Saracens Considered Changing Their Name as Part of Recent Brand Overhaul

Tuesday 30 September 2025 6:30 am |  Updated: Tuesday 30 September 2025 1:34 pm

Saracens considered changing their name as part of a recent brand overhaul that they hope will pin them as the “Original Club of North London”.

The three-time European champions have given themselves a glow-up, aiming to attract younger audiences to their 10,500-capacity StoneX Stadium in north London and increase the number of sold out matches in Barnet.

But they’ve kept their badge, featuring a star and crescent, and their name. When asked whether the club would contemplate shortening their name from Saracens to Sarries, to mimic the Premiership and Championship becoming the Prem and Champ Rugby, chief growth officer Mike Leslie said “possibly” but “it hasn’t come up before”.

“In this whole process we did talk about a name change and that was one of the things on the table,” Leslie, who holds the same job at URC side the Sharks, told City AM.

“Sarries was not one of the names tabled. We will always be Sarries as much as Saracens but at this stage I wouldn’t think so [to a change].

“We change the kit every year but this brand evolution reflects something that we believe is both relevant and, to a degree, timeless.

“There’s a lot of equity in the Saracens name and in the core elements of the brand so you’ll see that it is an evolution; it is not about throwing away the past but celebrating the past.”

The club launched the next phase of their rebrand last night on X, and other social media channels, with players and fans teaming up in a campaign reminiscent of Arsenal’s third-kit reveal from earlier this year.

‘Love to Hate Saracens’

Saracens turn 150 next year, and boast of being older than neighbouring Premier League clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Their brand refresh saw the club describe themselves as “one of the most successful and polarising teams in English sport”, which Leslie says is deliberate – the club remain a target for some opposition fans for their historic salary cap breaches.

“What it means is that you evoke a strong response in people and that can be strongly positive or strongly negative,” he added. “We have been very successful on the pitch and it’s certainly one of the reasons why our opposing fans love to hate us.”

Leslie says that rugby’s values are a “North Star” that remain “important”, but insists that they’re not a”business plan”, adding that “in today’s media landscape they don’t translate to relevance, challenging for attention, to appeal and attract next generation fans”.

“The values remain as important as ever,” he said of the blueprint for change. “It’s just changing from how we are to how we present ourselves and historically people in rugby have been afraid to stand out.”

Aim of the Brand Overhaul

The aim of the brand overhaul is to attract a younger audience and increase the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium. The club wants to be seen as the “Original Club of North London” and is using this brand refresh to achieve that goal.

The brand overhaul includes a new kit and a campaign that features players and fans. The campaign is reminiscent of Arsenal’s third-kit reveal from earlier this year and is designed to appeal to a younger audience.

What’s Next for Saracens?

Saracens will continue to work on their brand overhaul and aim to attract a younger audience. The club will also focus on increasing the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium and establishing themselves as the “Original Club of North London”.

The club’s success on the pitch will also continue to be a major factor in their brand overhaul. Saracens have been very successful in recent years, and their success has helped to establish them as one of the top teams in English rugby.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Saracens considered changing their name as part of a recent brand overhaul, but ultimately decided to keep their current name. The brand overhaul is designed to attract a younger audience and increase the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium. The club wants to be seen as the “Original Club of North London” and is using this brand refresh to achieve that goal.

The brand overhaul includes a new kit and a campaign that features players and fans. The campaign is reminiscent of Arsenal’s third-kit reveal from earlier this year and is designed to appeal to a younger audience.

Saracens will continue to work on their brand overhaul and aim to attract a younger audience. The club will also focus on increasing the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium and establishing themselves as the “Original Club of North London”.

FAQs

Q: Why did Saracens consider changing their name?

A: Saracens considered changing their name as part of a recent brand overhaul, but ultimately decided to keep their current name. The club wanted to attract a younger audience and increase the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium.

Q: What is the aim of the brand overhaul?

A: The aim of the brand overhaul is to attract a younger audience and increase the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium. The club wants to be seen as the “Original Club of North London” and is using this brand refresh to achieve that goal.

Q: What’s next for Saracens?

A: Saracens will continue to work on their brand overhaul and aim to attract a younger audience. The club will also focus on increasing the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium and establishing themselves as the “Original Club of North London”.

Q: How will the brand overhaul help Saracens?

A: The brand overhaul will help Saracens attract a younger audience and increase the number of sold-out matches at the StoneX Stadium. The club will also be able to establish themselves as the “Original Club of North London” and increase their visibility in the rugby world.