‘100% vegan football club’ Forest Green Rovers’ stadium could now be renamed KEVIN after fans rebel against new Innocent Smoothies naming-rights deal and hijack club’s own Twitter poll
- Forest Green Rovers’ stadium could be called Kevin due to a fans’ Twitter poll
- Over 78 per cent of supporters voted for the name change on social media
- The name was suggested as Kevin Keegan rhymes with the word ‘vegan’
- Rovers are ‘100 per cent vegan’ with the 5,000-seater stadium made of wood
- Innocent Smoothies recently purchased naming rights for the New Lawn ground
Forest Green Rovers’ stadium could called ‘Kevin’ after fans voted for the name in a Twitter poll.
The League Two side, who became the first ‘vegan football club’ in 2015, asked fans on social media to suggest a new name for The New Lawn Stadium, with the club demanding that new sponsor Innocent Smoothies is inserted in the name.
But in a move reminiscent of the Boaty McBoatface drama in 2016, fans ignored their club’s pleas with over 78 per cent of the vote going to ‘Kevin’.
Forest Green’s New Lawn Stadium could be called ‘Kevin’ after the name was popular in a poll
Over 78 per cent of fans called for the stadium name to be changed to ‘Kevin’ in a Twitter poll
The idea to call the stadium ‘Kevin’ was first drawn up by Crystal Palace fan Ameena McColville, who noticed the name of former manager Kevin Keegan rhymes with vegan.
Forest Green Rovers will shortlist the top four names and give their season ticket holders the final say over the new ground name.
Innocent’s UK marketing director, Anna Bateson, was quoted by The Sun saying: ‘We have no idea who Kevin is.’
Jeff Stelling was delighted with the proposed new name change on social media this week
Soccer Saturday’s Jeff Stelling was delighted at the news the stadium could potentially be called Kevin, with the Sky Sports presenter tweeting: ‘If it is Kevin it is guaranteed a mention every week!!’
The name change would be a repeat of the 2016 gaffe involving Boaty McBoatFace, as 124,000 people voted that name for a British research ship.
The new name was vetoed with RRS Sir David Attenborough chosen instead, though a smaller ship used in the same crew was given the name ‘Boaty’.
The New Lawn Stadium, which holds 5,000 people, was developed with new eco-friendly innovations five years ago as Forest Green claim to be 100 per cent vegan.
Forest Green claim to be 100 per cent vegan with their stadium made entirely of wood
Their owner, Dale Vince OBE, is a British green energy industrialist who owns a company called Ecotricity and first became the major shareholder in 2010.
Earlier this year, Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin became the second-largest shareholder at Rovers after praising their commitments to veganism and environmentalism.
New Lawn’s roof is made almost entirely out of wood, including the roof, and could be expanded to a 10,000 capacity stadium if the club continue to rise up the English football pyramid.
Club owner Dale Vince (above) is a green energy industrialist and is in charge of the project
The club also produce vegan food on a matchday, ranging from pizzas, fajitas, salads and sweet potato fries rather than the classic burger and pies.
No Rovers players are allowed to meat on the club’s premises as studies continue to prove athletes can still perform to the highest level on a vegan diet.
The grass at the New Lawn Stadium is also given a chemical-free diet in order to comply with the rules.