Pays the mascot's salary, I suppose, and I understand the thinking. However, marketing to this age group means little if they can't be retained. I was always less than convinced by the claim of some Hudds fans that playing Sunday afternoons was great in that regard. Yes, they might have attracted, say, 300 young kids that otherwise wouldn't have gone but how many of those translate into paying spectators a decade down the line? Whereas the Friday night clubs appealed, I felt, more to an older audience (often with a shandy or two inside them) that appreciated a slightly edgier experience - and offered a more immediate return in financial terms (yes, yes, yes, they could/can be a total pain in the ). Not ideal, I concede, but dumbing the whole thing down to infantile levels does run the risk that the kids attracted in that way simply outgrow that experience.

Although I'm happy that Wakefield have gone back to Trinity I absolutely disagree that the names are a waste of time.
The very fact that Rhinos, even if there are none in Leeds, is such a powerful brand proves its case.
If you pick a good one and actually market it correctly it can be invaluable.

I prefer the Broncos to Harlequins that's for sure. Broncos isn't a bad name. When they re branded post Harlequins it was put out to the fans what they wanted the club to be called. I suspect it was influenced by the owner as his number plate is L13 RFC!

As a Leeds fan I think the Rhinos (or at least I did when it first case in) was a bit rubbish, however...

The suggestion they should get rid now after 20 odd years of doing a very good job at building brand equity up is utterly ridiculous. Both the Rhinos and Bradford Bulls showed how to market these 'monikers' correctly.

You are right to say that The Bulls (and Rhinos) got the marketing right and unfortunately that's what its all about these days.
We have Meerkats advertising insurance and clowns advertising burgers etc, etc.

The long and short of it is that some were done well and have gone on to be excellent brands, whilst others have been awful.

I'm certainly happier without the "wildcat" name being included at Trinity.
The mascott is great but the name was truly cringeworthy, just as Blue Sox, Sharks (Hull), Giants and others are/were.

I'm probably a little old fashioned but, proper clubs, with proper names seems right. We're talking about Rugby League clubs here, not under 7's dance troupes.

Personal opinion but, the modern world is far too bothered about style over substance and while we're at it, I'd much rather see some junior rugby on the pitch at half time than a bunch of dancers. Progress eh.

Agree with the original post, glad my club has never bothered with silly animal names. Perhaps it works for some clubs but I'm sure if a poll of fans were done the majority would be in favour of going back to traditional names.

As we have seen in recent years letting people decide by polls /democracy does not work, somethings are better left to people who no more about how to run the game/clubs. pretty sure if there was a national poll to bring back hanging, it would win, but does not make it the right thing to do does it. After all the Naziz were elected, people buy Coldplay and Justin Bieber records. and 90% of northern people don't like change.

Would it? It would if you only polled people of a certain age. How many people under 30 do you really think would be bothered?

Do you mind your club being nicknamed The Robins? What’s the big difference between having an animal nickname and just having it in your full name?

I think the animal name is neither here nor there. Its how you market your club. Bulls and Rhino's did it fantastically with their "monikers"
Some clubs have done fantastic without.

To use Wakey as an example. Wildcats was a disaster. Not only the name (which as others have said seemed like a cheerleader squad name) but also they tried pleasing everyone by keeping Trinity. So they never really committed to it. The Bulls brand would never have worked if we were Bradford Northern Bulls.

I like how they've branded around just Trinity now. The logo and branding etc is very slick and cool. But equally it could have been a disaster if they made it too traditional and looking old fashioned.

The monikers don't make the sport look bad. It's a tool that can be used to create a brand. Equally you can create a brand without the monikers. The problem has been recently, the clubs and the sport have been utterly hopeless and marketing their brands. Hence why attendances are falling.

Many clubs do/have done surveys to fans so it'd simply be to gauge public opinion during the process of rebranding. Hope this helps

I always though Wakefield should have stuck to trinity or ditched it full stop, like you say its half d. i actually thought Wakefield Tridents had a ring to it.

Interesting that each clubs personal situation can differ. In your city the owner tried to change the name of the football club to Hull Tigers.

Difference is 'the robins' is Rovers' traditional nickname, whereas names such as 'bulldogs' and 'wolves' aren't traditional just extremely tacky

Yes and as years and decades pass then the likes of Rhinos and Bulls will be viewed as their respective clubs traditional names as you get more and more fans who will have only ever know their clubs to be called be those names.

So it’s fine to be referred to by an animal name as long as it’s been their for as long as you can remember? Bit a poor reason. The argument against these names is starting to sound very much “back in the day, when I was a lad” stuck in the past, which isn’t really a good strong argument for getting rid of them.

Indeed.
I always enjoyed a pit brass band playing on dark winter days at half time but the world has moved on.
The name is pretty irrelevant apart from being easy to say. It's how it is presented whether on a badge or in a chant by supporters.

The reason HKR and Wakefield found it awkward was that they already had a nickname.
Trinity on its own wasn't enough to make it good. Needed a good badge and good kit to put it on so people are proud to wear it.
The Wildcat name did its job but it was always a bit confusing with the full name.
It was always Trinity to me.
I've watched Leeds and Bradford for a long time before the names came in and I remember some resistance from the 'Northern' fans but they soon got behind it and you don't think of them as anything else now. Can you imagine trying to market Northern now?

Leigh were always known, affectionately, by their fans, as 'The Comics'. (would also have been very apt after this close season's farcical goings on) As we all know, they are now known as the 'Centurions', which would have been fine, had there been a Roman connection, or a history of battle tank manufacture in the town. The apparent reason for choosing the name, was to celebrate the club's 100 year anniversary - in which case, 'Centenarians' would have been appropriate. Just to confuse matters further, we selected a pig, as mascot?!

Maybe 'Comics' was a good choice, after all!!

Which is appalling, and I've bought not one single item of merchandising with it on.

Been working well for Cas Tigers for quite some time. This photo was taken at Wembley in 1969:-

I cannot see a problem with it myself. It was a disaster for Hull FC (Sharks), Hudds (remember Barracuda's anyone?) and Halifax (Blue Sox) and not quite well received for Wakey (Wildcats) and Wigan (Warriors).

However it as been quite successful at Tigers, Dragons, Rhino's and Bulls. None of which will be ditching their moniker's anytime soon.

I've now got the voice of Mr Chumley Warner in my head.

Is that so Grayson?

Agree i love seeing Huddersfield RLFC written rather than Huddersfield Giants

Oh I dunno, if I'm honest I hate the lot of em, that hatred is tempered only by the giggle I get when talking to fans at work about the "Rhinos".
Yeah, its infantile to be entertained by that, but that's the level it drags me down to...lol
Course, if they're a Bradford fan, Northern is my default reference for maximum annoyance.
Conversely, they refer to Wakey as the Wildcats, just to p155 me off, so its swings and roundabouts.
I don't see any difference between Wildcats, Tigers, Giants, Blue sox, or any other marketing led moniker, they're all garbage in equal measure, but if it works for them.....crack on, I'm just glad we don't have that 5h1t no more.

It may do if you poll fans with a simple, would you prefer Leeds Rhinos or Leeds RLFC as the club name. They’d do this for 2 reasons. 1 because you will get a higher proportion of “die-hard” fans voting than is actually part of your fan base and so give a skewed opinion. And another because it is a simple question with no associated information.

If you reposed the question as we can go back to being called Leeds RLFC however it would lose us x amount of money and exposure each year and so affect our ability to compete then you may get a different response to the poll.

My dad first took me to Belle Vue in 1953, i always remember Trinity’s nickname at that time being “The Dreadnoughts”, can anyone on the forum confirm this was Trinity’s nickname.