With the Argos falling in popularity within the city of Toronto and with a constant decline in attendance, is it time for the Argos to rebrand itself?
With Braley and Rudge in the helm, it will never happen but if a rebranding were to take place within the next few years it would have to be under MLSE’s ownership. I ask this question because of the many experiences I have witnessed when wearing my vintage Condredge Holloway jersey. Many people on countless occasions have come up to me on the streets to talk about the Argos, except they always talk of the “good old days” with Greer and Holloway and have sadly admitted they no longer follow the team or go to the games. Why did they stop? I never asked then and now wonder but I think it should be up to the team to find out. It is as if they forgot that the Argos still exist. You could easily compare Ray and Owens with Holloway and Greer so it has nothing to do with the level of football that is played. 
Instead of just focusing on bringing in new football fans, I think more has to be done by the organization to win back former fans and ex Season Ticket Holders. One small thing that could create a buzz and is much needed in my opinion, is to revisit the past and go back with everyone’s favourite boat logo. There is even a club (The Argo Lifers) dedicated to bring this to fruition but the motion was blocked by Chris Rudge at the Town Hall meeting a couple of years ago. Why was Rudge so defensive of our current logo, I do not know. I never understood why in 1989 they chose to “modernize” the logo and how it eventually become an “A” but a team founded by a rowing club should go back to it’s roots. We were always a rowing club and for some reason the team in recent years have changed our identity into more of a Greek warrior look with the inclusion of Jason in the logo, which eventually phased into our current logo, the shield. Yes the Argonauts are heroes in Greek mythology but Argonauts literally means “Argo sailors”. What better why to represent sailors than bringing back this classic logo. The team has done a small part by fixing the mess of jerseys we had in the past which sometimes didn’t even contain both Oxford and Cambridge blue and also brought back the traditional stripes on the sleeves. The only thing that’s missing now is a better logo. No logo is better than the one that’s posted above.
I would also think (& hope) that the change would increase merchandise sales since the majority of Argo fans are in the older demographic, who probably remember the fun they had watching games in the late 70’s to the late 80’s. I truly believe that this may bring out the fans who are hiding in the closet or have gone on a very long vacation. It would make them remember that the Argos didn’t go anywhere. And if not, what’s the worst thing that could happen? There’s really no risk involved, it will no doubt do more good than harm. Just how much good is the question. Now, the team would also have to market the team on all fronts – print, radio, tv. This is why it will never happen with Braley and Rudge. They are both committed to saving the team money instead of trying to get the much needed exposure this team needs.
I remember seeing a bumper sticker with the boat logo on the side reading “Backing a Tradition”. This is where the Argos have failed miserably in the past. Honestly, they need to go back and carry on with backing a tradition. if nobody is willing to preserve the history, then the team will just become nothing in future. That is the biggest fear I have and is why I am all for a rebranding.
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or message me on twitter @doubleblueblog.
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