Sydney Roosters name change?

[Non Terminator]

Not to "Easts"...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...o-bondi-roosters/story-e6frfgbo-1225805152776

Sydney Roosters considering changing their name to Bondi Roosters

• Exclusive by Dean Ritchie
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• November 30, 2009 12:00AM

Sea change...the Sydney Roosters are thinking of changing their name to the Bondi Roosters. Source: The Daily Telegraph



THE Sydney Roosters are considering a radical name change to the Bondi Roosters as the struggling club tries to rebound from one of the worst seasons in their history.


Roosters chairman Nick Politis suggested the club could gauge public support by holding a fan survey on the possible name change.


"I think if we do anything it would be to call ourselves the Bondi Roosters," Politis said.


"Bondi Roosters is a strong marketing name. Bondi is well known around the world.


"John Singleton [advertising guru] once said to me we've got to be called the Bondi Roosters."


The plan gathered immediate support last night with former greats saying Bondi was synonymous with the Roosters. They have spent the off-season examining ways to revive the proud club's fortunes after claiming their first wooden spoon since 1966.


A series of off-field embarrassments also damaged the foundation club's brand and major backer Samsung ended a multi-million dollar sponsorship with the Roosters.

There is a growing feeling in rugby league circles that the game thrives on tribalism and tradition - the same forces which drove the Bulldogs to revert to their original name of Canterbury-Bankstown for next season.

Politis stressed that Bondi was a powerful name known throughout the world for its famous beach. However, Roosters officials fear that changing the name could alienate some fans.


The nickname "Roosters" arrived in the 1950s. Before that, the club was informally known as the Tri-Colours.
The Bondi Roosters would no doubt attract enormous support given the club's traditional link to Bondi Junction, where Easts Leagues Club is located.


"We'd have to do a bit of a survey," Politis said. "It's a hard one.

"In the old days they called teams Easts, Souths, Norths, Newtown. These days they seem to use a club's nickname more. Kids over the past 15 years have called them the Roosters.


"We played in four Grand Finals over five years built on the back of the Roosters name.



"But it [a name change] would be something we would look at."


Former Roosters greats Bryan Fletcher and Royce Ayliffe last night backed the name change.


"The more I think about it, the more I like it," Fletcher said. "I grew up in Bondi so I would love it.


"The postcode at Bondi is 2026. They are selling shirts down the beach with that postcode on it.


"Tourists love those Bondi shirts so you could sell Bondi Roosters shirts to the tourists."


Ayliffe, who captained Easts in the 1980 Grand Final, was also convinced.
"Bondi is known around the world. It is a terrific idea. There are a few teams known as the Roosters.


But the Bondi Roosters ... you know exactly who they are."

 

[Bobby DIGital]

I like it. Do it.

 

[Gaba]

:lol:

 

[The Tank]

I don't like it personally but it's alright. I'd prefer 'Eastern Suburbs' but there ya go!

 

[Johns Magic]

Being from Bondi myself, I'd love it.

The Roosters would definitely be my second team if they were the Bondi Roosters.

 

[sretsoor]

I woul dhave thought we could go back to Easts but I do like Bondi Roosters.

 

[lturner]

This sounds like it might be just something to stir up a bit of publicity.

Maybe we will be Easts again?

 

[Sood]

I dont hate it. But im kinda sick of how everytime they change the name its for marketing purposes - Sydney City, now Sydney.

I mean they arnt Bondi any more then they are Double Bay or Dover Heights.

If they really wanted to do it to represent their area they'd choose Eastern Suburbs or even Bondi Junction Roosters.

Id love to go back to them being easts.

 

[Fein]

Id love to go back to them being easts.

Exactly - The Eastern Suburbs Roosters, they way it should be.

Is Politis losing the plot?

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Exactly - The Eastern Suburbs Roosters, they way it should be.

Is Politis losing the plot?

Does Politis even listen to us anymore?
The poll on the the Telecrap shows an overwhelming majority favoring Eastern suburbs.
For the record I prefer Bondi over Sydney but please, let's go back to Easts ASAP

 

[S.S.T.I.D]

And what after your next putrid season? The Campbell Parade Roosters?

I suggest that you simply regress out of existence. That might be the easiest thing to do.

Absolute panic merchants.

 

[sretsoor]

And what after your next putrid season? The Campbell Parade Roosters?

I suggest that you simply regress out of existence. That might be the easiest thing to do.

Absolute panic merchants.

Perhaps Politis, having been a major hand with Searle in News Ltd leaving the game, is aware of potential criteria in the future of the game is for teams to have relevant to geographic location and having Sydney, or Eastern Suburbs, may not fit therefore Bondi does.

with that in mind, I'd prefer Bondi over Redfern

 

[Timmah]

Rose Bay Roosters

Redfern Rabbitohs

 

[Lambretta]

I must be one of the few that prefers Sydney Roosters

I know I'm not a traditionalist here, but why Bondi? Is that the only suburb we want to represent?

I think this is an indication of small minded thinking.

I'd rather we represented as large an area as possible, rather than a smaller one. As SSTID said, what's next? Third flagstone past the second fig tree on Driver Avenue Roosters?

We're the Sydney Roosters to me. I am happy to go back to our roots with Easts but I like the fact the Sydney Roosters covers a whole City and is short and to the point. I'd rather see us improve on the field than piss around kidding ourselves that more people will turn up to watch if we have a name change again.

 

[Timmah]

I prefer Easts for that very reason. It's ridiculous to call yourself Sydney when you represent what's East of it... and the term Sydney covers most of the metro area now anyway - which holds 7 other teams.

 

[Johns Magic]

People from the east don't identify with the "Sydney" Roosters.

If they were called the Eastern Suburbs Roosters or the Bondi Roosters when I first started getting into league I imagine they would be my favourite team. Just like I follow Easts cricket and Easts in rugby.

But Sydney City? All an 8 year old identifies with that is skyscrapers and George Street.

Bondi Roosters sounds way more appealing.

 

[Lambretta]

I prefer Easts for that very reason. It's ridiculous to call yourself Sydney when you represent what's East of it... and the term Sydney covers most of the metro area now anyway - which holds 7 other teams.

Yeah mate, I do agree with the sentiment, but I just feel that Eastern Suburbs Roosters sounds too clunky as does Sydney City Roosters. Who lives in the City anyway?

Bondi Roosters makes some sense but I just think it's geographically too limiting and small.

Sydney Roosters or an alternative Eastern Roosters is fine by me. But then as I acknowledged, I am in the minority. If we do anything, it'll be to do what the Bulldogs did and go back to the original name.

 

[Timmah]

One can only wonder if that's the plan anyway, to get a revolt against such a new name and get pushed to change it back to Easts.

 

[jpaciocco91]

Yeah, as they call themselves 'Sydney', it implies that the whole of Sydney is theirs, and therefore most away games they play at other metropolitan grounds are in fact home games. Easts is better. For tradition, and political correctness, as they represent the "Eastern suburbs".

 

[fred92]

Yeah mate, I do agree with the sentiment, but I just feel that Eastern Suburbs Roosters sounds too clunky as does Sydney City Roosters. Who lives in the City anyway?

Bondi Roosters makes some sense but I just think it's geographically too limiting and small.

Sydney Roosters or an alternative Eastern Roosters is fine by me. But then as I acknowledged, I am in the minority. If we do anything, it'll be to do what the Bulldogs did and go back to the original name.

It's Bondi Roosters for me, when I think of the Cronulla club , I think of their great beach, same applies with Manly, Sydney encompasses many teams ,the name easts signifies nothing more than a direction. Bondi is a location and a good one at that.