Wednesday 6 June 2012

Red-Hot Bluebirds, Cool-Blue Addicks?

I have been following the heated debate in south Wales in recent weeks as Cardiff City have raised the prospect of changing their club colour from blue to red. My immediate reaction was "April Fool" but apparently not. The Malaysian owners are keen on the switch to red as it is considered a "lucky" colour in Asia and they want to introduce a Dragon to the club Bluebird badge.


There is a logic to making this change that says mirroring the national colour and emblem should have it's supporters but meddling with a club's heritage and traditions is never easy. Today on Radio 5, City's Chief Exec made a weak defence for the move and claimed it was worth £100m to the club. He then had to justify this and struggled badly saying that the takeover, investment and other planned funding would come to "nearly £100m," sounding disingenuous. They appear to be going for it come what may and you have to question whatever element of their sponsorship for the new strip will outweigh the thousands who will refuse to buy it. I have now seen the new badge and retaining the Bluebird looks to me like a hard-fought and possibly short-lived concession. What do you think?




News today (received by email four times it was so exciting) that we have concluded a one year shirt sponsorship with Andrews Air Conditioning, part of the Andrew Sykes Group. Once again there is no value mentioned but presumably it's closer to £100,000 than £100,000,000. I suppose we should be grateful they aren't insisting we switch to "Sykes" blue and have a large pump above the sword on our badge! Andrews Air Conditioning reminds of when Preston were sponsored by Baxi Boliers, not exactly blue-chip corporate but I suppose beggars can't be choosers and they do have SE7 heritage. If, like me, you would support anyone who supports our club, you could always let them know it at http://www.andrews-sykes.com/info/sponsorship/ by leaving them an appropriate comment.

Having Nike as a shirt manufacturer must make shirt sponsorship more attractive. Co-branding with Nike has to be a major step up from Macron? I hope the curse of being Charlton shirt sponsors has been broken by KRBS (they are still in business) and that this deal doesn't mean another washout Summer!

5 comments:

  1. Remember when Leeds were called the Peacocks because they played in blue and yellow and when Don Revie arrived he changed the strip to all white to emulate Real Madrid. Perhaps Cardiff changing to red is offer "homage" to the Mighty Addicks!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anon - I had forgotten the Peacocks! With hindsight, what a perfect name. Changing your strip to emulate Real Madrid? Irony is wasted on some people.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sykes have sponsored Charlton for as long as i can remember (in some shape or form). Regular matchday sponsors, half way line executive box. Met their director a number of times and he is Charlton through and through. Used to leave the executive box and its guests to take his seat in the North Stand.
    Nice to see a sponsor that actually likes the club rather than the razzamatazz that goes with sponsorship.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tony - I like the idea of the boss leaving the Executive box for the North Stand! Presumably with new-found status he will feel obliged to remain in the West with the knobs? It would be great to think he would keep his seat - presumably North Upper close to the drums!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unfortunately money talks nowadays. I wouldnt be at all happy if my club changed it's badge & colours. It's our identity. "Hammers, Irons" if the survival of a club is in the hands of foreign investors then I'm afraid it's something that will happen in the future.

    ReplyDelete

Go on, you know you want to....