Wasps to 'review policies' after ban plea for 'novelty Native American headdress

[MarleyWasp]

Going too far ?  Surely this means they would have to look at rugby moniker in case it offends Asians
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjZpYng_8byAhUylFwKHSBSCWYQ0PADKAB6BAgcEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2021%2Faug%2F23%2Fnew-zealand-football-diversity-review-could-bring-end-to-all-whites-nickname&usg=AOvVaw1WULSh5qUSyrSs_rXigfZM

At least NZ's nation Badminton Team have changed their name...

[JonnyD]

Going too far ?  Surely this means they would have to look at rugby moniker in case it offends Asians
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjZpYng_8byAhUylFwKHSBSCWYQ0PADKAB6BAgcEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2021%2Faug%2F23%2Fnew-zealand-football-diversity-review-could-bring-end-to-all-whites-nickname&usg=AOvVaw1WULSh5qUSyrSs_rXigfZM

At least NZ's nation Badminton Team have changed their name...

Was this actually true? Always thought it was a joke....

[MarleyWasp]

Going too far ?  Surely this means they would have to look at rugby moniker in case it offends Asians
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjZpYng_8byAhUylFwKHSBSCWYQ0PADKAB6BAgcEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2021%2Faug%2F23%2Fnew-zealand-football-diversity-review-could-bring-end-to-all-whites-nickname&usg=AOvVaw1WULSh5qUSyrSs_rXigfZM

At least NZ's nation Badminton Team have changed their name...

Was this actually true? Always thought it was a joke....

Absolutely true... https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/badminton-black-cocks-name-reconsidered/F2LJCM34NGS46JZII36TXQISUM/

[Lwasp]

If Wasps were to take a lead on this a public, and well publicised, request not to wear headdress and not to chant should generate the column inches and hopefully desired result without going down the ban route. Why no ban? Because once you ban something you then have to have sanctions in place. There is no point in banning something without enforcement and sanction.

So, are we proposing searching people at the gate for banned items? And what do those advocating a ban propose the sanction should be if visiting fans chant their way through the game? Ejection from the ground? Take the team from the field until it stops? I would hate Wasps to put themselves in a position where they cause more problems than they are seeking to solve.

Blood&Mud podcast had a good episode with an interview with a native american representative of Iroquois Roots Rugby https://rootsrugby.org/ where she explains her objections clearly and without hyperbole. Worth a listen.

[JonnyD]

A relative of mine has a tattoo (probably from about the 70s) of a skull wearing a headdress on his forearm - is he allowed in?

[Sliminator]

https://twitter.com/ExChiefs4Change/status/1429905865352560646

It made the ITV local news

[RogerE]

A relative of mine has a tattoo (probably from about the 70s) of a skull wearing a headdress on his forearm - is he allowed in?

I have an original Steppenwolf LP (album) that has that image on it's cover.

[Stang]

I’m proud that our supporters have taken this issue to our club and they are considering next steps.

It might not be our direct issue, but Exeter are in our league and our opposition, so making a stance on what is right is important. Their branding and name have both been highlighted as problematic appropriation and something should be done.

It’s not up to them to review and decide if they think it’s alright or not. Assuming a culture and identity with no prior links to Exeter which belongs to an oppressed minority is the sort of thing we need to move away from culturally. The change to “The Washington Football Team” was absolutely necessary and they had some geographical proximity to link them to their former name. In my opinion Chief's being on a different continent only strengthens the need for a change. Hopefully it will come soon and they’ll have an equally catchy name.

It’s alright to be wrong as long as you learn from it no? The world is a dynamic place.

[InBetweenWasp]

If Wasps were to take a lead on this a public, and well publicised, request not to wear headdress and not to chant should generate the column inches and hopefully desired result without going down the ban route. Why no ban? Because once you ban something you then have to have sanctions in place. There is no point in banning something without enforcement and sanction.

So, are we proposing searching people at the gate for banned items? And what do those advocating a ban propose the sanction should be if visiting fans chant their way through the game? Ejection from the ground? Take the team from the field until it stops? I would hate Wasps to put themselves in a position where they cause more problems than they are seeking to solve.

Blood&Mud podcast had a good episode with an interview with a native american representative of Iroquois Roots Rugby https://rootsrugby.org/ where she explains her objections clearly and without hyperbole. Worth a listen.

Thanks for highlighting the Blood & Mud episode (30th July 2020 for anyone else who wants to listen).  Listened to it this morning and was definitely interesting to learn a little more about it.

This hasn't been mentioned anywhere else i've read, but one of them took the time to E-Mail Tony Rowe and the entire Exeter Board of Directors to explain why, even though they may feel like they're doing things respectfully, they're actually not and did so in a non-inflammatory or argumentative way. 

If it was explained like it was on the Podcast, then i'm extremely surprised to hear that (as of the date of the Podcast interview - although nothing to suggest this has changed since) that she is yet to hear back from any of them.

[hopwood]

Maybe curries will be banned from all stadiums soon?
Stinks of colonialism.
Diminishes the vast breadth of Indian cooking to just a lazy tag.


I mean where's the line?
And who's drawing it?

If you pull apart every segment of society, there's a whole ton you could get offended about if you were the perennially offended type.

Will be interesting to watch John Cleese on Channel 4. Trying to determine where the line is drawn.

[InBetweenWasp]

I think the line begins to get drawn when a section of society can explain why something isn’t as it might be intended and can calmly and articulately explain why in their society it is something seen as disrepectful/offensive. 

If you haven’t, do listen to that Blood & Mud episode as it gives some excellent context and insight as to why it’s seen as inaccurate and disrespectful - It’s not just a couple of perennially offended millennials.

I’m pretty sure if I wandered around Hereford or Poole in a beret with a lookalike SAS/SBS badge attached to it would be seen as disrespectful by members of that community even if I thought it was alright because I look up to them and view it as mark of respect to them and I think most people would have a tough job trying to explain to them that they were wrong and they should calm down / chill out as it’s meant respectfully.

[Raggs]

Maybe curries will be banned from all stadiums soon?
Stinks of colonialism.
Diminishes the vast breadth of Indian cooking to just a lazy tag.


I mean where's the line?
And who's drawing it?

If you pull apart every segment of society, there's a whole ton you could get offended about if you were the perennially offended type.

Will be interesting to watch John Cleese on Channel 4. Trying to determine where the line is drawn.

It is tough to find the exact point to draw the line. I agree. But we don't need to do that. We just need to decide which side of the fence this particular issue is. Given the large number of native American organisations that have said this sort of thing is offensive in general and the native Americans that have commented in particular about Exeter Chiefs being offensive, I think it's not unreasonable to place this on the wrong side of the line.

[andermt]

Thought the whole Exeter branding issue has potentially thrown up an interesting conundrum which I would say has potentially had a big effect on Exeter’s ability to run as a club.

For many years their title sponsor has been SWComms, a company owned by Tony Rowe. This company was bought by a Brighton based company last year and is now no longer a sponsor of Exeter.

I guess following the lack of a shirt sponsor in the opening game There was a ‘poor us’ press release from Tony Rowe, including how they were proving people wrong and the new title sponsor would be unveiled in the 2nd match, yesterday.
Turns out the all new title sponsor is yet another of Tony Rowe’s companies.

Not sure if it is down to the branding, but for a team at the top of their game, English and European champions the season before, with the story everyone loves to trot out about how they were only in the championship 10 years ago, it does seem strange that they are struggling to get any decent sponsorship.

Especially when you look at some of the main sponsors other premiership teams have attracted  there are some huge worldwide brands, Vodafone, DHL, Dyson, (Land Rover still sponsoring) some big UK brands like Travis Perkins, AO, even Topps Tiles.

[Rossm]

I read that Exe have been trying to get Red Bull on board, but they didn't want to know even though they already sponsor Nowell's scrum cap. It looks like Exeter's stubbornness over their branding could be affecting them.

[MarleyWasp]

I read that Exe have been trying to get Red Bull on board, but they didn't want to know even though they already sponsor Nowell's scrum cap. It looks like Exeter's stubbornness over their branding could be affecting them.

I maybe being a bit woke for saying this, but most F1 fans will know of Rich Energy, who were title sponsors of the Haas F1 team in 2019, despite only having £750 in the bank, no shop stocking their product (even now you can only buy it on Amazon) and a CEO who spouted off on twitter criticising the team's performance. This video tells the tale well: https://youtu.be/EuoYkNyYaBY

Since Covid, their CEO has turned into a anti-woke, Covid-denying, anti-vaxer who takes it upon himself to reply to tweets from strangers who have just lost family members to Covid calling them liars.

I genuinely think he'd be a perfect match for Exeter right now...