And he should know better

not really

Why? I don't know his responsibilities but I doubt they relate to graphics. He's hardly going to publicly say "Well I think it looks rubbish but I'm not going to argue with design experts.". For all we know IL made the decision, or whoever runs the marketing dept. To be honest I've got some sympathy here. I see from a previous post that we both work in marketing (albeit I'm not involved with graphics). Can you really see a business paying for a reputable design company to come in and re-design the logo, then decide they (non-experts) don't like it, write the money off as wasted and not try out the logo? I think in that situation pretty much any company would give it a go in hope that the designers know better than they do.

I think I remember that the 2011 kit that attracted such derision ended up being the best selling kit in recent memory.

Because he's the number 2 guy in the business, that's why. It's pretty much a given that as a member the board, he'll have had a big say and influence on it. The fact he's the 'face' of all the videos tells you that.

Also, just because a design expert has produced something, it doesn't mean you don't have the right to critique it. Like any expert, there's always a 2nd opinion.

The club have kicked a e storm up that wasn't needed.

A first trip to the new wembley massively helped that I believe.

Looked like someone had stuck the 85 kit on a boil wash.

well I do OK being naive about business considering I make a living out of marketing too (albeit not graphics). I wish I was about 12 I could be watching Radlinski win us the challenge cup single handedly



The company I work for is huge, we recently went through a massive rebrand after acquiring some smaller companies. The CEO had bugger all input into the branding, that isn't because she's incompetent, she recognised that it wasn't her skill set and that they were paying experts good money to do it. Obviously she was still required to lend her support to it once it was launched. I don't like the logo either and agree its a poor decision but it's a bit classless the other person getting personal about someone who has done so much for our club, particularly when he may have just been rowing the party line for all we know.

Thus solidifying Radlinski as the worst CEO we've ever had.

His player acquisition has been middling to poor. This ego fueled nightmare takes it to a new level.

How have the club involved supporters?

A number of supporters have confirmed they were involved on social media, was this part of the fan engagement panel that was set up fairly recently?

I find it quite strange that Kris Radlinski himself has admitted that he expects some people to be unhappy but that to me indicates that they know the design isn’t quite right.

I’m not against change but for something so important to supporters I would like to of seen all supporters be given an opportunity to have their say.

The fan mock ups that are starting to appear on social media are a huge improvement on the clubs effort.

If you want to attract a new, younger audience then improve the product on the pitch.

Is not part of this that there still needs to be a reckoning about the Warriors name: fans engagement (or not) with it and whether arguably the most famous club in British Rugby League (and certainly the first thing, even now, many people think of when the hear the town name) needs this pointless appendage?

Wigan are Wigan. The name tells you everything you need to know. Shoehorning an unloved name in place of a much-loved logo in such an amateurish way reflects really badly on the people running the club - they would appear to be utterly out of touch.

So we’re cherry and black now as well? Utter farce.

Maybe the colours cherry and white are outdated or it costs too much to produce a cherry and white hooped kit? I imagine a load of businesses have said they won't work with us because we don't have any black in our kit.

I don’t think I’ve ever described us as the “Warriors “ and I never will
Worse than Halifax “Blue Sox”

If the new badge was aimed at youngsters merchandise I’m fine with it but first team jersey it’s an abomination

Sorry for the petulant insult - I've taken it out of my OP. I have to admit this topics got me more rattled than I expected it would, or even should. I guess it goes to show how attached (even if it's subconsciously) to the badge we can become.

Completely agree on your statements regarding Radders and the other poster being out of line. Totally uncalled for.

This whole situation could have been avoided with a brand refresh, rather than the full reset that we've got. The club would have had a much easier sell & achieved their goals, had they done a few simple tweaks & touches. I just feel we've gone too far and too modern and FWIW I don't think the agency have really factored in the long term shelf life of the new badge either. Traditional always stands the test of time, whilst modern dates quickly.

Reading and watching all the stuff the club have put out is just making me more angry. It's full of more bull than a Donald Trump press conference.

Quote ="jonh"These are the guys responsible for the rebrand. www.nomadstudio.com/ They have a very impressive CV including major world wide sporting brands. Now once again I’m not saying I like it but from some of the reactions it’s like it has been designed without any thought by the office junior on his lunch break which it clearly hasn’t. My last post on the matter as I think it’s a real tragedy this thread is generating so much more traffic than the French thread.'" Did they create all of these badges too, or did they just plagarize? https://twitter.com/BradleyKnowles1/sta ... 39040?s=20

Quote ="jonh"These are the guys responsible for the rebrand. www.nomadstudio.com/ They have a very impressive CV including major world wide sporting brands. Now once again I’m not saying I like it but from some of the reactions it’s like it has been designed without any thought by the office junior on his lunch break which it clearly hasn’t. My last post on the matter as I think it’s a real tragedy this thread is generating so much more traffic than the French thread.'" Did they create all of these badges too, or did they just plagarize? https://twitter.com/BradleyKnowles1/sta ... 39040?s=20

The more I look at the new badge the more I’m thinking this is a bad dream
I’ve no problem whatsoever with change but whoever thought that this new badge represents Wigan is smoking something particularly strong

What should have been a great weekend has become spoiled by some guy who has probably never even heard of us designing a badge that a Saints fan taking the urine couldn’t have improved upon in his wildest dreams

I’ve got a feeling IL got tired of arguing about this and thought ah what could go wrong . Drunk at the wheel m’ lud

My final comment on this is I declined any refund on 3 adults and 2 children season tickets I paid for but if I’d seen the child like design I’d have probably said nah

I knew a change was coming but not this child like version

I know logically it’s too late to change so I sincerely hope I’m wrong but the club have unnecessarily caused friction with fans at a time they need them most

I can understand how disappointed Wigan fans are at this. I am a Wire fan and this makes me feel sad. The traditional crest with the lions and castle is beautiful and is unmistakable and rings of rugby league history and civic pride.

My final final comment on this is next year is out 150th anniversary and at a guess the club will use the A&L as a fulcrum point of celebrating this anniversary
I like a bet so anyone who fancies a bet otherwise please get in touch

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Designed by a kid. Frankly disgusting.
Traditional badge with the Old Coat of Arms is a classic, history and heritage.

Up the Cherry and Blacks

Come on you Vikings

That made me laff
Thanks

Can’t remember the club creating so much negativity amongst supporters.

All eyes now on merchandise sales, suspect this is the only way the club will ditch this if they are hit in the pocket.

Leeds fan here in peace.

My initial thoughts on your rebrand (I own a branding agency)

Been giving this some thought, lets take the actual design of the badge out of it for a moment, owning a branding agency I know as much as anyone how design is subjective.

The key thing for me is that the ‘Warriors’ brand hasn’t really worked for Wigan. And to look at it simply it hasn’t worked for 2 reasons. 1. They didn’t really embrace it from the start, look at a club (happens to be my club) The Leeds Rhinos, they fully embraced it from the start and ran with it, it caused a lot of controversy at the time but it has undoubtedly worked for them be cause they went all in at the start but this leads me onto my next point...



2. Wigan were successful at the time of the name changes, Wigan RL was already a strong brand and one that the supporters were proud of, Leeds were coming off the back of financial troubles and almost going bust, it was a perfect time for them to reinvent themselves, Wigan didn’t need to do this so the Warriors moniker was just a half hearted attempt to go along with what was happening.

Long story short I personally think the braver bold decision here would have been to actually drop the name Warriors from the name and go ‘all in’ with branding themselves Wigan RL. There are many examples of redesigns of older badges which look both modern yet traditional and they could have got round the cost of reproduction with s well designed crest.

Nobody really calls Wigan the Warriors in the same way as say Leeds Rhinos are known as the Rhinos, maybe that’s their thinking but I think its too late and has shown by the reaction not what the fans actually want.

Wakefield has done this recently (on a much smaller scale and IMO not 100% correctly) but I believe it resonated well with fans and merchandise sales are up.

To then bang on about tradition and release a cherry and black shirt with the new crest just seems like a total mis step.

So in my professional opinion, they’ve got this whole rebrand badly wrong.