Crusaders likely to tone down imagery as name debate continues
The conversation over rebranding Super Rugby's most decorated franchise continues but there is likely to be some change when the Crusaders play their first home match since last month's deadly shootings.
For 23 years the name was a source of nothing but pride in Christchurch. It was the uncontroversial identity of a franchise that claims, with some justification, to be the most successful non-national professional rugby team in the world.
However, the city was changed forever on March 15 when 50 people were killed and dozens more injured by a suspected white supremacist during Friday prayers at two Christchurch mosques.
The Crusaders name was adopted by the Canterbury Rugby Union and five neighbouring provinces when rugby went professional in 1996. The team logo has always featured a sword-wielding knight, while pre-match entertainment at home games has traditionally involved horsemen dressed in chain mail riding around the pitch.
There looks certain to be at least some change when the Crusaders host the Brumbies, with chief executive Colin Mansbridge suggesting the mounted knights would be given the evening off.
"It's not unequivocal yet, but they're unlikely to be there and the game will reflect the occasion," Mansbridge said.
After the wave of self-examination that swept New Zealand after the attacks, it looks like there might now be nominative change afoot for the nine-time champions.
The juxtaposition of a city embracing those impacted by the attacks with a nickname that recalls medieval wars between Christians and Muslims was quickly recognised on social media with some calling for the Crusaders to be renamed.
The country's sports minister Grant Robertson said it was a "responsible action" to reconsider the name and the Crusaders, after initially saying it merely reflected "the crusading spirit of this community", agreed to at least discuss it.
While the Crusaders said last week they were still considering a time frame and process, several fans attending last week's win over the Hurricanes in Wellington were of the view that it was "just a name", albeit one they wanted to keep.
"I think that they have to have a chat to the Muslim community and ask 'are you OK with this?'," said Scott Wilson, a decorator from Christchurch.
"I don't think they should change (but) I think it might have been more prudent to think about the name before they adopted it."
While the name change has been debated widely in the rugby-mad country, Muslim groups have not engaged.
The Federation of Islamic associations of New Zealand did not respond to requests for comment.
Rebranding an organisation as successful as the Crusaders should not be too challenging as long as it was recognised from the start that they could not please everyone, according to marketing academic and branding consultant Michael Lee.
"If the team culture is healthy and they do a lot of good things for society and their community then you don't want to change that. All you do is change the name," Lee, an associate professor at the University of Auckland, said.
"You still have the same values - you're a stand-up citizen, do the right thing, help out when needed, all those sorts of values and the brand essence can stay the same, so in this situation it is really just changing the name."
The national conversation about underlying racism in New Zealand triggered by the mosque shootings could also help ease any name transition, he added.
"Within the current climate, I can see why this rebranding has a little bit more impetus to it than other brands," Lee said.
"There are going to be people who are really annoyed ... but New Zealand is very open-minded and progressive."
Reuters