Houston Dynamo (MLS) & Houston Dash (NWSL) rebranding.

[Gothamite]

On 9/11/2020 at 6:49 PM, GFB said:

You could make the argument that MLS clubs should be investing much more money in salaries and infrastructure in relation the amount of growth in their franchise values, but that's a topic for the Sports In General forum. 

 

What makes you think they aren't?   I only have any window into a couple clubs, but those clubs sure are.

 

On 9/11/2020 at 6:49 PM, GFB said:

I hope the team keeps orange and light blue, but other than that, I don't think I would miss the if they chose to change the name or crest.

 

I don't know if the blue is significant enough to keep, but I would be shocked if they lost the orange?

[shaydre1019]

On 9/10/2020 at 7:08 AM, Digby said:

As stated in the general thread -- real case of misplaced priorities. The name and colors aren't the problem, the problem is that their stadium bakes in the sun and they've put out garbage teams for a decade and maybe their marketing team needs to get fired.

They're certainly not a problem, but they don't resonate with anyone in the city outside of diehards. 

As a casual dynamo fan that tries to catch a live game or two every year, I would welcome a name change (assuming it's an upgrade) but ownerships lack of spending and effort is what has turned most fans off. 

If Brener sells his share and a new owner invests in players, that stadium will fill up again. Until then a name change would be cool, but won't make or break their success. 


Personally I don't hate Dynamo but I do like the idea of Space City SC (I know....i know..) and i've seen Space City Rovers thrown out a few times. But that is definitely something that i think people would be more likely to get behind. Most non soccer fans here refer to them as "the dynamos" currently. 

[cajunaggie08]

4 hours ago, shaydre1019 said:

They're certainly not a problem, but they don't resonate with anyone in the city outside of diehards. 

 

It really doesnt help that their games are all on some network called QUEST. I have friends and co-workers who are huge soccer fans that don't even know where to find the Dynamo games on TV. They went from being on the same regional cable sports network as the Astros and Rockets to now being on a digital antenna alt network that plays Discovery and A&E reality reruns.

[Digby]

At this point I don't think any of the pre-2010 MLS brands are so egregiously bad that they need to be wholesale changed. I'd rather the teams hold onto them for the most part, imperfect as they may be. Giving something time and equity to take root and be established in your market is something that no branding agency can fix.

[Jer15]

27 minutes ago, Digby said:

At this point I don't think any of the pre-2010 MLS brands are so egregiously bad that they need to be wholesale changed. I'd rather the teams hold onto them for the most part, imperfect as they may be. Giving something time and equity to take root and be established in your market is something that no branding agency can fix.

I agree.

 

I mean, they've been around for 15 of MLS' 25 years. In context, that pretty established (not to be a contrarian, just saying). Throw in the success of the Brian Ching years...and it's not exactly like the team has this horrible history that you just want to forget or something.

 

If they want to tweak the logo, ok, but all you have to do is look to Chicago to see this may not be a good idea.  

[shaydre1019]

1 hour ago, cajunaggie08 said:

 

It really doesnt help that their games are all on some network called QUEST. I have friends and co-workers who are huge soccer fans that don't even know where to find the Dynamo games on TV. They went from being on the same regional cable sports network as the Astros and Rockets to now being on a digital antenna alt network that plays Discovery and A&E reality reruns.

 

Bro KUBE was easily accessible with bunny ears, the Quest deal is ridiculous. Add that to the fact that home games are blacked out on ESPN+... that's the stuff that drives fans (or potential fans) mad. 

[BC985]

14 minutes ago, Jer15 said:

If they want to tweak the logo, ok, but all you have to do is look to Chicago to see this may not be a good idea.  

Just because Chicago had a disaster of a badge change doesn’t mean Houston will. 
 

The name should stay and doesn’t need any additions like FC or SC. Is light blue still a primary color? I’m fine with orange and black. 
 

A badge update would do them good. 

[MJWalker45]

4 minutes ago, shaydre1019 said:

 

Bro KUBE was easily accessible with bunny ears, the Quest deal is ridiculous. Add that to the fact that home games are blacked out on ESPN+... that's the stuff that drives fans (or potential fans) mad. 

That seems to be the standard for ESPN+. Columbus fans within the state of Ohio have problems watching home games and away games at Cincinnati.

[cajunaggie08]

16 hours ago, shaydre1019 said:

 

Bro KUBE was easily accessible with bunny ears, the Quest deal is ridiculous. Add that to the fact that home games are blacked out on ESPN+... that's the stuff that drives fans (or potential fans) mad. 

I was chatting with a co-worker yesterday about soccer and he mentioned that he wanted to tune in to the Dynamo game so he busted out his bunny ears to put it on KUBE and it wasnt on. I had to break the news to him that the game was accessible on bunny ears, but it just happened to be on channel 11.4 rather than 55. It may take some time for people to figure out the Dyanmo are on a new network. I have Xfinity and they put QuestHD on channel 614 which is right between the HD feed for ABC and UniMas so perhaps it may be easier for cable subscribers to stumble across the game when flipping through the channel guide.

[Digby]

Only home games are blacked out? That's interesting, real throwback in the blackout policies there. I thought for sure that MLS would be the first league to put all the local games on ESPN+, cut out local deals entirely. Question for LAFC and whatever other teams struck deals with YouTube TV: who produces the games for the teams, if not a local cable affiliate?

[AnPheitseog]

9 minutes ago, Digby said:

Only home games are blacked out? That's interesting, real throwback in the blackout policies there. I thought for sure that MLS would be the first league to put all the local games on ESPN+, cut out local deals entirely. Question for LAFC and whatever other teams struck deals with YouTube TV: who produces the games for the teams, if not a local cable affiliate?

I know, at least in USL Championship, the league produces the broadcast. Even for games that are nationally done/local broadcasts it is a league affair.

 

Even with local announcers, it's a league thing. Possibly the same in MLS.

[MrAstrodome]

While I've been two years removed from Houston moving to San Antonio, I still love my Dynamo and am concerned about any re-branding. A new badge? Yes, definitely. But changing the colors especially when our slogan is "Forever Orange" is a bad idea. Not mention the team began with what essentially was a dynasty there's prestige to the name. Plus being the only "Dynamo" in First Division US Soccer has made it our brand. The lack of marketing of our broadcast home adds to our woes. 

[-kj]

5 minutes ago, Ashes of Astroworld said:

But changing the colors especially when our slogan is "Forever Orange" is a bad idea.

 

Having a slogan of "Don't Stop Living in the Red" didn't keep the Fire from changing to navy in a terrible rebrand.

[gosioux76]

1 hour ago, -kj said:

 

Having a slogan of "Don't Stop Living in the Red" didn't keep the Fire from changing to navy in a terrible rebrand.

Missed opportunity to sell sponsorships to payday loan operators. 

[Jer15]

20 hours ago, BC985 said:

Just because Chicago had a disaster of a badge change doesn’t mean Houston will. 

No, of course not. I didn't mean that it would guarantee a fail.

 

I just meant that Chicago had an established (again, in context) look and they went too far away from it and now they are just going to switch again.

(I'm not saying anything new here of course, just clarifying what I assumed was implied....that's what I get for assuming, lol)

 

[gosioux76]

38 minutes ago, Jer15 said:

No, of course not. I didn't mean that it would guarantee a fail.

 

I just meant that Chicago had an established (again, in context) look and they went too far away from it and now they are just going to switch again.

(I'm not saying anything new here of course, just clarifying what I assumed was implied....that's what I get for assuming, lol)

 

 

A couple things:

• @Jer15Are you suggesting the Fire are switching from the rebrand they just unveiled? Did I miss that news? 
• I know the article in The Athletic referenced the Chicago Fire rebrand, but the circumstances are -- at the moment -- quite different. Chicago was marking a new owner and a relocation to Soldier Field, a pair of landmark transitions that, in my mind, can serve as justifiable reasoning for a rebrand. And no matter what we think about the shelf life of MLS brands, this league hasn't been around long enough for any of its clubs to be deemed untouchable when it comes to branding. 
• Just rereading the original story, but doesn't it seem odd that they would consider a rebrand while the majority owner is considering selling his stake? Under normal circumstances, those things would be reversed, and a new majority owner would make the call on branding.  

 

[shaydre1019]

On 9/16/2020 at 11:38 AM, Ashes of Astroworld said:

While I've been two years removed from Houston moving to San Antonio, I still love my Dynamo and am concerned about any re-branding. A new badge? Yes, definitely. But changing the colors especially when our slogan is "Forever Orange" is a bad idea. Not mention the team began with what essentially was a dynasty there's prestige to the name. Plus being the only "Dynamo" in First Division US Soccer has made it our brand. The lack of marketing of our broadcast home adds to our woes. 

I mean there's a big, very expensive reason to at the very least keep orange as a secondary color...

Spoiler

 

[Mingjai]

On 9/11/2020 at 10:30 AM, Gothamite said:

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_blues

https://www.complex.com/music/house-music-history

https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Soul-Music-American-Life/dp/0252062590

https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/chi-chicagodays-gospelmusic-story-story.html

 

It fits Chicago as much (if not more) than any other city in the country.  The cities you mention are associated with one style of music each; Chicago has been responsible for several.  Chicago is just big enough to be known for other things as well.

 

Of course it fits Chicago. It's just a stupid name for a sports team.

 

Chicago should also get a lot of credit for jazz. I know New Orleans and New York are often considered the most influential on development of jazz, Chicago as a transport hub had a lot of influence as well. It was among other things where quintessential jazz trumpeters/cornetists Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke developed their influential styles.

[Gothamite]

1 minute ago, Mingjai said:

Chicago should also get a lot of credit for jazz. I know New Orleans and New York are often considered the most influential on development of jazz, Chicago as a transport hub had a lot of influence as well. It was among other things where quintessential jazz trumpeters/cornetists Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke developed their influential styles.

 

Absolutely.

 

Chicago has as much right to a music-based identity as any other city in America.  More, actually.

[Jer15]

 

22 hours ago, gosioux76 said:

@Jer15Are you suggesting the Fire are switching from the rebrand they just unveiled? Did I miss that news? 

Nope. 

I was referring to this quote from Joe Mansueto (this was from January this year):

Quote

Does it grow on people? Does it not? If it’s not working, ultimately, we’ll fix it. Hopefully it does. People will see it in context and come to love it. If not, we’ll fix it. But we’ll do what’s right for our fan base

I can see I probably made my comment sound like the change was happening for sure, that's my mistake for not re-reading before posting. I should have said there is a possibility of them changing again. 

 

22 hours ago, gosioux76 said:

And no matter what we think about the shelf life of MLS brands, this league hasn't been around long enough for any of its clubs to be deemed untouchable when it comes to branding. 

That's why I made sure to say (a couple times now) that I was talking in relation to how long MLS has been around when talking about my opinion that the Dynamo shouldn't do a full rebrand. Just a logo tweak if anything.

 

Anyway, sorry for the confusion there.