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 like em.
There have been a couple of poor ones Ie. Hull but they've since been dropped.
Usually the mascots are based on them and it does give a sense of branding. For me they stay.

What I wouldnt like is what they have for the NRL when you see games listed as 'Bulldogs V Raiders'. Something like 'Wildcats V Reds' doesn't do it for me

I don't think ours was poor as such, just the execution was poor (the Shark was about as scary as a goldfish!) that combined with a turquoise colour, some awful shirts, and more importantly an awful time on the field meant it was doomed.

if our form was good most of the cynics would have been won over IMO

that said we have built our crowds and club up without a brandname, but for clubs like Bradford it has most definitely worked.

I have never referred to any club including my own by their "SL nickname." I just don't like them, most of them were badly thought out and rushed to suit the new Super League.

I worked with a bloke who had been going to watch FC since the mid-50's and he stopped when they changed to Hull Sharks, he said 'I support Hull FC, not a f'kin fish'

Some like them, some don't, I hope Rovers never jump on the bandwagon and become Hull Kingston Robins. I thought the change back to Hull FC was a great decision, I might not support them, but I firmly believe thats who they are.

Wigan fans have advocated for years that we be changed back to Wigan RL rather than Warriors.

They're a joke. It'd be a great day for the sport if all clubs decided to drop these pathetic cringeworthy names such as Vikings, Bulls, Wildcats, Giants etc.

Does anyone actually refer to their teams as such?

I Think Leeds Are Getting More Commonly Known As "The Rhinos" Due To There Success On The Pitch...

They do at Wakefield and they're all young kids who have grown up with the name, personally I refer to them as Wakey and most people around the area know who I'm talking about, but the Wildcats brand has been a big positive for the club in marketing it to the youngsters around the district and that is probably what most clubs do with their nicknames.

The 'Wildcats or Trinity' argument is a perrennial debate on our board, but most agree that there is room for both, the older end refer to the club as Trinity but recognise that the Wildcats name aids the club in bringing in new younger fans.

Is that by the fans though or by the fans though or in the media? Reading posts from Leeds fans on here near enough all of them refer to them simply as Leeds.

Read on hear or the unofficial forum ages ago that when Nick Halafihi was Chief Executive he actually wanted to change our name to Hull Kingston Raiders!

When both Hull clubs were in the ascendency in the 80's FC wanted to form a lower league side called Hull White Star, so we responded with a proposal for a Hull Kingston Raiders to play in the bottom division. It was all academic, the RFL kicked the idea into touch immediately.

Very true, you could ask him, if you can find him.

Probably more chance of finding Tim Wilby*.







* Not that I'd want to!

This is common in American sport, too. The geographic identifier is used just as much.

I'm more for the traditional names, but the names do appear to work with the youngsters and marketing.

Most of them, after a few years seem to go well with each team, although the two worst in my opinion have been binned, the Blue Sox and the Sharks.

What if they are both in the same place?

Me and Nick would have to fight him off!

For marketing purposes Wolves is a good idea, with the extra products that can be produced, Wolfie in the community and at games etc.

But for the fans it will always be Wire.

I like them although I was fairly young when "The Rhinos" were introduced. I remember a cup game against Oldham (I think) looking at the scoreboard and seeing it say "Ronnie is coming!". Didnt have a clue who he was like but it added to a kids exitement



And I think most Leeds fans do refer to us as the Rhinos now. I know most people around Leeds (non fans too) always go by the nickname. Rhinos is one that has worked well though IMO.

Oh and the OP said Saints dont have one but they didnt need one. They are the Saints. It would have been silly to add a name to them.

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.

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.

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.

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?