In an interview with Brian Halford, Warwickshire County Cricket Club's Dougie Brown feels that the changing of the team name for T20 matches to Birmingham Bears is ' a really good idea.'
Brown told Halford: “First of all, I think it’s really nice to see so many people who care about the club and who have actually got an opinion on this.
“Personally. I think it is a really good idea. It has synergy with the city and fits well with the rebranding of T20 cricket as a whole.
“Let’s be honest, our T20 cricket up to this point hasn’t been outstanding. You never know, with a change in name and maybe a change in dynamic from us on the field, it might be a really good fit.
“The rebranding is not to everybody’s taste and I totally understand why people might not like it. But I am sure the intention was not to upset people, it was just to keep up to speed with the changing nature of T20.
“We have all seen that the game has changed markedly in the last 10 years. Look at the Australian franchises, South Australia has gone to Adelaide and Western Australia is now Perth. It seems to work okay in the Big Bash.”
There is still plenty of time, of course, for the city council to have a rethink, admit they’ve got it wrong and withdraw their request to lumber Warwickshire with the jarring new T20 handle.
“I have heard people saying that it’s the first step to this and that - it’s not going to happen,” he said. “Warwickshire County Cricket Club has been here for 130 years and it is here to stay.
“The name change won’t be to everybody’s tastes but when we go on the park we are out there competing for Warwickshire.
“Fundamentally, we are Warwickshire County Cricket Club - when the guys go out on the field , they are playing for Warwickshire and that will never change.”
Full story: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/cricket/birmingham-bears-name-change-good-6389494