The Rivalry Begins: West Sydney "brand campaign" launch at Sydney V Geelong Game

[MRryan]

So the rivalry begins...

Swans Fuming over turf grab

SWANS officials are secretly fuming over the AFL's audacious plan to launch the brand of cross-town rivals western Sydney before their most important clash of the season.

In a move to cash in on an expected crowd of 50,000 at ANZ Stadium, the AFL intends to hijack the Swans' drawing power and launch the new brand campaign for the western Sydney team, which will enter the league in 2012.
More than 500 people representing 60 businesses have been invited to attend the launch before the first bounce of the Swans' clash with Geelong. Just like the GC17 brand launched on the Gold Coast last year, the new logo is aimed at giving western Sydney a presence in rugby league heartland and the toughest sporting market in the country.

Should the Swans be helping support the "brand launch" of the West Sydney AFL club who will soon be their fierce rivals? Or is it fair enough that the new Sydney footy club activities should for now revolve around the Sydney Swans brand?

 

[krusden]

So the rivalry begins...


Should the Swans be helping support the "brand launch" of the West Sydney AFL club who will soon be their fierce rivals? Or is it fair enough that the new Sydney footy club activities should for now revolve around the Sydney Swans brand?

the swans should be fuming! i reckon they're going to be seeing themselves as the "lesser of two sydney teams" with stuff like this happening.

Launch should be done separately to have both teams as separate entities from Day One or else the sydney public may be a little

 

[damochandler]

the swans should be fuming! i reckon they're going to be seeing themselves as the "lesser of two sydney teams" with stuff like this happening.

Launch should be done separately to have both teams as separate entities from Day One or else the sydney public may be a little

they want to get new fans dont they. they shouldnt be trying to sway swans fans tom come over and join the new team. go after people the havent the game before.

 

[Edward Teach]

Why is it always the 'toughest sporting market in Australia'? Surveys have shown the area to have an average to below average love of sport in general and certainly in terms of RL nowhere near the %'s that love say AFL in Adelaide. I think this term is used to give any possible failure by the AFL an excuse. The AFL should be following the EPL model rather than the welfare team handout method that the commo Demetriou loves.

 

[AstroboyUK]

You can take several views of this:

1. given the level of support and promotion the Swans have received, and the 'cross they have to bear' being the only AFL brand in Sydney they cant really complain that the AFL is promoting the new team (that wont be playing for 2 years) at their game. Strategically one of the key purposes of West Sydney is to grow the game overall in that market and give the Swans a rival to inflame passions. No one can argue it has to be a 'WS love-fest', but the sucess of West Sydney is in the Swans long term interest: this far out from WS taking the field they should be co-operative at least, supportive at best.

2. Hee Hee: look the rivalry has started already and the Swans are doing exactly the right thing by marking its territory and growling at the new enemy. Hopefully someone from WS will say something nasty back. This is exactly the plan. good stuff.

3. Its the Swans home game, it's the swan's supporters and corporates: the Swans may miss the finals this year; dont take their Oxygen when they need every bit they can get.

I lean towards 1 & 2 to be honest. Interested to know Swannies fans views.

 

[AG]

Meh, I'd be interested to see how West Sydney go about their marketing campaign but what kind of Swans fan would switch to West Sydney anyway?

 

[bedford]

Meh, I'd be interested to see how West Sydney go about their marketing campaign but what kind of Swans fan would switch to West Sydney anyway?

Traitor dogs

 

[cammo78]

this will not work...the NBL tried it and no-one gave two s**ts that two sydney-based teams had a (contrived) rivalry...

 

[jerry springer]

doubtful that they will get 50k to that game

And the whole idea sounds like robbing Peter to pay Paul

 

[InformedOpinion]

Ultimately the second team will be of great benefit to the SSFC, so I will be keen to see what they come up with on Saturday night.

Bring it on.

 

[My North]

looking foward to the Sydney vs West Sydney clash in 2012.

 

[Spluff]

this will not work...the NBL tried it and no-one gave two s**ts that two sydney-based teams had a (contrived) rivalry...

Who gives two shits about anything in the NBL? That league is a joke.

 

[Rob]

Public slanging matches can only mean more publicity. Bring it on.

 

[tonk]

If it gets people interested, great, if it builds animosity between the two clubs, great.

 

[SydneyGoose]

The only way that a West Sydney Rivalry will become reality is if WS18 is supported by Westies. If it is, I will do my duty as someone from Northern Sydney and Hate them on spec.

I imagine the idea behind this launch is to get the attention of the people who have come from the west to see some AFL but aren't really Swans supporters. Half decent Idea, just glad it's not Mickey O's 300th if they're going to Hijack the mainstream media for the night.

 

[SM]

The bogans vs the snobs is how I suspect this rivalry will boil down, and I'll happily boo the bogans come 2012. Can't wait.

 

[SydneyGoose]

Yeah, maybe if we can build that rivalry up we can actually get the private schools to get their heads out their arses and put together a decent AR comp. At Pats we had the numbers for a team in each year but never got one 'cause I HM couldn't be bothered to find someone for us to play!

 

[SM]

Same at Grammar, we had a team a few years back only because a teacher put it together on his own time. We played teams like Shore and Knox who we thrashed, and then also played Riverview who are actually a decent side, DESTROYED us.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Meh, I'd be interested to see how West Sydney go about their marketing campaign but what kind of Swans fan would switch to West Sydney anyway?

You had one called mickdog who was keen to kill North in 2007 who openly said he'd abandon the SWans for WS.

 

[AG]

You had one called mickdog who was keen to kill North in 2007 who openly said he'd abandon the SWans for WS.

I suppose a few will switch. Just like a few will switch from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

 

[SydneyGoose]

Becaussie is gonna switch, and I don't care if people switch as long as the rivalry etc. grows the game because we can probably affor to lose a couple thousand in the long run because the growth will gain us more than that.

 

[snrub]

You had one called mickdog who was keen to kill North in 2007 who openly said he'd abandon the SWans for WS.

Wonder whatever happened to that flog. He didn't do much for the image of Swans supporters.

 

[Lucev23]

Has the logo been released yet?

 

[CarnThePiesfor09]

Same at Grammar, we had a team a few years back only because a teacher put it together on his own time. We played teams like Shore and Knox who we thrashed, and then also played Riverview who are actually a decent side, DESTROYED us.

See that's why public schools are great. At KHS I played AFL every thursday for the school team. Best part was you could be really physical and occasionally throw a few punches and not get in trouble

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Becaussie is gonna switch, and I don't care if people switch as long as the rivalry etc. grows the game because we can probably affor to lose a couple thousand in the long run because the growth will gain us more than that.

Its an interesting one that. I find it weird you could go for one team in full anticipation you'll be abandoning it soon for another.

I suppose its a situation I have no experience of though.