IMG looking to ditch Super League branding

[welshmagpie]

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rugby-super-league-rebrand-img-25763871?utm_source=leeds_live_newsletter&utm_campaign=rugby_league_lve_newsletter&utm_medium=email&pure360.trackingid={~TrackingId~}

[ATLANTISMAN]

Hopefully:)

[Dave T]

I think this has been known for a while. Rebrand etc. was talked about a few months back. 

I think it's time, we've been a bit sloppy with presentation of the comps imho and a bit of a clean sweep to modernise would be welcome. 

Expect a flurry of suggestions along the lines of Premiership/Premier League/Premier Rugby League etc. 

[Futtocks]

Ah well, at least this isn't a subject that will engender a massively long thread of people endlessly repeating their entrenched views on what the name of our sport should be, right?

[Chrispmartha]

With the women’s football using it, Super League needs to go.

We could keep it but use an initialism like the NRL

the SRL - Super Rugby League.

WSRL for the women’s unfortunately that coukd slsi be the WSRL unless that was just WRL.

[David Shepherd]

Hope they haven't gone to Degsy for advice.  We don't want our new logo to be a cat's @rse. 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

They just need to add 'dooper' in between Super and League, that'll sort it 

[Jughead]

I think it’s a shame. It’s all I’ve known, so it’s never been a big issue or something that I’ve been particularly conscious of. 

Like nearly everything in Rugby League, we’ve not really done it well and capitalised on it, so it’s grown a bit stale and needs a freshen up. 

[phiggins]

48 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

Hope they haven't gone to Degsy for advice.  We don't want our new logo to be a cat's @rse. 

The Leopard League

[Damien]

I've thought for a long time that the name Super League needs to go. It has just felt naff for a long time and the branding around it is poor. The fact that other competitions like the Women's Super League have started to use it, and arguably become more famous for it, have shown how much the sport has failed to make it its own.

[Exiled Townie]

Just call it "Proper Rugby" and be done. 

 

[The Masked Poster]

This is a result of Rugby Leagues half assed approach to everything.

There was a time in the early 00's when RL was pretty much associated with the term Super League, at least in this country.

I watched SL games in many parts of the country, not just RL places and many people used the term Super League to ask what was on Sky. IE "What time does the SL game finish bud" (punter to landlord). Repeat that times lots in different places. This was when Bradford were strong and the games against Saints/Wigan/Leeds attracted big crowds and looked like a big deal. Players like Paul Sculthorpe and Jamie Peacock etc were reasonably well known. 

Letting it slide and just throwing up your arms and saying "Well women's football uses the term now" is complete surrender. 

They might change the name now to something else but I'm certain the same half assed mentality will prevail. And nothing will ever change. 

Edited December 15, 2022 by The Masked Poster

[Oxford]

A rebrand makes more market sense than a restructure.

[Dave T]

15 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

This is a result of Rugby Leagues half assed approach to everything.

There was a time in the early 00's when SL was pretty much associated with the term Super League, at least in this country.

I watched SL games in many parts of the country, not just RL places and many people used the term Super League to ask what was on Sky. IE "What time does the SL game finish bud" (punter to landlord). Repeat that times lots in different places. This was when Bradford were strong and the games against Saints/Wigan/Leeds attracted big crowds and looked like a big deal. Players like Paul Sculthorpe and Jamie Peacock etc were reasonably well known. 

Letting it slide and just throwing up your arms and saying "Well women's football uses the term now" is complete surrender. 

They might change the name now to something else but I'm certain the same half assed mentality will prevail. And nothing will ever change. 

I don't think that's a fair representation of what's happening. Just because some people here moan that SL is the name of other comps doesn't mean that is the reason for the change. Especially when some of these people then want a version of Premiership or similar. 

I think the idea is behind a relaunch of our Premier comp. A modernisation exercise. 

IMO even if no other comps used the name, I think they would still go down this route. 

I think SL has been a relatively solid brand for us, but tbh it has become weaker, as we started to become sloppy with it. Names and logos became muddled - it was always seen as controversial when Sky often referred to SL without mentioning the word Rugby (SL as a brand name was too embedded was the criticism), and the brand has probably become a little damaged over time through childish men on the Internet using terms like Super Greed and Super Duper League. 

A freshen up is due imho. 

[Chrispmartha]

35 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I don't think that's a fair representation of what's happening. Just because some people here moan that SL is the name of other comps doesn't mean that is the reason for the change. Especially when some of these people then want a version of Premiership or similar. 

I think the idea is behind a relaunch of our Premier comp. A modernisation exercise. 

IMO even if no other comps used the name, I think they would still go down this route. 

I think SL has been a relatively solid brand for us, but tbh it has become weaker, as we started to become sloppy with it. Names and logos became muddled - it was always seen as controversial when Sky often referred to SL without mentioning the word Rugby (SL as a brand name was too embedded was the criticism), and the brand has probably become a little damaged over time through childish men on the Internet using terms like Super Greed and Super Duper League. 

A freshen up is due imho. 

I agree, the sport needs a shake up and this is all part of it.

[JohnM]

I feel sure that the IP of whatever branding emerges will be protected.

[Man of Kent]

Rugby League Super League.

Super League Rugby League.

National Rugby Super Rugby League.

National Super League Rugby.

National Rugby Super League

Super League Rugby National Rugby League League.

Any of the above would be super.

[DI Keith Fowler]

It was expected to be honest. There's enough reason with the Women's Super League gaining prominence never mind the ill fated European Super League. I'm interested to see what they come up with.

It would though be hilarious (and in keeping) if RU did their planned rebrand in late 2024, and went for Super League Rugby just after we dropped it. 

[The Masked Poster]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I don't think that's a fair representation of what's happening. Just because some people here moan that SL is the name of other comps doesn't mean that is the reason for the change. Especially when some of these people then want a version of Premiership or similar. 

I think the idea is behind a relaunch of our Premier comp. A modernisation exercise. 

IMO even if no other comps used the name, I think they would still go down this route. 

I think SL has been a relatively solid brand for us, but tbh it has become weaker, as we started to become sloppy with it. Names and logos became muddled - it was always seen as controversial when Sky often referred to SL without mentioning the word Rugby (SL as a brand name was too embedded was the criticism), and the brand has probably become a little damaged over time through childish men on the Internet using terms like Super Greed and Super Duper League. 

A freshen up is due imho. 

I aren't talking about moaning on here, I'm talking about what has actually happened. RL had a good brand which they just let slip - and now they are changing it again. Things won't be different. 

[HawkMan]

What is needed imo is a branding not used by any other sports league in the UK. The obvious word to use is MAJOR, common in the US but not here. 

Major League Rugby is a good one, aka MLR

But could that be confusing? People might expect Union, well so what, If Union have appropriated the name Rugby,  let's grab it back!

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Hope it also means a new trophy. To replace the silver bollard.

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said:

I aren't talking about moaning on here, I'm talking about what has actually happened. RL had a good brand which they just let slip - and now they are changing it again. Things won't be different. 

Did they though? 

What was good about it that we don't do any more? 

I'd argue its just become a bit tired, and 9 agree that we haven't been perfect, 8 think we've become a but sloppy, but I dont think wanting something freshening up is a bad thing. 

We've seen it in RU, Football leagues, cricket, netball, women's sport comps. 

It's staying modern and maybe giving us a boost to position ourselves as something relevant. 

[Big Picture]

7 minutes ago, HawkMan said:

What is needed imo is a branding not used by any other sports league in the UK. The obvious word to use is MAJOR, common in the US but not here. 

Major League Rugby is a good one, aka MLR

But could that be confusing? People might expect Union, well so what, If Union have appropriated the name Rugby,  let's grab it back!

Union didn't appropriate the name Rugby though, they had it first.

[Man of Kent]

As the new IMG organisation is called Rugby League Commercial, could that be a clue to the new name being Rugby League <something>?

Rugby League Premiership, Rugby League 1, Rugby League Elite etc. 

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