There’s Nothing Like League

[DI Keith Fowler]

1 minute ago, Dave T said:

That's all fine, but that's not really what the discussion is addressing. It's about calling the sport League. Which nobody I know does. 

I think as a differentiator you might do? I know when I'm at an event down south or in an extended family setting and someone says, "do you like rugby?", I'll answer "yes, league". 

[Dave T]

Just now, DI Keith Fowler said:

I think as a differentiator you might do? I know when I'm at an event down south or in an extended family setting and someone says, "do you like rugby?", I'll answer "yes, league". 

I touched on that earlier, once the word Rugby has been established it may happen. In the UK my experience is that in RL places it would be shortened to Rugby (are you having the rugby on? in the pub for example), and if I was in a pub in Edinburgh, it would be "Are you having the rugby league on?". 

In my circles, and in any interaction in my 36 years as a fan, player, volunteer, junior coach etc. I've never heard it called League. 

Now as per my opening post, I don't have an issue with us making a conscious, strategic decision about our name/brand - but I expect this is just because somebody heard it in an NRL show. 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

23 minutes ago, Dave T said:

That's all fine, but that's not really what the discussion is addressing. It's about calling the sport League. Which nobody I know does. 

I’m not judging a strategic plan on a short snippet any more than I’d judge a team member in my business on an afternoon’s work. Judgement is reserved, for quite some time. 
 

[Man of Kent]

35 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

You know what, having watched the clip, I actually don't mind them just calling it League.

When you've got visuals, it being rugby is a given - you can literally see rugby being played.

So using 'This is League' as a snappy way of identifying ourselves actually worked for me, to my surprise. 

 

It’s subtlely saying ‘This one’s the strong stuff’. Don’t mind that at all.

Edited February 1, 2023 by Man of Kent

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

We need to go back to Northern Union. 

Nick the word union while union nicks the word rugby, eh!

Edited February 1, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[Tippytoe]

1 hour ago, Eddie said:

We need to go back to Northern Union. 

And Oranges at half time. 

[Jparrish]

Hoping there will be a longer video released soon. But have to say it doesn't look very imaginative.  The NRL one with Foo Fighters playing last year was really good for example. I know budget is a factor.

Also would be nice to see Channel 4 and Skysports sharing the clip on their socials. There logo is featured afterall.

 

 

https://youtu.be/mtSTDa-AMx0

[Griff]

I'd take IMG's advice.

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

Realistically 2023 is holding season- its from 2024 I'd expect changes with new TV deals 

[newbe]

9 hours ago, Rugbyleaguesupporter said:

Realistically 2023 is holding season- its from 2024 I'd expect changes with new TV deals 

Totally agree, this season is something of a wait n see. They will not to want to dilute any relaunch in 2024.

[RP London]

12 hours ago, Toby Chopra said:

You know what, having watched the clip, I actually don't mind them just calling it League.

When you've got visuals, it being rugby is a given - you can literally see rugby being played.

So using 'This is League' as a snappy way of identifying ourselves actually worked for me, to my surprise. 

 

Thats my take on it too.. I refer to "League" quite a lot when talking to people rather than Rugby League.. and do the same with Union too to be honest. When your trying to get a quick snappy advert I think this works to do this when it is obvious that you are talking about Rugby and the emphasis that "this is League" is quite nice IMHO. Its almost going "look its Rugby but its not that boring version.." but it has to be short and snappy. 

I'm not sure where I stand on the name as a whole as its traditional and I really cant see many options but I think we should judge this sort of thing on a case by case basis and this one works IMHO as its obviously Rugby. 

[Dave T]

33 minutes ago, RP London said:

Thats my take on it too.. I refer to "League" quite a lot when talking to people rather than Rugby League.. and do the same with Union too to be honest. When your trying to get a quick snappy advert I think this works to do this when it is obvious that you are talking about Rugby and the emphasis that "this is League" is quite nice IMHO. Its almost going "look its Rugby but its not that boring version.." but it has to be short and snappy. 

I'm not sure where I stand on the name as a whole as its traditional and I really cant see many options but I think we should judge this sort of thing on a case by case basis and this one works IMHO as its obviously Rugby. 

I can understand the point that it's clear its rugby because of the on-screen action, but my big issue with it is that it actually doesn't differentiate us from RU, if anything it muddies the waters. 

The reference to league looks like it links to Super League that is mentioned a few seconds later. So it looks like a Rugby comp called Super League. Which of course it is, but that could still easily be the club version of the 6N Rugby. Using a nickname for your sport onky works with those already involved/aware, and I think a TV ad around awareness is probably not the place for that - although happy to wait and see if a full 30s version has more clarity. 

But I suppose there is also the question of does that matter? Maybe we are happy to wrap ourselves into Rugby overall. 

[gingerjon]

The slogan and the (very short) video smack of "will this do"?

[Toby Chopra]

21 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I can understand the point that it's clear its rugby because of the on-screen action, but my big issue with it is that it actually doesn't differentiate us from RU, if anything it muddies the waters. 

The reference to league looks like it links to Super League that is mentioned a few seconds later. So it looks like a Rugby comp called Super League. Which of course it is, but that could still easily be the club version of the 6N Rugby. Using a nickname for your sport only works with those already involved/aware, and I think a TV ad around awareness is probably not the place for that - although happy to wait and see if a full 30s version has more clarity. 

But I suppose there is also the question of does that matter? Maybe we are happy to wrap ourselves into Rugby overall. 

Re your last point, it maybe heresy for some, but beyond existing rugby audiences (of both codes) I think a starting point of it just being "rugby" is fine.

Like, not all rugby union is the same, or has same connotations for people. We see mentions of 'Six Nations' and the rugby is often a given, especially for those for whom it's the only rugby they watch all year. Toronto didn't over-stress the union/league distinction at first mention, the details became clear as people got on board.

More people aren't interested in any rugby, than are currently interested in one of the codes, so I'm comfortable with a 'rugby first' approach which highlights the most attractive bits of our sport without any added commentary that "it's not union".

(What the "best bits" of league are that we should be highlighting is a key question for IMG, and no doubt has multiple answer that work with different potential audiences)    

       

[gingerjon]

Actually, I've been a bit thick here.

In previous years it would obviously have been there's nothing like Super League but there have been strong hints that the plan is to change the name of the top tier.

Having a neutral, bland beyond words filler, means that Super League is quietly downgraded but not immediately replaced so it can come back if that's chosen or they can, more likely, do something decent with whatever the name of the competition becomes.

(Thanks to @Toby Choprafor mentioning that the Six Nations has never sold itself as rugby for the trigger.)

[Tommygilf]

44 minutes ago, Dave T said:

But I suppose there is also the question of does that matter? Maybe we are happy to wrap ourselves into Rugby overall

It certainly has its benefits, but also costs too. 

I don't mind piggybacking necessarily, but I think its clear with sponsors and who is involved in the game that this isn't translating into financial success for RL. 

[Dave T]

9 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Actually, I've been a bit thick here.

In previous years it would obviously have been there's nothing like Super League but there have been strong hints that the plan is to change the name of the top tier.

Having a neutral, bland beyond words filler, means that Super League is quietly downgraded but not immediately replaced so it can come back if that's chosen or they can, more likely, do something decent with whatever the name of the competition becomes.

(Thanks to @Toby Choprafor mentioning that the Six Nations has never sold itself as rugby for the trigger.)

I'm not sure there's much in that tbh. The Super League branding and name gets the same prominence as it does every year. The ad shows rugby and finishes off with a strapline like "This is Betfred Super League". Rugby League is never mentioned. It's the same this year. 

The difference this year is that they refer to the sport as League, which I don't believe they have ever done. If you are going down the route of naming the sport, maybe we should use its name. 

[gingerjon]

Just now, Dave T said:

I'm not sure there's much in that tbh. The Super League branding and name gets the same prominence as it does every year. The ad shows rugby and finishes off with a strapline like "This is Betfred Super League". Rugby League is never mentioned. It's the same this year. 

The difference this year is that they refer to the sport as League, which I don't believe they have ever done. If you are going down the route of naming the sport, maybe we should use its name. 

Aye.

Maybe my first reaction that it's an absolute piece of boilerplate "will this do" was right.

[Damien]

29 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Re your last point, it maybe heresy for some, but beyond existing rugby audiences (of both codes) I think a starting point of it just being "rugby" is fine.

Like, not all rugby union is the same, or has same connotations for people. We see mentions of 'Six Nations' and the rugby is often a given, especially for those for whom it's the only rugby they watch all year. Toronto didn't over-stress the union/league distinction at first mention, the details became clear as people got on board.

More people aren't interested in any rugby, than are currently interested in one of the codes, so I'm comfortable with a 'rugby first' approach which highlights the most attractive bits of our sport without any added commentary that "it's not union".

(What the "best bits" of league are that we should be highlighting is a key question for IMG, and no doubt has multiple answer that work with different potential audiences)    

Whether we like it or not everyone knows the 6 nations is Rugby. Its mainly Rugby League fans that think of it as Rugby Union. Either way there is zero need for them to include the name of the sport. RU has frankly taken over the name Rugby and frequently use just the term Rugby to refer to just about everything. It has been allowed to do this of course by RL governing bodies and I don't see a way back on that front. When the game's premier competition and strongest country barely uses the term Rugby, and freely refers to Rugby as being RU, then we are on a hiding to nothing.

If this ad had referred to Super League and promoted the competition that would have been fine. If it had referred to Rugby League as the sports name that would have been fine too. League is just meaningless and only means anything to Aussies and NRL followers.

[RP London]

One good thing from this is, if you scroll down the twitter feed it looks as though all the clubs are "buying in" and using the phrase or hashtag there's nothing like league which is a good sign in terms of a joined up message (whether you like that message or not).

[Just Browny]

I was more bemused by the 10 seconds of completely random content than I was upset by the tagine- which seemed OK to me.

Ball - smiling man - Morgan Smithies - hug/tackle - walk out at Old Trafford - dive - ball.

[Archie Gordon]

A couple of things:

If we're moving to using League as a way of referring to the game in the UK, why not introduce that more gently: "This is Rugby. This is League. There's nothing like League."

And I'd have preferred to hear a woman's voice.

Still underwhelmed.

 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

15 hours ago, Jparrish said:

Hoping there will be a longer video released soon. But have to say it doesn't look very imaginative.  The NRL one with Foo Fighters playing last year was really good for example. I know budget is a factor.

Also would be nice to see Channel 4 and Skysports sharing the clip on their socials. There logo is featured afterall.

https://youtu.be/mtSTDa-AMx0

Yeah love Fox League's season intros - and the similar stuff they do ahead of each weekend. Cheesy, yeah for sure, but good at creating a narrative around players as personalities 

Also, Matt Nable the narrator made what's pretty much the only decent movie about rugby league, "The Final Winter", which I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it yet

 

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

2 hours ago, RP London said:

One good thing from this is, if you scroll down the twitter feed it looks as though all the clubs are "buying in" and using the phrase or hashtag there's nothing like league which is a good sign in terms of a joined up message (whether you like that message or not).

That's a good shout. Part of IMGs strategy is around using the distributed audience of all the "nodes" our game has across its stakeholder network - e.g. players, clubs, fans, broadcast partners - in a more intelligent way. We have a huge audience to tap into across multiple channels where those stakeholders exist, if we can execute effectively on some of these ideas. 

[Oxford]

22 hours ago, Jughead said:

https://mobile.twitter.com/SuperLeague/status/1620836878978093060

13 seconds ...... Mmmmmmmm!