Is it time to ditch the word "Orienteering" from our sport?

[Ernie_Wise]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but here goes nothing.

After reading the “is orienteering a sport” post I started to think about why our sport has such a rubbish image in the eyes of the UK general public. Of all the reasons I can think of the most prevalent is the negative image generated by the word “orienteering”. Let’s face it, if you talk about orienteering to a non-orienteer they generally think of boy/girl scouts, anoraks, walking boots and compass bearings on an OS map. This is not our sport as I know it.

So my question is this; why not disassociate the sport with the word “orienteering” and create a brand that is attractive to the general public, increases participation and benefits the sport... There are a million different sucessful examples in the business world, why not apply it to our sport?

[SeanC]

What should or could it be replaced with?

The tactic SLOW have used is to keep Orienteering in the small print of their advertising, and invent brands for their events - "Park Race", "Trail Challenge".

Another way is to improve the Orienteering brand image. This can be expensive though.

There is probably the least amount of Orienteers per head of population anywhere in the UK down in SE London (where the dodgy sports editor referred to works) so brand awareness is likely to be at it's lowest down here. Might be more positive in Scotland, Lake Distrct etc.

[RJ]

I'm not being funny.... or negative, Ernie_Wise, but orienteering works for us on a local level. We promote the sport very strongly in schools, bring the pupils into the club, and have a very strong 'brand image' in West Cumbria. There are now quite a few clubs around the country who are working with hundreds of school kids, in fact the number has to be in the many thousands.

School children are very receptive to the sport, and now we are only introducing them to electronic 'O'. Gone are the master maps and needle punches. They become enthusiastic quite readily, and influence the generation above.... their parents. I feel we will deal with this 'image problem' in due course. BUT, the effort is at grass roots level.... at the club level. BOF can't solve this little(!!) problem, it is up to the clubs.

While I see the logic of your point of view, I just don't think we can achieve it within even ten years. There would be too much resistance from existing orienteers!!!

[AlanB]

When I ever heard the term 'orienteering' I must admit that I never thought of the boy scouts. In fact I don't think of the boy scouts much anyway. I tend to associate them, and the map and compass work they do, with rambling.

Do other nations have this sort of image problem? Has any nation changed the name of the sport?

[Ernie_Wise]

Hi RJ, I can see your point and the work that people around the country with school kids is obviously extremely valuable to the sport and can only have a positive effect in the long term.

Maybe I can’t really talk for the rest of the UK having lived mostly in the South East plus a couple of years in Canada and maybe my comments are more applicable to the adult population. But, from my experience as soon as I mention to other adults that I orienteer there is this instant assumption and association with the afore mentioned activities, the like of which you do not get with other more popular sports. This may be different further North, but in the South East (where I believe most of the population resides) there appears to be this overwhelming negative attitude to the sport... or maybe it is just the people I choose to associate with. However, I have experienced it throughout my life and I’ve been an orienteer for a very long time.

My assumption is that people on this forum recognise that orienteering has an image problem outside of orienteers?

BTW what are the participation statistics like nowadays? Are we still in a steady decline?

[Ernie_Wise]

I tend to associate them, and the map and compass work they do, with rambling.

Rambling! I find that activity gets associated with orienteering a lot too!

[AndyC]

I went to an on-line thesaurus and put in "orienteering" and got no return. Navigation gave a lot of answers -best one was "peregrination" which I also reject unless anyone is "Falcon -like".
I have a suggestion that might deal with some of the objections - how about referring to ourselves as "Race Orienteers" to seperate the competitive sport from people who ramble with map and compass?

[Strider]

I have a suggestion that might deal with some of the objections - how about referring to ourselves as "Race Orienteers" to seperate the competitive sport from people who ramble with map and compass?

If orienteering was invented now, it would probably be called 'adventure running'... I think that would have far more positive connotations. Just a thought

S.

[SeanC]

Along the lines of AndyC.

"Orienteering" in people's minds = the skill of map reading/compass work, often practised by teenagers on DofE trips, or scouts, sometimes by walkers, always done slowly with head scratching and walking boots.

"Orienteering event" - in people's minds: as above, probably with lessons from serious mapreading guru types

"Orienteering race" - in people's minds: as above, but done quickly as possible, probably with running.

So rather than time to ditch the word "Orienteering", it might be time to ditch the word "event" and replace with "race"? Not a perfect brand image .. but a big improvement.

[NeilC]

If orienteering was invented now, it would probably be called 'adventure running'... I think that would have far more positive connotations. Just a thought

http://www.adventurerunning.org.uk/

[AlanB]

Along the lines of AndyC.

"Orienteering" in people's minds = the skill of map reading/compass work, often practised by teenagers on DofE trips, or scouts, sometimes by walkers, always done slowly with head scratching and walking boots.

"Orienteering event" - in people's minds: as above, probably with lessons from serious mapreading guru types

"Orienteering race" - in people's minds: as above, but done quickly as possible, probably with running.

So rather than time to ditch the word "Orienteering", it might be time to ditch the word "event" and replace with "race"? Not a perfect brand image .. but a big improvement.

Or "speed orienteering".

[AlanB]

Hi RJ, I can see your point and the work that people around the country with school kids is obviously extremely valuable to the sport and can only have a positive effect in the long term.

Maybe I can’t really talk for the rest of the UK having lived mostly in the South East plus a couple of years in Canada and maybe my comments are more applicable to the adult population. But, from my experience as soon as I mention to other adults that I orienteer there is this instant assumption and association with the afore mentioned activities, the like of which you do not get with other more popular sports. This may be different further North, but in the South East (where I believe most of the population resides) there appears to be this overwhelming negative attitude to the sport... or maybe it is just the people I choose to associate with. However, I have experienced it throughout my life and I’ve been an orienteer for a very long time.

My assumption is that people on this forum recognise that orienteering has an image problem outside of orienteers?

BTW what are the participation statistics like nowadays? Are we still in a steady decline?

TBH I haven't come across the problems you mention and didn't know there was a problem until the 'newspaper' thread on here. Either people look bored to tears when I mention what I do at the weekend, look at me as though it's some kind of kinky perversion, or genuinely ask about it (I always stress the 'performance' side of my activity ).

[Angry Haggis]

Nike are calling what we call Street Orienteering "Running your City" or "Alternative Reality Gaming"

http://nikegrid.com/

[ryeland of doom]

Most sports will suffer a "negative image" with the sedentary population.

We are already fighting back with the urban races - while technical to us, they are not such a challenge to the non orienteer - to them the map reading is all about not getting totally lost, not saving seconds. In the urban environment, the getting lost thing is not so overwhelming than it would be in the big bad wolf and banjo twanger infested forest, so more emphasis can be put on the running and racing. And it is public - not hidden away.

Every opportunity should be taken to emphasise that it is a racing sport and success should be reported to local media. Way back then, papers did not cover the sport because nobody knew the results for ages, but now we can report victories in time for this weeks deadlines. When your club has a British Champion, let the local rag know - even if they "dont do orienteering".

[Big Jon]

Doesn't seem to be slowing recruitment in Maroc, I think we'll keep the word up here.