrote:

I don't have a major problem with them, however I prefer to see the 'nickname' as being relevant to the region of the club

For example - when the whole issue of the new Leeds brandname was being discussed, I would have preffered them to have considered the Leeds Rams or Leeds Owls. The Leeds coat of arms has a fleece and a couple of owls on it. Ok, so the fleece might be a sheep but its near enough. Although maybe Leeds Owls sounds a bit lame. Although they do have sharp beaks and are probably quite nasty.

At least Hull had a link to sharks in that Hull is next to the sea and sharks live in it. Leeds is a cold city in the middle of England, and Rhinos live in hot places like Africa. They don't have much in common.

Not that sea mate

: Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:15 am  

reddan wrote:

True, but in Hull although 'city' and 'fc' are used for the footy team and hull fc respectively, most people refer to both as 'hull'. Is it really that important to distinguish the difference? Fans in Leeds have obviously survived this problem for enough years in the past.

Ive always known it as, Hull , R*vers and City as many do in the City.