The 'Royals'isation of Reading FC

[Linden Jones' Tash]

I am wondering how people feel about the slow drift towards rebranding us as 'the Royals' rather than Reading FC.

Now it may be that because someone with connections mentioned to me in the Spring that because no one in Russia knows where or what Reading is, the new regime were keen on using the Royals moniker more prominently that it is becoming more obvious to me. The latest example is the F1 logo that is being used.

I used to be fairly anti the Royals nickname... Its pretty rubbish in my opinion, but as I am older and wiser, I don't really care that much - I do like the biscuitmen for its historical connotations.

I also noticed that a new commercial director has been hired who'se background appears to be in global brand building and sponsorship, some expect the use of the Royals nomenclature to grow.

Any thoughts on this?

[SPARTA]

Couldn't care less in all honesty. Most United fans prefer being called United than Manchester United. Middlesbrough fans prefer being called The Boro, and so on. The only thing I dislike about our nickname being on F1 cars and the like is that people from abroad wont initially recognise The Royals as being Reading Football Club, so in that sense I'm not sure how great an idea it is. For me I'd have rather seen Reading FC with the badge below it.

[Optimist]

I like our nickname, and I'm all for expanding our "global image", but I want to support a club, not a brand. So I've no problems with "The Royals" appearing on the new shirts and the Marussia cars, but I'd like it to not go much further than that.

(I imagine the marketing dudes have decided to chuck the word "Royals" about because it's something the global market will recognise/associate with the UK what with the Royal Family 'n all, so it kinda makes sense).

[Geekins]

Yeah the Royals suck. I would never go on a website where i have to type Royals, e.g. www.royals.org.

[One8Seven1]

Thumbs down for The Royals as a brand name. No-one outside of the UK will any idea who The Royals are and most will assume it's a link to the British Royal Family. It should be Reading FC or Reading Football Club with the badge thrown in somewhere.

[Clyde1998]

I've Googled the word "Royals":

In order of what comes up:

• Hob Nob Anyone? (Reading FC Reference 1)
• Official Website of the British Monarchy
• Royal Cars Private Hire
• Royal Cars Private Hire (Contact Us)
• News for "Royals"
• Oxford Royals Netball Club
• Royals Rendezvous (Reading FC Reference 2)
• Dirty Royals (MySpace)
• Young Royals (Reading FC Website) (Reading FC Reference 3)
• Royal Shakespeare Company
• Witney Royals FC

Three Reading FC links in eleven pages on the first page. Not too bad...

[Judge Drenthe]

So HNA? stand to gain the most from the Royals branding!

[Alexander Litvinenko]

So HNA? stand to gain the most from the Royals branding!

Unless the club decide they want the domain name all for themselves one day .....

[Judge Drenthe]

So HNA? stand to gain the most from the Royals branding!

Unless the club decide they want the domain name all for themselves one day .....

It was tongue in cheek, Jon.

[10539.4 Miles Away]

As I posted on the marussia thread have a look at royals.co.uk

[Clyde1998]

As I posted on the marussia thread have a look at royals.co.uk

What do they want it for?

[TheLawnMowerMan]

I am wondering how people feel about the slow drift towards rebranding us as 'the Royals' rather than Reading FC.

I'm not sure that there is anything slow about it.
However - I don't care less.

[AbovetheI]

I've Googled the word "Royals":

In order of what comes up:

• Hob Nob Anyone? (Reading FC Reference 1)
• Official Website of the British Monarchy
• Royal Cars Private Hire
• Royal Cars Private Hire (Contact Us)
• News for "Royals"
• Oxford Royals Netball Club
• Royals Rendezvous (Reading FC Reference 2)
• Dirty Royals (MySpace)
• Young Royals (Reading FC Website) (Reading FC Reference 3)
• Royal Shakespeare Company
• Witney Royals FC

Three Reading FC links in eleven pages on the first page. Not too bad...

You lie

[Clyde1998]

I've Googled the word "Royals":

In order of what comes up:

• Hob Nob Anyone? (Reading FC Reference 1)
• Official Website of the British Monarchy
• Royal Cars Private Hire
• Royal Cars Private Hire (Contact Us)
• News for "Royals"
• Oxford Royals Netball Club
• Royals Rendezvous (Reading FC Reference 2)
• Dirty Royals (MySpace)
• Young Royals (Reading FC Website) (Reading FC Reference 3)
• Royal Shakespeare Company
• Witney Royals FC

Three Reading FC links in eleven pages on the first page. Not too bad...

You lie

[cpmurph]

I consider myself a Republican so I've always disliked the nickname. At the end of the day, though, it doesn't really matter that much...


Plus the 'Come on you Royals' is easier than 'Come on you Biscuitmen'

[TheLawnMowerMan]

Search results on Google differ on many different factors.
Location, web activity are just two.

[Green]

Exactly, says more about google's targeting than your beloved football team I'm afraid. They're good at this search stuff.

Same search on duckduckgo.com (where you are not tracked and everyone the world over sees the same results) sees the Kansas City Royals take 9 of the top 10, and a dictionary definition the other.

[Green]

Anyway, re the OP - yeh it's down to commercialism, it's a little tacky and lacks historical connection - suits us perfectly.

[Elm Park Kid]

Exactly, says more about google's targeting than your beloved football team I'm afraid. They're good at this search stuff.

Same search on duckduckgo.com (where you are not tracked and everyone the world over sees the same results) sees the Kansas City Royals take 9 of the top 10, and a dictionary definition the other.

I see that even on duckduckgo, HNA (31st result) comes before any link to Reading FC.

[kwik-silva]

Exactly, says more about google's targeting than your beloved football team I'm afraid. They're good at this search stuff.

Same search on duckduckgo.com (where you are not tracked and everyone the world over sees the same results) sees the Kansas City Royals take 9 of the top 10, and a dictionary definition the other.

I see that even on duckduckgo, HNA (31st result) comes before any link to Reading FC.

It would surely be well worth the club investing a bit and getting themselves a bit higher in the search rankings.