Vikings take over Yorkshire

Andrew Gale and Ryan Sidebottom were roaring their approval today as Yorkshire County Cricket Club announced that from this season onwards their one-day team will be known as the Vikings.
Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.
Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.

Following the conclusion of their sponsorship deal with Leeds Metropolitan University, the limited-overs teams that played as Carnegie will now be known as the Vikings.

Yorkshire will play under the Vikings name for the first time on their tour of Barbados, which commences on March 16 against Hampshire Royals at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Last year, Yorkshire reached the final of the Twenty20 competition, missing out on a first trophy in a decade by the narrowest of margins.

Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.
Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom and Moin Ashraf in the new one-day kit.

The name change was announced outside the Jorvik Viking Centre in York on Wednesday morning, with Yorkshire players Gale, Sidebottom, Moin Ashraf and Adam Lyth all getting into the spirit of the occasion.

“Whatever you do you’ve got to enjoy things,” said Sidebottom, who looked particularly at home running past the Jorvik Viking Centre with a shield on his arm.

“Whether it’s playing or doing things for other people, you’ve got to go out and enjoy it, so this is a great day to be out here for the club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The name speaks volumes. The main thing about it will be to get young kids, boys and girls, coming out to watch Yorkshire. It’s a great concept.”

Yorkshire captain Gale was equally enthusiatic about the name change.

“It definitely can make a difference,” said Gale, who will captain the side for a fourth season.

“The Vikings have got an identity in Yorkshire. I’m told they were nestled here for 1,300 years. There’s a history of vikings in Yorkshire so why not call us the Vikings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You can just imagine 20,000 at the Roses match at Headingley all wearing viking helmets with their horns on. It should be entertaining.”

On the reason for the branding change, Yorkshire’s commercial director Andy Dawson said: “We wanted a new name that has relevance to the region.

“The Vikings have been ingrained in Yorkshire for over 1,000 years and are woven into the fabric of the county’s history.

“One of their legacies was establishing the Ridings of Yorkshire, which is still apparent in the geographical make-up of the region today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“With the Vikings brand, we now have a name that is marketable and gives us a hook to promote the club to a wider audience.

“Our creativity in developing a new look and feel for the team will enable us to implement new revenue streams and attract a younger audience.

“Cricket cannot be viewed simply as a sport. It is a form of entertainment that in modern times operated in a highly competitive environment vying for consumers’ leisure time.

“We hope that people and in particular children will identify with the Yorkshire Vikings and embrace the activity we have planned at Headingley this season.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As part of the name change, Yorkshire has also agreed a partnership with the Jorvik Viking Centre in York, where both organisations will develop a number of promotional initiatives throughout the season.

Click on the image to watch a video of the Yorkshire Vikings launch and for the full story read Thursday’s Yorkshire Post.