Gloucestershire to play as 'Bristol' in T20 Blast from next season

Gloucestershire are set to drop their county name and play as 'Bristol' in the T20 Blast next season, Cricinfo has learned.

The county has undertaken a wide-ranging review since the end of the season and have decided to relaunch their men's and women's T20 teams under a new name next year, in a bid to boost attendances at Blast fixtures. The decision to incorporate Bristol - the city where the club play - into their name for the Blast has been approved at board level.

Gloucestershire's chief executive Neil Priscott and head of audience development Jenny Hall shared the plans with members in a meeting at the County Ground on Wednesday night, and confirmed to Cricinfo on Thursday that the club is creating "a new dedicated T20 identity" for next season onwards.

"Over recent months, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club has worked closely with our players, our members working group, the ECB, and a number of key stakeholders to help shape an exciting new chapter in our evolution," the club told Cricinfo in a statement.

"Building on more than 150 years of proud heritage, Gloucestershire Cricket will always remain our overarching identity and the foundation of everything we do.

"As part of our wider strategic vision to grow domestic cricket, attract new audiences across the region, and drive commercial reinvestment back into the sport, we will be creating a new dedicated T20 identity for our men's and women's teams."

The club will hold another meeting with members in Cheltenham on Thursday night, and will launch their "complete vision" later this year to coincide with the release of next year's domestic schedule.

The move to a city-based team name evokes Warwickshire's controversial decision to rebrand as the Birmingham Bears ahead of the 2014 season, which was reversed a year ago due in part to the subsequent launch of Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred.

Gloucestershire were previously known as 'Gloucestershire Gladiators' in one-day and T20 cricket from 1999 until 2013, when they dropped the nickname and reverted to their standard county name.

The club has also been exploring a move away from the County Ground to a bespoke stadium on the outskirts of Bristol in recent years due to access and infrastructure challenges at the current site.