IMG looking to ditch Super League branding

[Dave T]

One thing I'd like them to consider is trying to ensure there is continuity around history. I understand why, but I'm not a massive fan of SL 1, 2, 3, 4 etc (not that it was ever used consistently), and I don't like some people treating RL history as only starting in 1996.

 

[GUBRATS]

Rugby League Championship

[Futtocks]

The Mighty Love Gods of Rugby.

End of argument.

[Chris22]

Any new name must include the word rugby.

The Super League branding has eroded the fact that our sport is called rugby league.

[idrewthehaggis]

So as it is a fait accompli, what shall we call the new baby?

The alternative synonyms for "SUPER" do not really do the highest competition justice.

I mean "Topnotch League" or "Smashing League" are ######, but after a "heavy" party, advertising executives might disagree. 

Likewise the Thesaurus tells us the key words for Premier includes some stunners.

What oh a "RL Chief League," or a sniff of the Athenian/Isthmian jolly good sport guys in a possible "RL Apical League."

"The Elite (Insert number of clubs)"  sort of sounds cool, but you know over the next decade it will progress as--

The Elite 12, The Elite 10, The Elite 8, finally The Elite 14

Oh course given the layers of Braverman levels of "friendliness" to our French cousins (Shelling out £500k for travel, all Brit refs, IMG effectively blocking any French expansion.....) we can be utterly assured any new name will be solely in English and probably translates into something embarrassing in the Gallic Tongue

https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/oct/08/when-branding-campaigns-go-wrong

For me it needs to mention RL. 

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by idrewthehaggis

[doc]

The Elite Rugby League Premier Championship.

The Premier Rugby League of Leagues.

Supreme Championship of Rugby League.

League of Extraordinary Rugby League Premier Top Dogs.

Super Smashing Wonderful Great Rugby League Galactic Hero Championship.

Rugby League Kingdom of Ninja Hero Champions.

Bored now.

[HawkMan]

23 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

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

Yes I meant we are now in a position that Rugby means Union to most casual viewers, whether accidentally or purposely on Unions part.

However I'll say again ,Major League Rugby is different, unique as far as the UK sports market goes. And if people tune in thinking it's Union well they're in for a nice surprise.

[Jughead]

Whatever it gets changed to, the chances are that some other sport might have a similar sounding name and that many on here won’t like it. 

[The 4 of Us]

The Rugby League

The Rugby Championship 

Reclaim the name. 

[Dave T]

21 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Rugby League Championship

Personally, I feel RFL Championship is nice. Whether it achieves the modern feel rather than a classic feel, I'm not sure. 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Whatever it gets changed to, the chances are that some other sport might have a similar sounding name and that many on here won’t like it. 

I think that's a given. 

[idrewthehaggis]

2 minutes ago, doc said:

The Bachelors Mushy Peas Elite Rugby League Premier Championship.

The Foxy Bingo Premier Rugby League of Leagues.

Heinz Big Soup Supreme Championship of Rugby League.

Brut League of Extraordinary Rugby League Premier Top Dogs.

Plumbcare.com Super Smashing Wonderful Great Rugby League Galactic Hero Championship.

Kerry Foods Kingdom League Kingdom of Ninja Hero Champions.

Bored now.

Fixed 

[DI Keith Fowler]

52 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

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. 

I hadn't thought of this until you put it there. That's interesting. It's the 1st league of Rugby. The top league of Rugby. You could play a lot on this being the top league of Rugby in the country, if you were targeting people with no prior knowledge obviously. 

[The Masked Poster]

57 minutes ago, Dave T said:

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. 

If it became a bit tired it was because there was no effort being put in. Remember the early SL years when they used to call it SL1..2..3 ..etc. OK some people criticised it for trying to copy gridiron but it at least showed a bit of enthusiasm for building the SL brand. One of summer rugby and enthusiastic crowds watching big games. It wasn't going to take over the world but it was heading somewhere. 

Of course when you stop tending the garden, you can then turn round in a few years and say it's a mess, so let's just dig it over and tarmac it. Ignoring the reason why it became so neglected in the first place. 

[redjonn]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

Yes I meant we are now in a position that Rugby means Union to most casual viewers, whether accidentally or purposely on Unions part.

However I'll say again ,Major League Rugby is different, unique as far as the UK sports market goes. And if people tune in thinking it's Union well they're in for a nice surprise.

I thought rugby league was unique, here and the world.

So why not use it or incorporate it.  Other branding aspects can be used to match it to we what we want.

[Ackroman]

It was only good when it was Souper League and we had T-R-Y's, claret everywhere and momentum, which has now all gone. 

Time to call it what it is,

"4-bash middles, 2-bash edges"

Or 

Aussie Rules

[MEXICO WILL PAY]

Rugby League League 1, 2, 3, etc...

[JF1]

Rugby League Premiership. Sorted.

[Whippet13]

London is key to the IMG vision apparently

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/15/london-img-transform-rugby-league

So needs to be something that appeals to the South such as "The Latte League", "The Tofu Try League" or "Win a house Rugby".

Edited December 15, 2022 by Whippet13

[HullWire]

Stones Bitter Championship sounds good.

TGG would be best

"Rugby, but interesting" would be satirical

Premier Rugby League is the most likely, or maybe Rugby league Elite.

[Big Picture]

4 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Yes I meant we are now in a position that Rugby means Union to most casual viewers, whether accidentally or purposely on Unions part.

However I'll say again ,Major League Rugby is different, unique as far as the UK sports market goes. And if people tune in thinking it's Union well they're in for a nice surprise.

The name Major League Rugby is taken though, that's the name of a US league which is Major in name only because it has a minor league franchise fee, plays in minor league stadiums and has to pay get its matches shown on TV.  Chances are they've copyrighted that name, in which case the UK would have to recognize that copyright under the Berne Convention.

[Big Picture]

3 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

London is key to the IMG vision apparently

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/15/london-img-transform-rugby-league

So needs to be something that appeals to the South such as "The Latte League", "The Tofu Try League" or "Win a house Rugby".

Their problem will be how to get Londoners interested in a team which plays opponents from smallish, economically disvantaged towns up North they know nothing about and wouldn't be impressed if they did know about them.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Big Picture

[StandOffHalf]

Rugby League Premiership

[Wellsy4HullFC]

All Elite Rugby.

[iffleyox]

8 hours ago, idrewthehaggis said:

So as it is a fait accompli, what shall we call the new baby?

The alternative synonyms for "SUPER" do not really do the highest competition justice.

I mean "Topnotch League" or "Smashing League" are ######, but after a "heavy" party, advertising executives might disagree. 

Likewise the Thesaurus tells us the key words for Premier includes some stunners.

What oh a "RL Chief League," or a sniff of the Athenian/Isthmian jolly good sport guys in a possible "RL Apical League."

"The Elite (Insert number of clubs)"  sort of sounds cool, but you know over the next decade it will progress as--

The Elite 12, The Elite 10, The Elite 8, finally The Elite 14

Oh course given the layers of Braverman levels of "friendliness" to our French cousins (Shelling out £500k for travel, all Brit refs, IMG effectively blocking any French expansion.....) we can be utterly assured any new name will be solely in English and probably translates into something embarrassing in the Gallic Tongue

https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/oct/08/when-branding-campaigns-go-wrong

For me it needs to mention RL. 

 

Come on, Smashing League is awesome. Keep Super as the top league then work down…

Super

Smashing

Great

 

replace the SL trophy with a speedboat and job’s jobbed