Logo campaigners issue statement as Exeter bin controversial branding
Exeter Chiefs For Change, the group that has campaigned against the club’s use of Native American iconography in their logos, say they are ‘overwhelmed’ with the new kit design.
Exeter are set to rebrand themselves this year in line with the ‘Celtic Iron Age Dumnonii Tribe’ after deciding to abandon the controversial Native American theme that has provoked fierce criticism.
The new identity, including a change to their logo, will take effect from July and while the ‘Chiefs’ nickname is being retained, the club said it will be now be aligned with a “poignant and significant nod to the past”.
The Celtic Iron Age Dumnonii Tribe encompassed an area covering Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset for centuries before the Roman occupation from 43AD.
The rebrand is set to cost Exter in the region of £500,000.
Not everyone is happy with the rebranding, with Exeter CEO Tony Rowe suggesting more of their fans wanted to keep the current branding than not.
Chiefs fans have repeatedly been asked by opposition clubs not to wear the symbolic headdress to their grounds, while the National Congress of American Indians wrote to chairman Tony Rowe last year to say that the current branding “harms native people through the offensive stereotypes it promotes”.
“We are excited to welcome in the next era of rugby within Exeter. Exeter has and always will be the most important term in our overall identity,” Rowe said.
“The term Chiefs, however, is equally entrenched in our make-up, going back to over a century ago when teams in this region would regularly call their first teams that of the Chiefs. We are Exeter, we are the Chiefs!
“As a rugby club we have been willing to listen, we have consulted far and wide, and now we are ready to invoke change.
“This is a new direction for our great club, but equally it’s an exciting vision that I’ve no doubt will propel us onwards and upwards over time.
“Our new imagery will bring to life the pride our supporters have to support their club, unifying us all under one brand that underlines all of our core traditions.”
Exeter, the 2020 Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup double winners, first officially became known as the Chiefs in 1999 but have had links with the nickname for decades.
Their mascot ‘Big Chief’ was retired last year as opposition to the branding intensified.
In addition to their new association with the Celtic Iron Age Dumnonii Tribe, Exeter are also drawing from the history of the ‘Celtic Kingdom of Dumnonia’, which was established around AD 410 and lasted almost five centuries.
“The change in identity comes in the wake of the Exeter board undertaking a full and informative review process over the past two years,” a club statement read.
“In launching the new imagery, detailed submissions, together with extensive historical research from leading professionals, have been undertaken to ensure the club have a brand that not only recognises our traditions but, more importantly, identifies with our supporters and the region itself.”
Rowe has revealed that the cost to Exeter of making the change is in excess of £500,000 at a time when Premiership clubs are facing financial hardship because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m guessing at the moment because we still haven’t had all the stuff back, but it’s going to be close to half a million pounds at least to do a brand change,” Rowe said.
“We’ve had to struggle in the last couple of years with Covid, to get the money to keep us alive and to keep us here.
“So it’s going to be a big challenge, but we like big challenges at Exeter Rugby so we will do it.
“Two years ago there was a petition with about 7,000 people saying you should change your logo. We also had a petition that raised nearly 10,000 saying don’t change.
“It’s where you sit, but the board decided the time was right to change.”
The Exeter Chiefs for Change Twitter account said that the Chiefs “can now put the controversy behind them”, posting: “Our faith in the club has been restored today and we are overwhelmed with excitement at the new identity for the club – one that celebrates Devon’s own rich history and gives us even more reason to be proud of our club and our region.
“Exeter Chiefs can now put the controversy behind them as we focus on moving onwards and upwards to the next great era in the club’s history. The club has always been so much more than its branding: there was a long history before the Native branding and there will be a long future after it.
"We are overwhelmed with excitement at the new identity for the club" ??
Please see our statement regarding @ExeterChiefs decision to rebrand below ?#ChangedTheChief pic.twitter.com/7UJqq7TTl8— Exeter Chiefs For Change (@ExChiefs4Change) January 27, 2022
“It’s entirely right that. as we learn more about the impact of the things we are doing, we have the strength of character to take that on board and change. Indigenous peoples have long said they are not respected nor honoured by the Native imagery and scientific studies have shown it contributes to some of the ongoing challenges Indigenous peoples face, so we’re relieved that those concerns have been listened to and acted upon.
“We’re really excited to be getting back to just enjoying the rugby – even if that is a cold afternoon at London Irish at the weekend!”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments