Peril Of Reckless Rebranding

RIP S.League, Hello Singapore Premier League

Many don't understand why the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) decided to delay the announcement of the new name for the "League", when it was already the worst kept secret in the fraternity in recent weeks.

FAS council member S Thavaneson once remarked in last December "they don't rule out the 'possibility' of it ..." after prior official press releases did not mention the term "S.League" but labelled the tournament as "Singapore’s domestic professional league",

Subsequent weeks following those words by the Balestier Khalsa chairman, several social media updates, seen by this blogger, posted by various individuals in the scene suggested the change of name was imminent.

One club even had to retract a Facebook posting which imprinted the name "Singapore Premier League" (SGPL) after it was posted by mistake before the official announcement was made, FAS did not respond when clarification was requested by this blog on that posting.

Nonetheless, an unrelated article by Fox Sports Asia did mention the new name weeks later after the aforementioned blunder.

WORST KEPT SECRET
This worst kept secret of Singapore football was finally unveiled at the eleventh hour by FAS on the 21st of March with a slate of rebranding initiatives to give the stale setup a new look.

The launch of SGPL was held at the National Stadium's Bank of Singapore Lounge

Nobody would know if these initiatives like new name, new logo, etc. are going to work their magic in lifting the country's only professional sporting competition out of the doldrums.

Furthermore, it would definitely take a while before everybody is going to get used to these new terms, since the name "S.League" had been around for more than two decades (like how some still called SAFSA instead of SAFFC in the early days).

TIMING AND INTENTION
At the meantime, the whole rebranding exercise must have “a concept, look, feel and a timeline for implementation” - an opinion expressed by a marketing consultant whom this blogger spoke to.

Speaking on condition of remaining anonymous, he added:"Unless there is a clear goal in mind, I do not suggest a rebranding initiative just because we want to change,

"As it could be more damaging and harder to do another rebranding in future (if the first exercise failed)."

Players in various club colours in parade

Singled out the importance of both timing and intention for such revamping of image, this consultant stressed that one should only press ahead with the changes if the brand owner wants to show something wholesomely new.

"It takes a lot of hard work on such rebranding that the change must have an impact, otherwise it is pointless to have it in the first place." he cautioned.