Derek Beaumont explains how “bikinis” play into Leigh Leopards rebrand

Leigh Leopards and Hull KR are set for Wembley in the first Challenge Cup Final without Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and St Helens since 1986.

It is a once in a generation final as Leigh look to win their first Challenge Cup Final 1971 and Hull KR are looking for their first win since 1980.

The Leopards’ story is a real fairytale coming from the Championship last year and winning the 1895 Cup.

The last little boost for Leigh has been the rebrand last year.

Speaking on The Bench lately, mastermind behind it and owner Derek Beaumont has explained the rebrand even explaining how the rebrand can fit in with bikinis and towels and other products,

He said: “It’s an interesting one though because people know, as much as it’s gone wild, it’s great how you can wear any little part of it it associates you with it. It doesn’t have to replica or anything with a Leigh badge on it, doesn’t matter if it’s leopard print, so then you find other fans thinking ‘damn you can’t wear that because they’ll think I’m a Leigh fan’.

“And the things that you see, we’re in 15 meters of going on a cruise the other week, we saw a leopard print towel, bag, things that you put around your neck on the plane, one of those, you know, obviously bikinis. I think it was only me walking around in leopard print swimmers I do confess.”

He explained it as a massive branding opportunity: “Yeah, massive branding opportunity. You can flood it with different colours, you see lots of different colour leopard print. It doesn’t have to be the physical leopard print here, you can do the red, green, blue, any colour you want.

“The kit options are massive that we can do and keep changing. We’re not always trying to reinvent a red and white stripe or a red V. You know, how many can you do that looks that different? So, and people can do it in their own way.

“They don’t have to spend a lot of money, you know what I mean? A lot of people don’t have a lot of money. A lot of people don’t like wearing replicas; older men, women, and stuff like that. So you can just put anything, like a print of your scarf, or your hat, or just these little things. It’s really, it’s taken off beyond what I thought it would do.”