The Scottish Borders is synonymous with rugby football and since it was founded in 1877 Melrose has played a prominent role in the development of the sport in Scotland. Perhaps its greatest claim to fame is the fact that the Melrose club invented seven-a-side rugby way back in 1883 and hosts the world’s premier club competition each year in April at The Greenyards. Quite a pedigree.
Across all sports, the ability to build a loyal fan base and secure sponsorship is critical to commercial security. Within the rugby fraternity, the revenue to be generated from corporate hospitality and club merchandising was prompting a culture change and an increasing emphasis on identifiying new revenue streams. Recognising the potential financial rewards, Melrose actively addressed these areas of off-field activity and pivotal to this was the need to present a professional image to supporters at all levels.
There is little doubt that where rugby is concerned, the club belongs to the local community and none more so than in the fiercely proud Scottish Borders. A key strand of the project was stakeholder buy-in and pivotal to achieving this was the decision to retain the yellow rose from the town’s crest and feature a restyled version prominently in the new identity for the rugby club. This immediately captures the club’s history and traditions, while the inclusion of the copyline ‘Founders of seven-a-side rugby’ helps to reinforce the club’s unique influence in the development of the sport. |
