Am I really expected to support a team called ‘Welsh Fire’?

[billmatt]

I can see that the topic of The Hundred has already been touched upon however I feel that this particular issue deserves its own thread!
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I know a lot of people are quite down on The Hundred before its even begun – however personally I was sort of looking forward to it, if only to have cricket (albeit a watered-down version) on terrestrial TV for the first time in years.

However with the announcement of the teams this week I am forced to ask who on earth I should be supporting??
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Im not anti-Wales or anything but I don’t understand how a team, where two out of three of the feeder clubs are English, could possibly land on the name ‘Welsh Fire’?

The EBC grouped Gloucestershire, Somerset and Glamorgan together for this new tournament due to their geographic location. However by having that word in the name you deprive West Country fans any way of identifying with them and instead have created a wholly Welsh team - as opposed to a regional/city-based identity - which as Vic Marks pointed out months ago leaves West Country fans alienated.
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I do not whether it was the ECB or the clubs themselves who decided on the name. If it was the later its suggests that the both the GCCC and SCCC are either not taking The Hundred seriously, or they have little to no influence on important team decisions. If it was the former it suggests that the ECB simply don’t care about West country cricket fans.
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It was going to be hard enough to encourage West Country fans to cross the bridge to watch games if the team had been called Western Fire. However now that whoever has decided that the Team name is Welsh Fire, not only will there not be any travelling fans, there will also be zero west country support for the team.

Serious fans of both Gloucestershire and Somerset will resent the fact that their players are being used to bolster a team they feel they have no connection to and will further exacerbate resistance to The Hundred. This will lead to a lot of Glos/Somm fans (as I seen some of you are suggesting already) boycotting the tournament.
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The effect of the team name on casual West Country cricket fans will force people to either half-heartedly support a different English team (which they will probably never go to watch in person) - or they will simply have no interest in the tournament whatsoever. Both scenarios are the exact opposite of the ECB’s intention to grow the game and bring the sport to a new audience- which is a real shame.

[billmatt]

I feel especially bad for the women’s team – who will be playing their ‘home’ games at the Bristol county ground. Its hard enough to get people to attend women’s cricket at the best of times without a massive identity crisis like this. Whilst I personally support the growth of women’s cricket, I am also a realist. I cannot foresee a lot of Welsh fans travelling to Bristol to watch the games, and unfortunately due to the team name I can not see a lot of local support attending either.
I do not know how much of the women’s tournament the BBC intend to broadcast – however I suspect that attendance for Welsh Fire’s women’s team’s ‘home’ matches are going to be embarrassingly sparse.

[graham]

The simple answer to your initial question is no.

I doubt the counties had any input into the naming of the teams, this would be down to the ECB marketing consultants.

Also i think it highly unlikely that any Gloucestershire players will be in the draft for the remaining places in the Welsh Fire team,now that the 'local icon' slots have gone to Somerset and Glamorgan.

On the question of the women's game, there were no local Bristol/Gloucestershire players in the Western Storm KSL team but that didn't seem to stop people turning up to watch them play. Hang on though, they were playing a recognisable form of cricket!

Maybe we will all be surprised this time next year, not holding my breath though.

[procswrongfoot]

Excellent opening post billmatt. Somehow think that you have most probably managed to answer your own question.

Not entirely sure where to start....could easily write a mini-book on this.

Over 3 years ago, when the ECB announced proposals for a city based T20 franchise competition, there were numerous reservations and concerns expressed by cricket supporters. Eventually, the ECB somehow turned this into a new, unecessary and baffling competition ('The Hundred'), leading to a torrent of outrage. The ECB have regularly batted away any misgivings......"the new competition is not aimed at you, but at a brand new audience".

Seemingly, the ECB have a PR department run by cast-offs from the the BBC 'The Apprentice' programme, leading to contradictory comments, sound bites and mind boggling modern babble. No wonder that they have set themselves up for such ensuing ridicule.

For example, try a couple of the mission statements (?) on 'The Hundred' website:
Spark the Welsh Fire. Burning bright with intense passion and relentless energy, their hunger will prove the haters wrong. Get ready to feel the heat.
Follow Southern Brave, and go boldly where others shy away. Endlessly curious, with an insatiable appetite for adventure, what's over the horizon.

Chief flag waver Eoin Morgan, confirmed what we all know...."there is not enough room in the season for 4 competitions". When pushed further, he rather sheepishly thought that the T20 Blast should go. (As captain of the current World Cup holders, he neatly managed to sidestep suggesting cutting out our now devalued domestic 50 over competition).

In contrast Ashley Giles (England's Director of Cricket) somehow thinks that room needs to be found to play Championship cricket alongside 'The Hundred'.

Morgan managed to surpass himself with his recent quote: "Anyone I speak to who loves sport but doesn't necessarily love cricket is crying out for a tournament that he or she understands, because 18 teams going on for a long period of time just doesn't make sense to anybody".

Personally, l fully expect Benny to be picked up in one of the squads. Whilst l really hope that he performs well, l could not care less as to the actual team performance/results. Similarly, I would also expect Bobby Bracey to get picked up.

If in any doubt regarding the immediate impact of the new competition, then the forthcoming fixture list for next season will surely give a clear indication. Next season, for 5 weeks at the height of summer, we will presumably be allowed 4 home games of the so called 'Development' (Devalued !) 50 over cricket. (Compare that to the 8 days of CC and 6 games of T20 Blast played at home during the same period this year).

I am sure that there are some redeeming factors - many will presumably welcome some terrestrial tv coverage. Additionally, the attempt to attract more youngsters is laudable. (Shame that the apparent market research on this supposed large brand new audience has remained shrouded in secrecy).

Clearly, in the future something will have to give/change. No wonder that so many worries abound regarding the quite obvious uncertainty.

So billmatt, to make myself absolutely clear. It is a resounding NO from me.

[glamorgan]

No more than I'm expected to follow a national team representing Wales that are called England, with three lions and a crown on the badge...

[procswrongfoot]

Oct 16, 2019 15:20:41 GMT glamorgan said:

No more than I'm expected to follow a national team representing Wales that are called England, with three lions and a crown on the badge...

Interesting. l fully understand the general sentiment expressed.

However, on reflection, support for any side is based on "choice" rather than "expectation". Realistic me, understands that a number of Welsh people would be only too happy to see an English side lose.

For me, l will continue to be consistent in my support for all UK international sides. Accordingly, on Sunday morning l will be enthusiastically cheering on Wales when they play France in the World Cup. However, just don't be too surprised if you hear some of your neighbours loudly supporting the French, based on some ingrained ABW mantra (Anyone But Wales).

As for 'Welsh Fire', the name is somewhat meaningless to me, as l have little interest in this dreadful new competition.