Jaffa Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 (I'd made mention of this in the 'Soccer Kits' thread, but as events have moved on somewhat over the last few days I thought that it might warrant a thread on its own).My local football team is Hull City AFC, a name we've had since our founding 109 years ago. Soon after, we acquired the nickname 'The Tigers' due to our black and amber striped shirts - however, as with most British clubs the official name and the nickname have always been two separate entities.However, over the past year there's been increasing evidence that the club's owners have been looking at changing the name by bolting the nickname onto our regular moniker. For example, doctored crests have started to appear bearing the name 'Hull City Tigers', press releases refer to us as 'Hull Tigers', and along with several other examples it did seem as if there was an attempt to familiarise us with a new name before an official move was made.Questions were asked, and club officials have repeatedly reassured us that the only name change concerned the business name of the holding company - the playing name and the team itself was unchanged, we were overacting over nothing.However, yesterday the local newspaper broke this story…We WILL be called Hull City TigersAccording to the club's owner, our name, identity and history is 'lousy', 'common', 'irrelevant' and 'of no value'. Blimey. Furthermore, we'll be known as 'Hull City Tigers' in the UK but 'Hull Tigers' abroad - so the name isn't just daft, it's not even consistent.In other words, from this...To this......although we're told that a brand new 'Hull City Tigers' crest will be introduced in time for the 2014/15 season.There's also talk that the new name will help sell us to overseas markets, however all the evidence points to this being a personal preference of the owner - talk of international appeal seems to have been tacked on to try and make it more palatable.Now, in American sport teams changing names or moving cities is a far more common occurrence - a quick look down the topics here is evidence of that. However, over here it happens very, very infrequently and not without a great deal of controversy - even making minor changes to a crest or kit can cause a lot of anger and heated discussion.Needless to say, the reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. The disregard for the club's history and the clumsy way the 'rebrand' has been applied have caused a lot of upset, even before you consider the fact that the club has been actively lying to its supporters for the last few months. Oh, and 'Hull Tigers' sounds bloody silly as well.I'm opposed to the change, and hopefully the owner can be swayed. Given how famously stubborn and obstinate he is though, I have my doubts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Good luck. How organized are your supporters? The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 We've been organised in the past when there have been threats to the club, but the worry is that folk may be swayed by the promise of the change attracting investment from overseas - similar to what has happened with Cardiff City.One thing we've learnt today - the owners haven't applied to the League to change the playing name of the club, something that they have to do to make the change official. Indeed, the Premier League appear to have been taken by surprise by the announcement and have declared that we will still be Hull City AFC in all their communications, fixture lists and league tables.They go on to state that they'll only consider name changes where there's evidence of consultation with fans. As of yet, there's been none whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 In other news, our little holiday in the Netherlands is over, and the Jaffa family are on our way home to Hull.I've been on the ferry five minutes, and already the crew are taking the piss out of me over 'Hull Tigers'. Pah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illwauk Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 There's also talk that the new name will help sell us to overseas markets, however all the evidence points to this being a personal preference of the owner - talk of international appeal seems to have been tacked on to try and make it more palatable.Considering that the trend across the pond has been for clubs to adopt more European-style names, I'd say that's a pretty safe bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTernup Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Excuse my ignorance but what does A.F.C. mean? It's a shame your owner is willing to throw away a name that has lasted a century. I've always liked how European clubs have actual nicknames given by the fans which aren't "official". P.S. I'm an American and I much prefer Hull City to Hull Tigers. Denver Nuggets Kansas City Chiefs Tampa Bay Rays Colorado Buffaloes Purdue Boilermakers Florida Gators Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilt Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 Association Football Club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 That's right, it's to distinguish us from other teams playing different forms of football - namely rugby. There are two rugby league teams in the city who were opposed to us being formed, we used AFC to indicate we played association football and as a bit of an 'up yours' to them.In actual fact, Hull FC (ie, Hull Football Club) don't play football - they're one of the rugby league teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Well, the 'Premier League says no to Hull City Tigers' story has made the CCSLC front page - however, the Premier League's own newly released Official Handbook for the upcoming season has us listed with the revised crest and the 'AFC' missing from our name...This listed URL of the club website also differs - rather than www.hullcityafc.net it's www.hullcitytigers.com. Slowly but surely... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildwing64 Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 The identity needs an update but flat out forcing the nickname in isn't the right way to do it.I'm not a football fan, and I don't particularly like the Townsville FC naming convention. And even I think this would be a stupid change. It would be like the Montreal Canadiens officially changing their name to the Habs. Not only is it ridiculous, but a change like that is enough to piss off and even alienate a team's whole fanbase. If the original team had folded some time ago and the Hull Tigers were a new team paying tribute to the original club then, OK, that would have been fine. But you don't just ditch a name that's been established for over a hundred years and not expect any kind of uproar. PotD: 24/08/2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marble21 Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. UBI FIDES IBI LUX ET ROBUR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.The smell will be the drains, Yorkshire Water keep promising to do something about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTernup Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 That's right, it's to distinguish us from other teams playing different forms of football - namely rugby. There are two rugby league teams in the city who were opposed to us being formed, we used AFC to indicate we played association football and as a bit of an 'up yours' to them.In actual fact, Hull FC (ie, Hull Football Club) don't play football - they're one of the rugby league teams. Wow, very cool! Thanks for the knowledge, I'm slowly getting into soccer (lol told you I'm American) but our clubs aren't nearly as interesting as they are in Europe. I am very excited for the World Cup though, USA, USA! Denver Nuggets Kansas City Chiefs Tampa Bay Rays Colorado Buffaloes Purdue Boilermakers Florida Gators Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 If this piece in today's Guardian is anything to go by, it looks like as we expected they're dropping any pretence of retaining 'City' in the club's name and are hellbent on just 'Hull Tigers'.Also of note is that the Premier League have qualified their earlier refusal to put the new name on League tables and stuff - they've confirmed that it was merely due no official application being made and that they're apparently not opposed to the change in principle."In a few years many clubs will follow and change their names to something more interesting and I will have proved I am a leader."Bloody hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildwing64 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 "In a few years many clubs will follow and change their names to something more interesting and I will have proved I am a leader."Bloody hell.Because abandoning a hundred plus years of history and alienating your fanbase for a "more interesting" name is a great thing to be a leader at.Riiiiiiight. PotD: 24/08/2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Not mentioned in the article, but divulged by the journalist via twitter - the ever thoughtful Allam has been thinking up names for other clubs unfortunate enough to be saddled with the common, lousy 'City' moniker.He reckons 'Manchester Hunter' has a nice ring to it. No, seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintsfan Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Not mentioned in the article, but divulged by the journalist via twitter - the ever thoughtful Allam has been thinking up names for other clubs unfortunate enough to be saddled with the common, lousy 'City' moniker.He reckons 'Manchester Hunter' has a nice ring to it. No, seriously.He needs to tell Mr and Mrs Hunter about that then! 2011/12 WFL Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaffa Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Manchester Hunter sounds like a racehorse, and not a very good one either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildwing64 Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Hunter?What's with Manchester and singular nicknames? That's worse than the Manchester Phoenix. PotD: 24/08/2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Six Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Free publicity for a relatively-unknown club that nobody would be talking about otherwise. I'd say the owner is doing his job well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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