The owners of Hull City have decided that they will change the club’s name from Hull City AFC to Hull City Tigers.
In an interview with the Hull Daily Mail, club owner Assem Allam revealed:
“Hull City is irrelevant. My dislike for the word ‘City’ is because it is common. City is also associated with Leicester, Bristol, Manchester and many other clubs.
“In the commercial world, the shorter the name, the better. The more it can spread quickly.
“It is about identity. City is a lousy identity. Hull City Association Football Club is so long.”
Plenty of other clubs in England and Wales have Association Football Club (AFC) in their name. Swansea City AFC is just one of many examples, but Hull City owner Allam has decided to ditch the history and tradition. The Yorkshire club has been known as Hull City AFC since the year it was established in 1904.
Hull City, who are managed by Steve Bruce, have gone back to their yellow and black stripes in their home kit for this upcoming season.
What’s next? Will other clubs change their names to Derby Rams, Cardiff Dragons, Norwich Canaries and so forth? In my opinion, it cheapens the brand.
What’s your opinion about the decision by Hull City? Are you a traditionalist who prefers that clubs stick with their history, or do you see the Tigers name as a smart marketing move by the club to make the team name easier to remember and more appealing? Share your views in the comments section below.
