Scotty Donaldson looks at the Highlanders new green uniform from the persective of the Highlanders management in an attempt to understand the rationale for changing the Highlanders uniform.
I find it amazing that Highlanders fans have become more fired up and supportive of their team changing their uniforms from blue, gold and maroon to green than they have been over the past five years. The Highlanders recent history is poor and their support matches that with small crowds showing up to watch the bottom New Zealand team in recent years.
They finally brought in a new management structure and offices, a new coaching team and a new home ground at Forsyth Barr stadium in what some would call "Re-branding". Out with the old and stale regime and everything it stood for and in with the new. This latest change of jersey is the next stage in this "Re-branding". It is a business these days and this confirms it. Most struggling businesses make changes and this often includes office location, management and uniforms.
Why wear green?
Green represents the lush green southern pastures and nature which is a big part of the southern area. The funny thing is that this change of colour to green would identify itself with the area, when ironically blue, gold and maroon did that.
It is a professional franchise game where the teams are no longer the Otago Highlanders and instead they are the Highlanders. They are loosely associated with the Otago rugby team which has been so terrible in recent years and since been surpassed by Southland player representation. The Highlanders play in the Super Rugby competition to Otago and Southland who play in the ITM Cup. It is just a team name and no longer represents the region. Half the squad and the coach come from outside the region anyway, and the change to a new strip shows this. The main fear for fans is that the franchise will be moved away from the southern area one day, is this on the cards?
But why now?
It seems strange to change the jerseys with three rounds left of the Super Rugby competition. It is the last game at Carisbrook and maybe this signifies this. Another reason could be that they are playing three teams who wear blue (Force, Waratahs and Blues) in their last three games? Although I think the maroon away jersey would suffice. Maybe they want to boost money by selling more jerseys, given that the existing Super Rugby jersey just got released earlier this season. It will also create new interest in viewing the game on Friday night? Or is this a publicity stunt?
I wonder if other teams will follow suit and try to distance their Super Rugby team from the regions they represent and create a new identity?
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