Sky News learns the FA is likely to reject a plan to change the club's name to Hull Tigers to increase its commercial appeal. The FA is expected to tell Hull City's owners that they are not allowed to change the club's name to Hull Tigers. Sky News understands that the FA Membership Committee will recommend that the FA Council reject an application by the club's owner Assem Allam to change the name, which has been used since the club was founded in 1904. Mr Allam wants to change the name to Hull Tigers to increase the club's commercial appeal to potential sponsors, and has described the word City as "common" and "lousy". He has threatened to walk away from the club, which he bought and helped save from financial collapse in 2010, if his application is rejected. The final decision will be made by the FA Council at a meeting next month, but the committee's recommendation makes it highly unlikely that Mr Allam will get his way. It is understood that the decision to recommend the application be rejected was unanimous, and was made following a detailed report from a small working party that consulted stakeholders across the game. The Premier League, the Football League and supporters groups including Hull fans opposed to the move were asked for their views. Sky News understands that none of those consulted believed the club had made a persuasive case for change. Speaking to Sky Sports News in January, Mr Allam said he would walk away "in 24 hours" if the supporters rejected his plans. "No one on earth is allowed to question my business decisions, I won't allow it," he said. "I'm here to save the club and manage the club for the benefit of the community - it will never, ever be the other way around - take it from me. But the community can say 'go away' and I will go within 24 hours." In a letter to the Hull Daily Mail last week Mr Allam's son Ehab Allam re-stated the case for change, pointing out his family had invested £74m in the club. "We have nothing left to give, and this is the reason why the club has to become financially self-sustainable," he wrote. "Currently there are six teams in the Premier League with 'City' in their name, and with the exception of Manchester City, all of those clubs are in a similar league position to us, and playing to similar-sized crowds. "We need something that makes us stand out from the pool of teams we find ourselves in when it comes to attracting potential international sponsors, who are simply hoping to use the Premier League, and its global audience, to advertise." http://news.sky.com/story/1227346/fa-expected-to-block-hull-city-name-change I know the link has already gone up on the name change thread, but I thought it warranted it's own thread.
Knew this was coming after the interview he did with sky sports. Found it very interesting at the time that he stated in the interview that if the FA said NO he would put us for sale within 24 hours and then said but if the FA said YES and the fans said NO he would drop it all together. Then with him announcing a fan vote would take place he has basically done it to save face. He knows he cant sell the club as he will make no where near the money he has put in so he does the fan vote so he can turn round and say i've decided against it as the fans dont want it. That way he stays and he saves face!!
Jolly good news if correct & restores a little faith in the FA. I think the behaviour of the owners since they made their representation shows that they came away with no confidence that they'd be supported by the FA.
Correct decision. Not just saying that because I don't think the name should be changed under any circumstances, but the way Allam has gone about it cannot be condoned by a ruling authority. Nice to see them show some guts.
A massive, well done and thank you to the CTWD committee. The fact it's a unanimous decision vindicates what you've been saying.
I hope this marks the end of it too, with Allam choosing not to embarrass the club further and divide the fans more by dropping the thing entirely and exploring other avenues. No appeal please, let's concentrate on being a Premier League club and all pull in that same direction.
It isn't over yet. This was only the committee's recommendation to the council. The council could completely ignore that if they wanted to.
So, will the supposed silent majority be having a protest on Saturday when thousands of pro name changers stand up at 20.14 and start singing " FA we say yes" ? The We Are Tigers Supporters, or, in short twats.
As PLT says, this isn't finished yet, it's not official until the full FA Council vote on April 9th. It's obviously encouraging and it's unlikely that the council members will go against the recommendation of the committee that did all the interviews and studied all the submissions. I'll still be happier once it's confirmed on the 9th and the Allam's confirm they putting it to bed and exploring new avenues.
We could take a gamble, it would make an interesting result if we were all to vote in favour of the name change, and the FA block it. What would Mr. Allam do then?
