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Cardiff Dragons



Max Paper

Sunshiinnnnneeee
Nov 3, 2009
5,784
Testicles
Looks like Mr Tan has more than a colour change in mind for the Welsh club. Unreal.

BBC Sport - Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan open to name change


Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan open to name change

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan has said that promotion to the Premier League could trigger further "rebranding" and did not rule out changing the club's name to Cardiff Dragons.
The Malaysian billionaire has already insisted upon a colour change from blue to red, as well as a new club crest.
"We will think about it when we know the final result of this season," he said about using Cardiff Dragons.
"Then we will think what's the best way to brand it."
Tan acknowledged the "rumours" that have recently emerged over the use of Cardiff Dragons but added: "We haven't discussed this. I've not really thought about this in detail.
"But when we get there we'll make a decision. And when we make a decision we will convey it to everyone."
Tan, who has an estimated wealth of $1.3billion, wants Cardiff to maximise all possible revenue and marketing opportunities in Asia.
Who is Vincent Tan?
Named on the Forbes billionaire list with an estimated worth of $1.3bn (£800m)
He is chairman and chief executive of Berjaya Group and it is a portfolio which includes golfing, property, resorts and gambling
Owns social networking site Friendster.com and has shares in Facebook
Operates Malaysia's MiTV pay-TV service
Bought Malaysia's McDonald's franchise in 1982 and in 1985 bought Sports Toto lottery agency
After buying more than 35% of the club's shares for £6m in 2010, the 61-year-old Malaysian threatened to withdraw his support in June unless the club agreed to ditch its traditional blue home shirts in favour of red ones.
The new colours were accepted, so too a new badge as a Welsh dragon replaced the bluebird, and further investment followed.
In an interview with BBC Wales' Sport Wales programme, he justified the "controversial decision" of the club's colours, and stressed he is prepared to and intends to make more changes.
"A few were upset but like in any business if we get 80% or 75% of the customers happy, with 20-25% not happy, that's fine," he said.
"If they don't want to come to support our business, that's fine. We need the majority."
He added: "I believe the change is for the better. And if you put in a lot of money, surely you have the right to make a call on some things you believe will make it better.
"If you don't have a say, why the hell do you want to put in so much money?"
After years of financial instability, Cardiff were on the brink of administration before Tan's takeover as part of a Malaysian consortium.

Cardiff City's new badge, dominated by a red dragon
The club continues to struggle financially, recording losses of £13.6m in the year up to the end of May 2012, with an overall recorded debt of £83.1m.
The accounts also show that the debt to Langston, the company represented by ex-City owner Sam Hammam, is put at £19.2m, with a one-off payment of £5m due if City reach the Premier League while the debt is outstanding.
Tan said that resolving this debt is a priority for the club, and again called on Langston to renegotiate to a "fair level" and then convert the "unsecured" loan into equity.
If that happens, Tan said he is willing to turn the £63m loan he has given to the club into equity.
"Their loan is not secured," he said. "If anything happens to the club, Langston will get nothing. So I will convert [my loan] if we can resolve with Langston.
"And if Sam Hammam loves Cardiff as he claims he does, he should come and sit down and then we'll find a solution."
Having failed in the Championship play-offs three years in a row, Cardiff are in a stronger position than ever to reach the Premier League.
They have an eight-point lead with 13 games remaining, but Tan said he would not walk away if promotion was not secured.
"If the fans welcome me, I can stay for a long time," he said, promising a further £25m to manager Malky Mackay for new players should they go up.
"But if I find they are not welcoming and rude, then maybe I will find a new buyer and go off. But if I were to sell, I'd make sure I would leave it in good hands."
A section of Cardiff fans continue to oppose Tan's colour change. A protest was held at the end of the last home game to Brighton - which Tan attended - when free red scarves were handed out.
Tan referred to the dissenting voices as "a bunch of mostly young kids" and argued a change was long overdue.
"Have they achieved any success under this bluebirds brand?," he asked "So why do we hold onto something that hasn't achieved much success?"
 




Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
23,884
First they brainwashed the Cardiff players, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Cardiff player.

Then they brainwashed the elderly Cardiff supporters, and I did not speak out
Because I was not an elderly Cardiff supporter.

Then they brainwashed the middle-aged, well-off Cardiff supporters, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a middle-aged, well-off Cardiff supporter.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.
 






Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
Cardiff Dragons for now.

How long before they become Malaysia Cardiff Dragons ???
 






Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,220
Goldstone
"A few were upset but like in any business if we get 80% or 75% of the customers happy, with 20-25% not happy, that's fine," he said.
He didn't really say that did he? How can such a numpty have been so successful?
 








Lawson

New member
Feb 25, 2012
294
i couldn't give a toss, the guy has saved them from bankruptcy and pumped in money that has got them top of the league. As long as he is financially secure that is the main thing, after all he is the owner and can do with the club what he pleases. If i gave a club substantial amount of money i would expect something in return, and a rebrand can just signify the beginning of a new era, and this will certainly be unparalleled success for Cardiff. At the end of the day a club is not owned by the fans in the majority of cases so you cannot presume to tell an owner what to do, i think his pr could be better sculpted and could make attempts to engage with the fans but fans should also look on the brighter side of this. The only concern i would have is a portsmouth type fiasco, but that is more prone to happen if fans ditch the club.
 


Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
13,456
Central Borneo / the Lizard
i couldn't give a toss, the guy has saved them from bankruptcy and pumped in money that has got them top of the league. As long as he is financially secure that is the main thing, after all he is the owner and can do with the club what he pleases. If i gave a club substantial amount of money i would expect something in return, and a rebrand can just signify the beginning of a new era, and this will certainly be unparalleled success for Cardiff. At the end of the day a club is not owned by the fans in the majority of cases so you cannot presume to tell an owner what to do, i think his pr could be better sculpted and could make attempts to engage with the fans but fans should also look on the brighter side of this. The only concern i would have is a portsmouth type fiasco, but that is more prone to happen if fans ditch the club.

I remember telling Archer what to do
 






robbie c

Member
Jan 30, 2008
632
Leighton buzzard
We should ditch "and Hove Albion" after all we have had no success with this name since 1901 and change our name to Brighton Boise as I hear 75% of the fans singing that after 10 minutes in every game.
 


Pantani

Il Pirata
Dec 3, 2008
5,445
Newcastle
I'm amazed that the Cardiff fans have let all this happen with barely a whimper. When we played down there the other week the ground was a sea of red, personally if anyone, including TB, tried to change our colours I would be protesting constantly at every opportunity. Tan is selling out that clubs identity for what at the moment is just a loan, they still have £80m of debt plus whatever they now owe him in addition to looking like Wrexham so they can appeal to the Malaysian market. A market that will still just support Man Utd because they are the best. What Malaysian is going to think, 'I tell you what I like that Cardiff team, they are called the Dragons and play in red', I mean really!
 






drew

Drew
NSC Patron
Oct 3, 2006
23,631
Burgess Hill
It's becoming more and more like an MLS "franchise" by the day! Shocking!

Rubbish. Changing colour and name is hardly making a franchise. In the states the teams move to where the money is, whichever city that may be. That isn't going to happen.

It's shocking, but, he has the money and as long as he is pumping it in, they may moan and protest, but If he leaves, they're in the shit!

Exactly.
 


Brovion

In my defence, I was left unsupervised.
NSC Patron
Jul 6, 2003
19,878
Cardiff Dragons for now.

How long before they become Malaysia Cardiff Dragons ???

Or even play 'some' home games in Malaysia? You can see how that might appeal to Man U or any of the other clubs with a big Asian following. Rather like the NFL and their London game I'd imagine Man U might jump at the chance to play a competitive fixture in Kuala Lumpar (shades of the '39th game' proposal) as both clubs would benefit from the boost it would give to their worldwide fanbase. Don't bet against the idea at least being mooted.
 


They are stripping away the identity of the club, the very things that make Cardiff City Cardiff City.

First the colours, next the name.

What if it happened here, would you still go if we were re-branded to play in red and called Brighton Barbarians?
 




Blue Valkyrie

Not seen such Bravery!
Sep 1, 2012
32,165
Valhalla
They are stripping away the identity of the club, the very things that make Cardiff City Cardiff City.

First the colours, next the name.

What if it happened here, would you still go if we were re-branded to play in red and called Brighton Barbarians?

Or Brighton Beijing ???
 


gazingdown

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2011
1,072
You mean like changing our nickname from Dolphins to Seagulls?

Granted there was a reasonable reason in our case but the end result is the same.

We also have changed our strip in the past (all blue, all white as well as the proper stripes) - OK, not quite the same as a complete change of colour but a change nonetheless.

Anyway, on the one hand I feel sorry for the Cardiff fans, on the other if they REALLY felt strongly about it they could protest more vociferously. They still get 20-25k every home game, if they boycotted some games then something might make the owners stop and think.

But they are riding the crest of a wave, sitting pretty up top of the league so I guess promotion to the PL outweighs any loss of identity. I guess it would be a different story if they were lower down the league?
 


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