Exeter Chiefs announce plans to change club’s branding away from Native American imagery in 2022 | Rugby Union News

Exeter’s Tony Rowe: “Exeter has and always will be the most important term in our overall identity. The term Chiefs, however, is equally entrenched in our make-up, going back to over a century ago when teams in this region would regularly call their first teams that of the Chiefs”

Exeter released their new club logo on Thursday, to be brought in for July 2022

Exeter have announced the club will be changing its logo away from the current Native American-themed brand from July.

The club, which has repeatedly come in for criticism in recent years owing to their appropriation of Native American imagery, songs and attire, have revealed a new logo inspired by a different tribe: the Celtic Iron Age Dumnonii, which has history in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

The change comes after the club say they undertook “a full and informative review process over the past two years”.

A club statement read: “Exeter Rugby Club have today made the decision to launch a new visual identity, moving away from its previous Native American-themed brand, and introducing a brand icon that is a poignant and significant nod to the past.

“The new Exeter Chiefs logo, which will be launched in July 2022, draws inspiration from the Celtic Iron Age Dumnonii Tribe, which encompassed a unified area covering Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset for many hundreds of years before the Roman occupation from 43 AD, as well as the later ‘Celtic Kingdom of Dumnonia’, which was established around AD 410 and continued for almost 500 years.

“The change in identity comes in the wake of the Exeter Rugby Club’s board undertaking a full and informative review process over the past two years.

“In launching the new imagery, detailed submissions, together with extensive historical research from leading professionals, have been undertaken to ensure the rugby club have a brand that not only recognises our traditions but, more importantly, identifies with our supporters and the region itself.”

There is no suggestion Exeter plan to drop ‘Chiefs’ from the club’s name as yet.

Exeter chief executive Tony Rowe said: “We are excited to welcome in the next era of rugby within Exeter.

“Exeter has and always will be the most important term in our overall identity. The term Chiefs, however, is equally entrenched in our make-up, going back to over a century ago when teams in this region would regularly call their first teams that of the Chiefs.

“We are Exeter, we are the Chiefs!

“As a rugby club we have been willing to listen, we have consulted far and wide, and now we are ready to invoke change. This is a new direction for our great club, but equally it’s an exciting vision that I’ve no doubt will propel us onwards and upwards over time.

“Our new imagery will bring to life the pride our supporters have to support their club, unifying us all under one brand that underlines all of our core traditions.”