Essendon on kamikaze run in PR battle with NRL

Proposed Brisbane Bombers team considering a bid for Karmichael Hunt for the 2013 season: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/karmichael-hunt-tug-of-war/story-e6frf9jf-1226098602538

The Greater Glider is endemic to the greater Brisbane region. They are commonly seen in people's backyards. Calling the team the Greater Brisbane Gliders allows the club to be named after a species that actually lives within its boundaries. Better than naming the team after an introduced animal or animal that isn't even found in Australia (IE. Bears, Tigers, Lions, Broncos, Cats, Roosters, Panthers).

What a mature comment. I assume then, than next time, an Australian Football figure attacks NRL, you would have no problem with it?

Gliders? Think about what opposing fans will do to that name, you may as well name them the Brisbane Downhill Skiers now and just get it over with.

Why take the name of an overhyped club that plays a pathetic sport like Aussie rules football? Greater Brisbane Gliders is a better name.

The name "Bombers" sounds a little old fashion. How about the "Brisbane Drones" ? Now that sounds more up to date. In any case "stealing" a name for cross code promotional reasons is not necessary. Sports fans in Victoria and WA are already becoming aware of League and the NRL will win out because its a better TV spectator sport. Doesnt even matter that the AFL can pump so much more money into promotion. All they are doing is delaying the inevitable death of their game.

"I still like the name The Brisbane Brothers. They could use a picture of The King and Alfie (arm in arm) as their logo." They would need permission to do that. Highly unlikely they'd get it since Langer is still associated with the Broncos.

Anyone remember the Brisbane Lions soccer club? They were around a lot longer than the Brisbane Lions AFL club.

I've been to Cowboys vs Broncos game at Suncorp Stadium that attracted up to 50,000 fans. The atmosphere at those games was so much greater than the crap I experienced at the West Coast vs Lions match that I attended in 2006.

History of Essendon Rugby League http://www.mooneevalleyweekly.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/essendon-district-rugby-league-overcame-odds-in-1950s/1896196.aspx?storypage=1

GoGWS In the case of any new club,they are the decision makers.Like the video referee ,if they get the go ahead,the points are on the board.No correspondence will be entered into. They have spoken to three different legal experts for advice on the matter.I suggest when you get the advice of one that is good,when you get similar advice by a second that is better,when you secure the same advice from the third that is the best one can achieve. The bid team is run by successful businessmen ,previously involved with the Broncos.They are hardly novices on the matters of running ,financing ,sponsoring and seeking legal advice on a football club. Of course anything can be challenged in court,just like the SL war fiasco.The thing is the responsibilty or onus is on the bid team financially and the Bombers/AFL.The NRL will not have to pay a cent in legal fees. It was just as silly and indeed lack of foresight and poor form for the AFL to use the name Giants ,when the name had been previously used by an ARl team on the GC/Tweed.With all their money and contacts ,they came up with aname used by a defunct ARL team.Thinking outside the square LOL. You think a lot of things about the NRL my friend.Matter of fact I would not dare to spend my time on AFL threads, thinking day after day about what the AFL might do.

GoGWS/.Oh but it will.If it is mere talk,then tell Gallop and the bulk of the CEOS ,the Tv commentators,the player managers to tone it down. I always like it when an AFL flag waver ,seems to know more than people within the NRL. Again you are only half right.First and foremost the clubs want the grants to match the salary cap,and an increase in the salary caps.Once that is achieved they have no problem with expansion.Searle the most outspoken has been quite explicit. The NRL is aiming for the $1b,and despite what the AFL flagwavers pretend ,Gallop has actually affirmed when asked recently by a reporter about the $1b,the game is worth it based on the ratings achieved,and their continued growth,with record SOO ratings as a bonus. Gallop has stated unless the commission was in place in July and negotiations concluded,that 2013 would seem highly unlikely,due to the lead times,and clubs needing 18 months minimum.He has used the up to 2015 of late,but that has neither negated either 2013 or 2014 which he also acknowledged. He also noted the first priority (and remember he is only the CEO) no doubt for the i.C would be to ensure the financial stability of the current clubs.A deal around the $1b mark will not only ensure this point,but allow for grassroots assistance and expansion and leave money over for a rainy day. I noted what you stated re expansion,with also the doubt the I.C would even get up.You were negative about Perth.You kept banging on about clubs being in dire straits,and the date was well past 2013.Spend some time going through it to get the gist. Please!!!There is no problem from a players' perspective, with another code offering someone silly amounts of money (in fact far in excess than champs like Ablett) ,the point which you have difficulty in assessing is, ethically it is hardly ideal against other AFL players ,and morally it suggests loyalty is not rewarded as it should be,by two Jonny come latelies who have about as much experience of AFL as I do. It would akin to the Broncos signing up Johnathon Brown to twice the money as Lockyer is getting.It is not ethically or morally right. As far as Hunt and Folau are concerned ,most rl fans are more concerned with their clubs fortunes in the NRL.Both these guys are off the radar,as the novelty factor has worn off,unless the AFL sign up Lady Ga Ga as a GWS cheerleader. The difference again which you cannot fathom,the courts will not intervene with Folau and Hunt taking the money.The courts will hardly intervene on a matter of a football taking the name Bombers,because the name äint owned"by anyone,only the logo. I stated if Essendon takes the issue to court and wins,there will be can of worms opened throughout this country and as a flow on no doubt overseas.

Two sides that are traditional in both markets with an established profile, reputation and supporter base which was built up over generations well before either market knew much about the other code let alone teams. With a new team in this era, if any confusion can be avoided then why wouldn't you? Sponsorship, merchandice, reporting etc would all be compromised if the name is retained.

referee's decision?..what the processes undertaken by the promoters?... their legal advice and their web polling?...that's a referee's decision all of a sudden?.... whether what they're up to is legal can be tested (not within the clubs own processes)....and whether it is ethical requires those involved to think about it and ask 'is this the right thing to do?'... maybe they can't see it..... it's definitely a bad move... like I said before, I think the name is an embarrassment...and if/when a second Brisbane gets going I would be surprised if 'Bombers' was actually used.... I think the NRL's IC will want the name to be unique....it's pretty poor form to be so out of ideas to stoop to copying the branding of an AFL team..

crosscoder the next expansionary phase hasn't happened...this is just talk so take a breath and calm down....and I never said expansion wouldn't happen...I said not by 2013 and probably not until after the next broadcast deal end (2018?)...and I also said that the existing clubs don't want expansion by 2013 and I think that's right... hard to see how doubling someone's salary and giving them a shot at a new code is unethical... was someone holding a gun to their head when they signed.....if Folau/Hunt don't like it they'll be back to the NRL..don't worry...it's not an everlasting contract...no harm done long term...short term if they didn't like it they'd walk and there'd be nothing the AFL could do... the courts would not enforce a contract like that...

Got two with the one worm. :)

What about the Kapunka Bombers Quakers Hill Bombers Bendigo Bombers Redland Bombers Burleigh Bombers North Shore Bombers Tiwi Bombers Sudan Bombers Attadale Bombers Miranda Bombers Crows Nest Bombers Brisbane Bombers Bighton Bombers Bali Bombers Suicide Bombers Gary Numan Bombers Ballina Bombers Lauderdale Bombers Lancaster Bombers Leitchville-Gunbower Bombers Bankstown Sports Bombers Dederang-Mount Beauty Bombers Milwaukee Bombers The Bombers Winnipeg Bombers The Candy Bombers Irrewarra-Beeac Bombers Orange County Bombers The Bronx Bomber Since when does the AFL or Essendon have the rights over the term Bomber or Bombers? Legal Action? More like legal retraction, like.

GOGWS Stupid brand !!! It's all in the eyes of the beholder.Funny when the Broncos name was first instituted ,it got panned by many,as being a Yank copy.Now it is woven into the Australian sporting landscape,as one of the country's premier sporting brands. The logo is all that is protected,unless you know more than an I.P lawyer.The name Bombers,Tigers ,Sharks can be used by any code,even my daughters netball team. The name was chosen not in 5 minutes but over a period of time,with public input and research.It was done professionally.If you can't handle the referee's decision,I am sorry the points are on the board. I could not really care what name they come up with,as long as it is not the Bay City Rollers. The city needs another team so,that the game is played weekly in that area. No different my friend ,than a code securing the services of two high profile rl players one who has never played the game, another with a couple of schoolboy kicks,used as a marketing tool to market their game in opposition heartland territory.And you are preaching ethics LOL.Even had to get close to west tigers colours to add further impetus. The boot is on the other foot,and the natives are getting restless. The Giants were used by the GC rl team in the ARL ,so GWS using it ain't original in this country. It may well be the poor man's brand when in Melbourne,but in Brisbane for the rl Bronco haters of which there are many and the sponsors already on board,it will be like an Audi compeiting against a BMW. OOps forgot the new mob will be sponsored by Jeep. I have a suggestion,get down on your knees and pray they don't get invited into the next expansionary phase,which BTW you stated wouldn't happen.

Seriously Essendon isn't Pearl Harbour or the blitz era London. The name has some association with the Football team but really there isn't any real historical resonance with the region. Qld was the staging ground for the War in the Pacific which the Brisbane bid team seem to want to play up. On the Footy show they had some girls in WW2 style which was pretty effective and actually quite original. If that does have any resonance still in Brisbane it may be a great piece of marketing. If they could utilize the music and dancing and razzamatz of that era it might work. Oikee seems to like it and he is about as Brisbane as you can get. Aussies in general have a lot of interest in war time history and the Anzac spirit etc. Jjust as a name it is pretty ho hum but as a whole concept it might be great.

My favourite is the Las Vegas 51's, the minor league baseball team, named after area 51 outside Las Vegas, which is a top secret air force base associated with UFO's and the Roswell incident. The logo is an alien. Their gear is awesome. http://www.sportslogos.net/logo.php?id=4819 The Bowling Green Hot Rods are pretty good too. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t2498