New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[Gobsmacked]

I'd really like to see both NZ sides called " NZ (. )
Neighbor's and family become rivals twice a year!

 

[Ian Douglas]

I'd really like to see both NZ sides called " NZ (. )
Neighbor's and family become rivals twice a year!

I think NZ2 would have to be called the South Island……???

This would give them more of an identity while the warriors have had 25+ years building theirs.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I think NZ2 would have to be called the South Island……???

This would give them more of an identity while the warriors have had 25+ years building theirs.

At the end of the day, everyone knows where they're from, it just doesn't alienate those not from there. The Warriors are and always have been an Auckland team but now they're followed right across the country.
I just don't know why a second NZ team can't do the same.

 

[Ian Douglas]

At the end of the day, everyone knows where they're from, it just doesn't alienate those not from there. The Warriors are and always have been an Auckland team but now they're followed right across the country.
I just don't know why a second NZ team can't do the same.

No reason why they can’t but my own preference is South Island as I think it’s a cool name and with trials and regular season games held in Dunedin, Nelson and invercargill also gives them a good chance to unite the entire South Island behind the team.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Aotearoa

No reason why they can’t but my own preference is South Island as I think it’s a cool name and with trials and regular season games held in Dunedin, Nelson and invercargill also gives them a good chance to unite the entire South Island behind the team.

I'm not against it being South Island but the whole jafa thing is that there's plenty outside of Auckland that hate Auckland and I'd be cool if they felt part of this team.
Kinda like the Broncos, not everyone in Brisbane wants to follow the Broncos, now there's a choice in the Dolphins. I think a second NZ team could be just that.

 

[Wb1234]

 

[Clarency2]

I have always found it a bit silly that a fan is going to stop following a club solely on them changing their name to reflect where they are based.

There are plenty of people here in Sydney that follow EPL clubs so why does it matter? If the location is part of the branding (e.g. Manchester, Chelsea, Parramatta, Manly) and it is done right - it should be fine.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I have always found it a bit silly that a fan is going to stop following a club solely on them changing their name to reflect where they are based.

There are plenty of people here in Sydney that follow EPL clubs so why does it matter? If the location is part of the branding (e.g. Manchester, Chelsea, Parramatta, Manly) and it is done right - it should be fine.

I agree with that but these aren't new brands, they've forged over hundreds of years in tribalism. If they tried to launch them today, I'm not sure they'd make the same choice.

But you're 100% correct, Both can work.
Just not sure which works best.
My money is on a NZ brand for the most pull for a start up in 2029

 

[stratocaster]

The New Zealand moniker is worth more than the South Island moniker in terms of branding. Especially in Australia too.

As someone else said, two New Zealands makes it a house vs house rivalry. You'd have NZ2 fans in Auckland and Warriors fans on the South Island.

 

[Matua]

TBH the naming means relatively little (to NIers), I'm not supporting the new side whether they have NZ/South Island/Canterbury in their name. Also, Auckland isn't as reviled as people think. A lot of that was based on the dominant 1980/90s rugby team and they've been superseded by the Crusaders in that regard.

A lot of NZers have been Warriors fans for a long time, and if a team's not in your area then there's not much incentive to switch. So branding as South Island is probably good to get the whole of that island on board.

 

[stratocaster]

TBH the naming means relatively little (to NIers), I'm not supporting the new side whether they have NZ/South Island/Canterbury in their name. Also, Auckland isn't as reviled as people think. A lot of that was based on the dominant 1980/90s rugby team and they've been superseded by the Crusaders in that regard.

A lot of NZers have been Warriors fans for a long time, and if a team's not in your area then there's not much incentive to switch. So branding as South Island is probably good to get the whole of that island on board.

You're talking from an adult perspective as someone who might be a bit set in their ways.

Kids in Brisbane literally switched from Broncos to Dolphins because they like logo and animal more.

One goal for NZ2 is to offer regularly NRL matches for South Island based fans to attend. Another is to basically lock up the market in New Zealand and set NRL as the number one elite club sport for good. To me, branding them as New Zealand whilst basing them in Christchurch does both.

 

[Gobsmacked]

You're talking from an adult perspective as someone who might be a bit set in their ways.

Kids in Brisbane literally switched from Broncos to Dolphins because they like logo and animal more.

One goal for NZ2 is to offer regularly NRL matches for South Island based fans to attend. Another is to basically lock up the market in New Zealand and set NRL as the number one elite club sport for good. To me, branding them as New Zealand whilst basing them in Christchurch does both.

That's a smart angle because in reality lots of fans become so as kids. A 10 year old in Wellington That's new to the sport hears NZ ( ) which is what he'll be on board with ..but Christchurch?
Maybe not.

 

[Matua]

You're talking from an adult perspective as someone who might be a bit set in their ways.

Kids in Brisbane literally switched from Broncos to Dolphins because they like logo and animal more.

One goal for NZ2 is to offer regularly NRL matches for South Island based fans to attend. Another is to basically lock up the market in New Zealand and set NRL as the number one elite club sport for good. To me, branding them as New Zealand whilst basing them in Christchurch does both.

I doubt many NI kids are going to switch from the Warriors to a SI team because of a logo. I find it weird Brisbane kids would switch so eagerly. My parents contemplated moving provinces when I was a kid and I had a meltdown because I thought I'd have to support the team in the new province.

 

[Wb1234]

I doubt many NI kids are going to switch from the Warriors to a SI team because of a logo. I find it weird Brisbane kids would switch so eagerly. My parents contemplated moving provinces when I was a kid and I had a meltdown because I thought I'd have to support the team in the new province.

dolphins might be trying to do that but their crowds suggests it hasn’t happened much yet

 

[Gobsmacked]

I doubt many NI kids are going to switch from the Warriors to a SI team because of a logo. I find it weird Brisbane kids would switch so eagerly. My parents contemplated moving provinces when I was a kid and I had a meltdown because I thought I'd have to support the team in the new province.

Kids are kids , they're all different and at different stages of development. One minute Pepper pig is the best show on TV, the next minute they don't want to be caught dead watching it.
If Keano kini is their favorite player and he gets picked up by the new exciting franchise, it's probably a done deal.

I was a Tigers fan but lived on the GC, when the Titans pinched my favorite player ( Scott Prince) I switched to my local club. I did that as an adult lol.

But a new franchise isn't to get people to switch elegance, it's to capture the imagination of those who aren't yet invested. A kid in Wellington that who say the Wahs when asked but doesn't really follow NRL has this new exciting team that he can follow the hype in on the ground floor - new fans.

I didn't meet anyone outside of Auckland who liked Auckland or Aucklanders, so the potential new fans that can be fully invested in an NRL team is massive!
An NZ NRL team that isn't Auckland is a slam dunk.

 

[stratocaster]

Kids are kids , they're all different and at different stages of development. One minute Pepper pig is the best show on TV, the next minute they don't want to be caught dead watching it.
If Keano kini is their favorite player and he gets picked up by the new exciting franchise, it's probably a done deal.

I was a Tigers fan but lived on the GC, when the Titans pinched my favorite player ( Scott Prince) I switched to my local club. I did that as an adult lol.

But a new franchise isn't to get people to switch elegance, it's to capture the imagination of those who aren't yet invested. A kid in Wellington that who say the Wahs when asked but doesn't really follow NRL has this new exciting team that he can follow the hype in on the ground floor - new fans.

I didn't meet anyone outside of Auckland who liked Auckland or Aucklanders, so the potential new fans that can be fully invested in an NRL team is massive!
An NZ NRL team that isn't Auckland is a slam dunk.

That's pretty much it.

There are kids who follow the Storm who live in NSW. They follow them because they're a successful club or their favourite player moved there. They have no Victorian connection whatsoever.

There are kids who follow St George-Illawarra who live in QLD. They follow them simply because they like dragons.

There are kids who followed the Rabbitohs because green is their favourite colour.

New Zealand as a brand name opens doors. South Island closes more.

 

[Gobsmacked]

That's pretty much it.

There are kids who follow the Storm who live in NSW. They follow them because they're a successful club or their favourite player moved there. They have no Victorian connection whatsoever.

There are kids who follow St George-Illawarra who live in QLD. They follow them simply because they like dragons.

There are kids who followed the Rabbitohs because green is their favourite colour.

New Zealand as a brand name opens doors. South Island closes more.

"New Zealand as a brand name opens doors. South Island closes more."
Well said.

 

[Matiunz]

are there legal reasons why the warriors couldn’t revert back to Auckland due to past financial problems?

Yep pretty sure the “Auckland Warriors” were wrapped up with massive debts and “NZ Warriors” was essentially started again as a new entity. Have heard that reverting to “Auckland” essentially makes them liable for those debts

 

[Matiunz]

stands don’t look very steep.

They’re not particularly steep but it’s still a very good stadium to watch sport from. The stadium itself isn’t that big, the whole province of Otago is only about 250k population, be just over half that in Dunedin

 

[Matiunz]

At the end of the day, everyone knows where they're from, it just doesn't alienate those not from there. The Warriors are and always have been an Auckland team but now they're followed right across the country.
I just don't know why a second NZ team can't do the same.

I’ve mentioned before that I’d be fine with both Teams being ‘NZ’, as you said people know where they’re based and they’d probably pull in more fans than calling it ‘South Island’- particularly if they took some games to Wellington.
There was a stage in the mid 90s where 3 teams were essentially called ‘Sydney’ and I don’t think too many fans got confused between the Tigers/Bulldogs/Roisters did they?