There’s a little too much Sydney Spirit about the Melbourne Tigers’ decision to re-brand as Melbourne United. And that makes it a very bad decision.
Teams change names. It happens. In this particular case, you can at least understand the rationale.
With a much-hated junior club sharing the same name – and the discrepancy between massive junior participation and underwhelming NBL crowds continuing to puzzle administrators – a fresh start would have presented some merit.
But the Sydney Spirit stench still lingers.
Maybe it’s because you’ve got a club legend asking for his retired jersey to be taken down and describing it as “ripping the heart out of the Melbourne Tigers”.
Maybe it’s because fans are in pure uproar, describing themselves as “gutted” and “alienated” and many vowing to no longer attend games.
Maybe it’s because neither of these stakeholders were consulted.
Maybe it’s because of the choice of name. United. Really? If it has to be cringeworthy, it should at least be marketing gold as far as appealing to children goes. None of the Big Bash team names were a hit with critics when they launched, but the kids ended up loving them. United is unlikely to strike the same chord.
Maybe, though, the real issue is that the club is now pretending to be something it isn’t.
This is where the Spirit – the ill-fated attempt to re-brand the West Sydney Razorbacks after the cross-town Kings left the league – truly ballsed things up.
Despite the Spirit’s best attempts to claim so, it was not ‘Sydney’s team’. Rather, Kings fans saw it as the team formerly known as the Razorbacks. Razorbacks fans saw it as a team that is no longer the Razorbacks. It very quickly became no one’s team.
What Melbourne management are risking here is the exact same scenario playing out again.
Are fans of the Magic/Giants/Dragons side of the fence going to magically swarm over to the other side? Of course not. United are simply the team formerly known as the Tigers, their main rival. Besides, even as recently as yesterday more news filtered out about the prospect of a second team, with no connection to their rival, being introduced in 2015-16.
And how are Tigers fans going to feel about cheering a team not named the Tigers? On evidence so far, the majority aren’t happy about it.
Bizarrely, we’ve made it this far into the article without really bringing up history.
History shouldn’t be the central argument in an article like this, of course. Change is important, especially for the NBL today. But it was tough looking at the pictures tweeted out by Mark Bradtke and Lanard Copeland – which Andrew Gaze passed on – when this story first emerged.
It’s amazing what you find when you start looking #fondmemories #tooyoung @AndrewGaze10 has dark hair? #glasshouse pic.twitter.com/N7prWHkd9u
— Mark Bradtke (@markbradtke) May 19, 2014
— LanardCopeland (@lcopeland21) May 19, 2014
Old school match v Arizona at the old Albert Park Stadium. The place was rocking. @lcopeland21 @AndrewGaze10 pic.twitter.com/TuNsJVS9aN
— Mark Bradtke (@markbradtke) May 19, 2014
All of that is being pushed to one side. A club which has won four titles is turning its back on the name it won those titles under.
And worse, they are doing it at a time when history is one of the few things that the NBL truly has over its direct competition over summer.
How many A-League clubs have won four championships? How many Big Bash League teams have even won two? In both cases, the answer is zero. It’s a competitive advantage simply being surrendered, handed over.
Melbourne owners Larry Kestelman and Michael Slepoy began the tough sell yesterday.
“We found it difficult to unite all other associations behind the Tigers brand,” Kestelman said.
“We tried everything to work with associations but found resistance – partially due to our name and the history of how basketball has been played in Victoria.”
You can understand the problem, but they’ve chosen the wrong answer.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I'm not a big basketball fan, ever since they culled regional teams in the mid-90s I haven't had a stake in anything. To kill off one of very few franchises that is known (and the Tigers are even respected) in the wider sporting community seems somewhat crazy. And then replacing it with a brand that belongs in the A-League takes the madness up a notch. Good luck to them, but from outside it seems the wrongest of wrong moves.
Dan
Guest
As a wildcats guy who has only lived in Melbourne for a few years I didn't understand why the tigers suffered from such poor attendance until someone explained the 'junior team' association thing. So I am sympathetic to the new owners, but they purchased the tigers and the associated history. What I think is poorly considered is this dreadful name; what is a 'United', what will the mascot look like? it is presumptuous and lacks any of the heritage of the club, surely they could have come up with something that forges a new identity and recognises the past... The MELBOURNE THYLACINE
Adam
Guest
Great article, agree with every word. Not only should this decision be reversed but Kestelman and Slepoy both need to go, they've proven their incompetence and should be replaced immediately.
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
Flavs - yep, ironic timing that they used the new Hornets logo for the first time in an official capacity yesterday at the NBA draft lottery.
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
I've heard the suggestion Garden State Warriors come up from time to time, Sam. Not sure if the NBA bean counters would allow it though!
Flavs
Guest
Meanwhile in the NBA, Charlotte are going back to being called the Hornets.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
I think we're merely scratching the surface here to a whole list of NBL marketing problems. From personal experience their media department seems fairly disorganised compared to some of the other big codes. There's a lot to learn from the Wildcats.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
Good point Prince, I hadn't thought about that. It seems to be a slightly immature reason to not support a club but I've heard stranger reasons. They could easily go with a non-AFL related name. Victoria is known as the garden state. Could Melbourne Gardens work? I know it possibly sounds a bit wussy but it has a nice Madison Square Garden/ New York Knicks vibe to it.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
I'm glad my Wollongong Hawks are always going to stay the Hawks. It's just one great club with a great united community behind them.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
They could have at least gone with the 'Melbourne United something'. Maybe the Lions? They could call their home court the Lion Den etc. They look pretty silly being the only club without a name. Some OCD supporters might find it difficult, lol.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
Yep, love the Collingwood analogy. Melbourne sport thrives on rivalries. Tigers v Dragons (or whoever else might come in) would be a great spectacle. The Basketball interest is certainly there in Victoria and this is shown by the regular success of their junior sides. They're definitely not harnessing the interest to its full potential.
luke bartolo
Guest
Well here's the petition website https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/melbourne-tigers-save-the-melbourne-tigers-basketball-club-not-melbourne-united
Clint Dogg
Guest
The NBL is a complete joke now. I'm not watching it anymore this has tipped me over the edge and I'm their biggest supporter (have s look at my nbl youtube chanel) even tho they who run the league are imbeciles and have no clue.
Mark
Guest
Great article, I agree with it fully. Sydney Spirit was always doomed to fail, and I fear the same about Melbourne United.
Johnno
Guest
HAL the A-league survives and it's 3rd rate, the NBL can too. The NBL in the halcyon days was 2nd and 3rd rate back then too. Some of the imports this year, have been as good if not better than the Halcyon days imports. Sam Young the Sydney Kings import played 250 games for the Indiana Pacers, so as good as any of the big imports in the Halcyon days, Dwayne Mclain,Doug Overton,Adrian Branch,Ricky Grace,Robert Rose.
Matthew
Guest
Makes you wonder what their Mascot will be ? They will retire the Tiger for a giant M man? They are not going to go back on their decision now.
mushi
Guest
I'm not from melbourne and I've very little interest in the NBL but if someone asked me "give me the first five things that pop into your head when I say NBL" my answer is tigers, wildcats, steve carfino, 36'ers and then the kings I suppose
mushi
Guest
I'm not from melbourne and I've very little interest in the NBL but if someone asked me "give me the first five things that pop into your head when I say NBL" my answer is tigers, wildcats, steve carfino, 36'ers and then the kings I suppose
Prince Imperial
Guest
Not that I am a basketball fan in any way but I always thought the Tigers nickname limited this franchise in a major way. Most basketball fans in Victoria are also football fans and even though Richmond have a sizeable supporter base, this nickname must be off putting for the majority of Victorians whose first love is football and who follow other AFL teams. Not sure that "United" will work though.
koberulz
Guest
Heck, Patty Mills was saying back in 2012 that most of his Portland teammates knew who the Tigers were. The Tigers were easily the most recognisable name in Australian basketball. There's the Andrew Gaze thing, obviously, but they also had a bit of a presence in China at one point. They're even more well-known in Australia. Throwing that away seems silly.