In understand that, but?

If they were in the Premier League they would sell out their ground no problem. There would also be a spike in shirt sales and more interest from kids in their "patch" of Wales. So why change it for the sake of it? The different branding won't make them any more or less "marketable", other than pissing off a few diehard fans and Swansea supporters annoyed that "Baadiff" are trying to make themselves into the de facto "Premier League team for Wales".

I'm not against clubs re-branding or silly monikers. I'm a Rugby League fan as well and the sport is full of them. Some clubs in League (and to a lesser extent Union) have benefited from this approach - see Keighley Cougars (many years ago) and Bradford Bulls. As Bradford Northern, their crowds were rubbish. They stuck on the Bulls tag, worked hard on an American style "matchday experience" and went places. They nearly folded last year after years of mismanagement, but that wasn't the fault of the branding.

Football in this country is a bit different. The Premier League (and football in general) is so hyped, omnipresent and successful that clubs don't need to do this kind of thing. The game is so ingrained in our culture and psyche that there are latent fans everywhere. Rugby League and Union, and to a certain extent cricket, needed to pull in more fans and appeal to families, convert casual fans or make new ones.

There have been some disastrous examples of branding changes going wrong. Halifax Blue Sox anyone?

WHile I'm on my high horse, I should point out that my local Rugby League club (amateur) here in Bristol is called Bristol Sonics. The name was carefully chosen back in 2003 (so recent vintage) to reflect Bristol's aviation history and the links of their then ground, in Filton, to the factories across the road where Concorde was partly built. It made sense and was distinctive - at least in British Rugby League terms.

There are loads of teams called "Dragons" in Wales - Newport-Gwent Dragons rugby union, the national sides get called that etc. There was even a pro Rugby League team there in the dim and distant past (1980s) called Cardiff Blue Dragons. Funnily enough they played in Cardiff City Blue (perhaps even at Ninian Park)

Posted By: Sellbydave on February 28th 2013 at 19:17:38

Message Thread

Franchise football at its worst (apologies if WW2) (Other Football) - Sellbydave, Feb 28, 16:17:35
- If they were at the bottom of the champs it would be a different story. (Other Football) - usacanary, Feb 28, 16:40:36
- It's just branding, happens in Rugby Union a lot (Other Football) - CWC, Feb 28, 16:36:12
  - In understand that, but? (Other Football) - Sellbydave, Feb 28, 19:17:38
  - yeah, was still living there when it all changed.... (Other Football) - Cheltenham_Canary, Feb 28, 16:46:49
- unimportant in the grand scheme of things - take his cash (Other Football) - phrankin, Feb 28, 16:22:07

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