Crusaders' name-change debate finally settled
NEWS: New Zealand’s Crusaders announced Friday that the team will retain its name but change its logo after a review sparked by the deadly mosque shootings in its home city of Christchurch in March.
Critics said the name and branding referencing medieval wars between Christians and Muslims were inappropriate after the attacks, in which 51 Muslims died in attacks allegedly carried out by a self-declared white supremacist.
Immediately after the killings, the Super Rugby giants stopped parading chain-mailed knights on horseback as pre-match entertainment at home games, and indicated the team logo of a sword-wielding crusader would be phased out.
But there was resistance among fans to changing the name of arguably the world’s most successful club rugby side, with a record tally of 10 Super Rugby titles, three of them won in the past three years.
The club said the review released Friday concluded that the name would stay, but that it would adopt the meaning of crusading for good, rather than the war-like meaning of the term.
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The new logo is a Maori tohu, or symbol, resembling a stylised letter ‘C’ in the club colours of red and black.
“Once we had a clear identity story, we needed to ensure we have a brand that accurately and authentically reflects that moving forward. The research showed us that the brand element people most strongly connected with was our colours – red and black. The whakatauki, ‘ma pango, ma whero, ka oti te mahi’ which speaks to the concept of ‘With black and with red we will achieve’ has become an inspiring proverb for us because of its relevance to what we stand for, and that is reflected in the new branding.” chief executive Colin Mansbridge said.
Crusaders chairman Grant Jarrold stated: “This brand review represents a significant body of work, that has looked into all aspects of our club’s identity, and has given us a much clearer picture of who we are, what we stand for, and how we are seen by others. This has helped to inform some important decisions about our brand going forward.”
Crusaders Head Coach Scott Robertson added: “When you’re a leader you’ve got to know where you’ve come from to know where you’re going, and the legacy of this club is a big part of who we are. This process has been invaluable in helping us to reaffirm where we’ve come from and to find a clear direction going forward. We look forward to taking this brand into the future with the people of the Crusaders region alongside us.”
The club will begin using the new logo immediately but it will not make an on-field debut until 2021, with next year’s kits simply carrying the Crusaders’ name.
Similar debates have raged in the United States over the names of sports teams with Native American associations, such as the Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians.
In 1997, the Washington Bullets basketball team became the Washington Wizards because then owner Abe Pollin did not want the side to have a name linked to violence.
