Melbourne City kit change will mirror Manchester City’s blue

[daniboi]

From Saturday's Herald Sun.  IMHO......Finally!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

MELBOURNE City maintains it is not about to completely ditch its red and white Melbourne Heart roots.

But a long-anticipated switch to an all “City Blue” kit — akin to that worn by parent club Manchester City — appears inevitable for season 2017-18.

For the upcoming season City fans can expect their team to appear in a mostly similar kit worn in the past two campaigns, before the “brand and primary colour refresh” is implemented next year.

The change will come ahead of a 2017-18 season in which the A-League as a whole will undergo a major revamp, with logo and other sweeping changes to the look and feel of the competition expected.

City has long campaigned for the ability to wear blue, but initial attempts to make the switch when it transitioned from the Heart moniker in 2014 were scuppered by complaints from Sydney FC — which also wears the colour.

But Football Federation Australia chief David Gallop said the decision to finally approve the push at a board meeting last week was a “common sense” approach.

“Obviously (Sydney’s) concerns were taken on board, but we felt the competition had evolved to a point where there are a number of uses of light blue in the competition apart from Sydney FC,” Gallop said.

“And the global identity of Manchester City perhaps wasn’t being fully utilised in a situation where their strip was a hybrid of white and city blue.

“We just felt that it’s a smart move for the A-League to embrace that global identity and allow them to play in their home strip in city blue.

“A lot of their training gear, their socks — even their net — so many things were that colour anyway, so it seemed right in a common sense way to allow things to evolve to the point where they can now play in their home strip.”

City, when advertising recently for a new membership and ticketing sales manager, indicated it is targeting a 45 per cent membership growth this season, which would take it to 14,500.

The retention of red and white has long been a bone of contention among Heart diehards, but it would be hoped that the club’s apparent willingness to maintain that nod to its history will keep those fans onside.

Gallop said the distinction made between Sydney’s “Sky Blue” and Melbourne’s “City blue” was about terminology rather than literal colour.

“Manchester City have made it clear that Sky Blue is not an expression they’re interested in, city blue is,” he said.

“No one’s saying it’s going to be completely easy, but it seems right to have got to this point.”

 

[Chris p]

They want a war they'll get one

[Dylan]

2 minutes ago, Chris p said:

They want a war they'll get one

Will it be as effective as the 'Keep the Red and White' campaign? 

[AntiScum]

City starting to flex its muscles .....

[jw1739]

This is pretty much old news about the colours isn't it? Covered by FFA 1-2 weeks ago. The membership target intrigues me though. Not sure quite how they're aiming to get that sort of increase unless it's by some startling player news in the next couple of weeks.

[AntiScum]

7 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

This is pretty much old news about the colours isn't it? Covered by FFA 1-2 weeks ago. The membership target intrigues me though. Not sure quite how they're aiming to get that sort of increase unless it's by some startling player news in the next couple of weeks.

45% is a massive number and the only way thats remotely achievable is bring out massive names

[daniboi]

One of the reasons I'm glad it's finally be cleared by the FFA is that the issue would fester for years until it finally happened.

I'm a Geordie fan but from a marketing perspective the movement to Sky Blue makes complete sense.

 

[jw1739]

"City blue", not "sky blue."

[MattN]

Surely we won't be referred to as the "City blues" like Sydney are the "Sky blues" FFS

[SF33]

1 hour ago, daniboi said:

From Saturday's Herald Sun.  IMHO......Finally!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But Football Federation Australia chief David Gallop said the decision to finally approve the push at a board meeting last week was a “common sense” approach.

 

“Obviously (Sydney’s) concerns were taken on board, but we felt the competition had evolved to a point where there are a number of uses of light blue in the competition apart from Sydney FC,” Gallop said.

“And the global identity of Manchester City perhaps wasn’t being fully utilised in a situation where their strip was a hybrid of white and city blue.

 

“We just felt that it’s a smart move for the A-League to embrace that global identity and allow them to play in their home strip in city blue.

 

“A lot of their training gear, their socks — even their net — so many things were that colour anyway, so it seemed right in a common sense way to allow things to evolve to the point where they can now play in their home strip.”

 

To be blunt: what utter shit from Gallop.

What, exactly has changed? What meant that it was impossible, that Sydney's argument was far too compelling in 2014/15, but good to go in 2017/18? Since a lot of our training gear for last season was navy blue, does that mean that if City Blue was pretty much the same colour as Victory's home shirt, we could have two teams in Melbourne in navy blue?

I really don't care if our home shirt is sky blue or white, but I just have an issue with listening to this crap. And I'll never understand why CFG actually cares what we wear at our home games, as long as we have a sky blue kit to take the obligatory promo shots in.

[AntiScum]

7 minutes ago, SF33 said:

To be blunt: what utter shit from Gallop.

What, exactly has changed? What meant that it was impossible, that Sydney's argument was far too compelling in 2014/15, but good to go in 2017/18? Since a lot of our training gear for last season was navy blue, does that mean that if City Blue was pretty much the same colour as Victory's home shirt, we could have two teams in Melbourne in navy blue?

I really don't care if our home shirt is sky blue or white, but I just have an issue with listening to this crap. And I'll never understand why CFG actually cares what we wear at our home games, as long as we have a sky blue kit to take the obligatory promo shots in.

Gallop is nothing short of an absolute fuckwit. The sooner his gone the better. CFG aint no mugs and it WILL be there way or the highway, if the FFA want city to prop the league up and make the morons at the FFA look good they might want to lube up in a hurry!!

 

It was very much anti CFG to begin with but how the tides have turned!!

[kingofhearts]

Was always going to happen.

At least now we'll have a proper kit instead of this white kit with two blue lines down it that nobody gives a fuck about.

As soon as we changed to Melbourne City, we all knew this was inevitable . To think people are blind sighted by this amazes me.

It's time to embrace that CFG are going to do everything in their power to make this club successful. Even though we may lose some identity (compared to the identity of melbourne heart, which was being fucking shit) CFG are actually willing to invest in this club. Lets get behind the people willing to do everything in their power to make us successful.

[hakz7]

2 hours ago, Dylan said:

Will it be as effective as the 'Keep the Red and White' campaign? 

Thought you were @cadete for a second lol

[strider]

time to start looking like a proper franchise 

[Torn Asunder]

FFA have finally realised there's a new boss in town. Time to sit back and enjoy the show

[Jestr]

i don't get why people keep hanging shit on Keep the Red and White' campaign.

At the time those who were desperate to hold on to the old colours did what they could instead of sitting on the arse just whining like most here.

it didn't work because in modern football money is more important than football supporters and their views.

What we do doesn't matter.

so get your seat cityzen, cover yourself in blue and sing for your franchise  

 

[KSK_47]

13 minutes ago, Jestr said:

i don't get why people keep hanging shit on Keep the Red and White' campaign.

At the time those who were desperate to hold on to the old colours did what they could instead of sitting on the arse just whining like most here.

it didn't work because in modern football money is more important than football supporters and their views.

What we do doesn't matter.

so get your seat cityzen, cover yourself in blue and sing for your franchise  

 

Personally I think those who were involved with the campaign knew we would be wearing sky blue eventually., but as you say they wanted to make it clear that they were not happy about it, so they actually did something about it.

Because of it, CFG were forced to (in a way) expose themselves immediately and admit they cared more about branding than the club and what a lot of the most passionate existing supporters wanted. The actual point of the campaign was successful IMO

 

[CaNNaVo93]

25 minutes ago, Jestr said:

i don't get why people keep hanging shit on Keep the Red and White' campaign.

At the time those who were desperate to hold on to the old colours did what they could instead of sitting on the arse just whining like most here.

it didn't work because in modern football money is more important than football supporters and their views.

What we do doesn't matter.

so get your seat cityzen, cover yourself in blue and sing for your franchise  

 

Say what?

[Jimmy]

3 minutes ago, CaNNaVo93 said:

Say what?

That kit was thrown together last minute because our all sky blue home kit was rejected. Our current home kit was meant to be the away kit and as such it got upgraded to home kit status. The badge is what it is because a CFG bigwig saw Yarraside do a flag of melbourne pull over and he liked what he saw.

Unfortunately the keep the red and white campaign achieved nothing.

[CaNNaVo93]

38 minutes ago, Jimmy said:

That kit was thrown together last minute because our all sky blue home kit was rejected. Our current home kit was meant to be the away kit and as such it got upgraded to home kit status. The badge is what it is because a CFG bigwig saw Yarraside do a flag of melbourne pull over and he liked what he saw.

Unfortunately the keep the red and white campaign achieved nothing.

Yeah they noticed how we tied the flag of Melbourne to the then club colours and it made sense with the name change. Plus the tards identified themselves with another flag of their colours (Eureka). If CFG didn't give a shit about what the fans wanted, then our away would've been like NYCFCs first away kit or something different to not look alike. Then comes our 2nd season, new away kit, still red and white. If NYCFC still rep their orange, surely we will still rep our red. The difference being, NYCFC had no prior history besides the state flag to go by.

[Tony999]

Bring in the City Blue baby! Can't wait!

[jeffplz]

15 minutes ago, Tony999 said:

Bring in the City Blue baby! Can't wait!

City loyals rep

[KSK_47]

7 hours ago, Jimmy said:

Unfortunately the keep the red and white campaign achieved nothing.

Personally I think the campaign and CFG choosing to ignore it has been a huge contributing factor as to why so many Heart fans are apathetic towards City. I don't think it achieved nothing.

[Shahanga]

10 hours ago, Jestr said:

i don't get why people keep hanging shit on Keep the Red and White' campaign.

At the time those who were desperate to hold on to the old colours did what they could instead of sitting on the arse just whining like most here.

it didn't work because in modern football money is more important than football supporters and their views.

What we do doesn't matter.

so get your seat cityzen, cover yourself in blue and sing for your franchise  

 

I don't understand either.

i also don't understand why the mind set is "why did you try to fight, you were always going to lose".

So what? Shit that's worth fighting for, it's worth fighting for.

[jw1739]

9 hours ago, CaNNaVo93 said:

Yeah they noticed how we tied the flag of Melbourne to the then club colours and it made sense with the name change. Plus the tards identified themselves with another flag of their colours (Eureka). If CFG didn't give a shit about what the fans wanted, then our away would've been like NYCFCs first away kit or something different to not look alike. Then comes our 2nd season, new away kit, still red and white. If NYCFC still rep their orange, surely we will still rep our red. The difference being, NYCFC had no prior history besides the state flag to go by.

FWIW I agree with you. Even if "Keep Melbourne Red and White" wasn't the deciding factor in retaining red-and-white as our change kit it certainly didn't do any harm and almost certainly was one positive factor in the decision.
FWIW I also think it's time people moved on from the Heart days. We have new owners, they're showing every sign of sticking around, they've poured money into the club, and (whatever I think about it) they are building a global "City brand" based on a number of commonalities - one of which is "City blue." I think they would argue that they have been successful so far and point to the investment from China as a measure of that.
At least it hasn't taken Gallop and FFA too long to realise that their objection to "City blue" could not be sustained for long. IMO what FFA needs to do is stop micro-managing the 10 A-League clubs and concentrate on getting more investment into Australian football. If it has to come from overseas, which it probably does, well, so be it.

[pm37]

I think the change of heart by the FFA on our colours is by City bringing in Cahill and a big marquee player for this season so they get a big boost in TV ratings so the FFA can negotiate a big TV rights deal.

[Murfy1]

The Keep the Red and White campaign did produce positive/useful outcomes. The main one IMO being an answer to the question: what does CFG care about? The campaign provided CFG with a choice: show you care about the local supporters of this Melbourne club (by backing red and white), or support "brand alignment" with CFG's far off business interests in Manchester and New York (by making the club sky blue).

 

The outcome was crystal clear. CFG's concern for Melbourne City is that the club serves and assists the global interests of Manchester City, and the global City brand. Therefore, the club had to be renamed City, wear sky blue, and assist Manchester and New York with football issues (in one way, by scouting Australian talent, with players like Daniel Arzani trialing to join the Man City setup in Manchester, and in another way by helping New York and other City teams in what ways Melb City can, like giving Villa a pre-season run before the MLS season, as well as giving a bunch of the Man City youth team players a run in the 2014-15 pre-season). 

Instead of making Melbourne City a club that cares firstly about Melbourne's City's interests, such as having its own identity that's relevant to its location (through name, colours, and other markers), and by assisting our football team--for example, by us getting Man City youth team players on loan, or even just one player NYCFC or Man City player on loan, or by just making sure the club actually has its marquee spots and Visa spots full throughout the whole season (something Melbourne bloody Heart managed to do).

 

In fact, given that the FFA made this week's 2 announcements at the same time, first that Melb City can wear sky blue from 2017/18, and that Melb City can sign Tim Cahill as a guest player for next season, it provides real support to the reports late last year that Melbourne City wouldn't sign real marquees until the club was allowed to wear Man City's sky blue kit. This is seemingly another clear example of Man City and CFG's global interest overriding Melbourne City's interests; in this case Man City's branding interests potentially weakened Melb City's football interests, and actually undermined Melbourne City's chances to be successful on the pitch and win silverware.

 

 

Overall, I think Melbourne Heart supporters making their opinions heard was very useful, and it helped highlight what club CFG want Melbourne City to be.

 

It turns out CFG want Melbourne City first and foremost to always go out to bat for Man City and CFG--with their branding and football interests put first--and then second (only as an afterthought, a harsh critic might say) Melbourne City is allowed to try and make itself relevant to Melbourne, and is allowed to pursue its football interests of being successful on the pitch in Australia and Asia. Altogether, Melbourne Heart supporters could understandably be apathetic: they saw a club, Melbourne Heart, totally and constantly focus on Melbourne Heart and the club's interests (they just happened to suck at furthering and fulfilling the club's interests), and now they see Melbourne City, which clearly acts first to help Man City and CFG's global interests, and still can't be successful and win trophies in Australia. It's hard to be passionate about a club that isn't fully committed to playing for Melbourne, and then it's even harder to be passionate about that club if it isn't successful.

 

For what it's worth I'm still a supporter of Melbourne City and am signed up for next season. But the club really needs to do one of 2 things: 1) make itself more relevant to Melbourne (gain a clearer "identity", some might say), which it could do in all sorts of ways (e.g. sign more Melbourne born and based players, do more local grassroots football, or my favourite choice--give the supporters more influence and involvement with running the club; walkout songs, fan designed 3rd kits, sort out the use of tifos, etc..), or 2.) make itself more successful (seriously, 7 out of 10 A-League clubs have either won the Championship or the Premiership, and only Perth, Wellington and us have won nothing. It's rather embarrassing and uninspiring that a CFG owned club is going into its 7th season and the club has never won 1 of Australian football's 3 trophies, or even made a grand final).

I'll be keenly following the club next season. But IMO CFG and the club needs to do more to get more buy-in and support from supporters. Because right now it feels like the club isn't fully what it is supposed to be, and that's perhaps symbolised by the fact that the team plays in a "place-holder" home kit, with colours (mostly white) that nobody really wanted, that will be fully dumped in the season after next (2017-18).

Edited July 2, 2016 by Murfy1

[jw1739]

Murf, I'd guess that when you've tipped 27 million plus into a football club you'd be inclined to want that part of your business to be what you think is best for your overall business, and not worry too much about pissing off a few people along the way. That's the way business works - he who pays the piper calls the tune. You paint a very negative picture of what CFG has done for or to Melbourne Heart, ignore the work that both entities did and do in the community, relationships such as those with NQF and Tasmania, and I note with a somewhat wry chuckle your signature "14/14. Perfection" and its accompanying photograph.

[KSK_47]

31 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Murf, I'd guess that when you've tipped 27 million plus into a football club you'd be inclined to want that part of your business to be what you think is best for your overall business, and not worry too much about pissing off a few people along the way. 

This is very true. They were buying our license not our club. They effectively chose to erase our club and didn't care about pissing anyone off in the process. And its exactly why so many of us feel no real affection or trust for city.

As for your comments about the good they have done with relationships, community work etc (and they have done a lot of good) it doesnt amount for much if people dont have trust. Its like when politicians kiss babys. We know they aren't doing it because they genuinely care, they are doing it to strengthen their brand.

[heart_fan10]

CFG know if they do things their way they will be successful on and off the field. It's worked in Manchester, and will soon work in every other club.

They don't care if they lose 10 supporters by changing the colours. I don't even think it would phase them if they lost all the heart supporters. Eventually they'll have bigger crowds than heart ever did, and all of those people will be "city" supporters. 

Don't get me wrong I will always be a Melbourne heart supporter, but I've accepted this change because I know it will be for the better. There were times in these past 2 seasons under CFG where I felt keeping these "ties" to heart were actually holding the club back from progressing. It's definitely time to move on from those days, and I'm excited to see what this club is really capable of.

[thisphantomfortress]

9 minutes ago, heart_fan10 said:

CFG know if they do things their way they will be successful on and off the field. It's worked in Manchester, and will soon work in every other club.

They don't care if they lose 10 supporters by changing the colours. I don't even think it would phase them if they lost all the heart supporters. Eventually they'll have bigger crowds than heart ever did, and all of those people will be "city" supporters. 

Don't get me wrong I will always be a Melbourne heart supporter, but I've accepted this change because I know it will be for the better. There were times in these past 2 seasons under CFG where I felt keeping these "ties" to heart were actually holding the club back from progressing. It's definitely time to move on from those days, and I'm excited to see what this club is really capable of.

But the thing is it hasn't worked in Manchester, Man City get shit crowds and have one of the best squads in Europe 

[KSK_47]

11 minutes ago, heart_fan10 said:

CFG know if they do things their way they will be successful on and off the field. It's worked in Manchester, and will soon work in every other club.

They don't care if they lose 10 supporters by changing the colours. I don't even think it would phase them if they lost all the heart supporters. Eventually they'll have bigger crowds than heart ever did, and all of those people will be "city" supporters. 

Don't get me wrong I will always be a Melbourne heart supporter, but I've accepted this change because I know it will be for the better. There were times in these past 2 seasons under CFG where I felt keeping these "ties" to heart were actually holding the club back from progressing. It's definitely time to move on from those days, and I'm excited to see what this club is really capable of.

Absolutely they dont care. They have made that clear. The problem is, if you look at our crowds and membership numbers it seems the only people who are interested in the club are the very people they "dont care about losing".

I have accepted the changes. But with that acceptance i dont feel a close connection to the club any more. That may change with time but that's how i feel- and a lot of other people too.

[n i k o]

7 minutes ago, KSK_47 said:

Absolutely they dont care. They have made that clear. The problem is, if you look at our crowds and membership numbers it seems the only people who are interested in the club are the very people they "dont care about losing".

I have accepted the changes. But with that acceptance i dont feel a close connection to the club any more. That may change with time but that's how i feel- and a lot of other people too.

I think with all the changes and also unknowns of CFGs intentions it's been challenging to feel that same connection to the club. I think once the following season (2017/2018) comes along and we have our proper home kit and away kit* more supporters like yourself will know where you stand with the club and what it means to you. 

 

*Away kit will, by then, show the true intentions of CFG on their thoughts of the red and white and its part in the clubs identity

Edited July 2, 2016 by n i k o

[KSK_47]

1 minute ago, n i k o said:

I think with all the changes and also unknowns of CFGs intentions it's been challenging to feel that same connection to the club. I think once the following season (2017/2018) comes along and we have our proper home kit and away kit* mire supporters like yourself will know where you stand with the club and what it means to you. 

 

*Away kit will, by then, show the true intentions of CFG on their thoughts of the red and white and its part in the clubs identity

Even if the away does change and all ties to Heart are gone, i still may eventually grow to love city for what it is eventually anyway. 

But it just pisses me off when people say "well i am 100% behind city so everyone else should be too". Its not a simple matter of flicking a switch. 

[Murfy1]

2 hours ago, jw1739 said:

Murf, I'd guess that when you've tipped 27 million plus into a football club you'd be inclined to want that part of your business to be what you think is best for your overall business, and not worry too much about pissing off a few people along the way. That's the way business works - he who pays the piper calls the tune. You paint a very negative picture of what CFG has done for or to Melbourne Heart, ignore the work that both entities did and do in the community, relationships such as those with NQF and Tasmania, and I note with a somewhat wry chuckle your signature "14/14. Perfection" and its accompanying photograph.

CFG are fully entitled to run Melbourne City like a business. They can be coldly calculating if they want, and spend most of their time going about pursing their business interests, instead of building a successful and well supported football club.

 

But I'm a football supporter. TBH I don't really care too much about the owners or their business interests: I just want to follow a football team where everyone at the football club is trying damn hard to make the football team successful. I'm interested in what works for a football club; I'm not interested in the way business works.

 

I'm just speaking honestly. I have some skepticism about CFG's motives and interests with regards to running Melbourne City. I believe football clubs should have a lot of respect for their football supporters--arguably their main stakeholder. I don't like Modern Football's self-interested billionaire ownership model, as seen with Clive Palmer, where the football club (e.g. Gold Coast United) is often used as a tool to advance other interests (e.g. the business Queensland Nickel, a business owned by Palmer, which was long the main front of shirt sponsor of GCU). And in many ways the CFG model with Melbourne City is Modern Football Plus: it isn't just the case of a rich ownership group advancing business interests--it's a rich ownership group using Melbourne City to advance the interests of another football club (Man City).

 

For what it's worth my qualms aren't so much with CFG and Man City. My criticism are more to do with the "one football club owning another model". I'm starting to think it has some inherent problems.

 

With regards to the good things CFG have done, a party can do good things and still have bad motives or interests (like with the politician kissing a baby example. Another example is a rich multinational corporation doing some token community programs to deflect from some pernicious aspects of their general business). 

I am highly appreciate of what CFG have done with regard's to Melbourne City's women's team. It is perhaps the best thing they have done for this club IMO. At the same time, I don't think they did anything especially difficult by building a successful W-League team (most W-League clubs owners spend less than $150,000 on their whole squads. It's amazing they all manage to field teams week after week).

 

Perhaps CFG have decided that they can wait for Melbourne Heart supporters to become disinterested and go away, and then they can build a club with supporters that have only ever known the brand-aligned CFG owned Melbourne City FC. Maybe they don't want any Melbourne Heart supporters to stick around. I don't know. But I don't think the club has included supporters with the club's affairs to the extent WSW has, which had fan forums to get supporter input and make them feel directly connected to the club. 

 

Anyway I'm tipping there to be lots of changes with Melbourne City over the next 12 or 18 months, so I guess I and other supporters will know where we stand with the club by then. I'm just hoping that the club respects the supporters, and that it doesn't become the very worst things associated with Modern Football.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Murfy1

[n i k o]

Just now, KSK_47 said:

Even if the away does change and all ties to Heart are gone, i still may eventually grow to love city for what it is eventually anyway. 

But it just pisses me off when people say "well i am 100% behind city so everyone else should be too". Its not a simple matter of flicking a switch. 

I know the very kind. While I understand their angle on it many of them simply don't get the counter arguement. Speaking from experience I find patience is imperative when having these discussions  

[Jacques Le Cube]

1 hour ago, heart_fan10 said:

CFG know if they do things their way they will be successful on and off the field. It's worked in Manchester, and will soon work in every other club.

I'm not sure if it is that simple, Manchester City is the only CFG team where football is the priority.

With regards to Melbourne City, branding and exposure are more important to CFG than anything that happens on the pitch.

[heart_fan10]

2 hours ago, thisphantomfortress said:

But the thing is it hasn't worked in Manchester, Man City get shit crowds and have one of the best squads in Europe 

Well actually the stats for 15/16 season Manchester city averaged the 3rd best crowd attendance behind Manchester utd and Arsenal (whose stadiums both have a higher capacity)

Edited July 2, 2016 by heart_fan10

[M13]

2 hours ago, thisphantomfortress said:

But the thing is it hasn't worked in Manchester, Man City get shit crowds and have one of the best squads in Europe 

I´d love to know your definition of a good crowd..?

Man City average attendance 54,041   Capacity 55,097

[NewConvert]

Here is an evil though - could we be witnessing the rise of the sporting club without having a natural fan base? That is the equivalent of fabricated pop produced by the likes of Simon Cowell and delivered by the One Directions of this world. There have always been pop fakes who sell a lot of records but once their 15 minutes are up no one remembers them. Could this be happening to sport?