Newcastle Thunder rebrand 'a big step' - Keith Christie
Newcastle Thunder managing director Keith Christie tells BBC Look North the decision to rebrand and decamp from Gateshead to Kingston Park was made "for the right reason".
Thunder were taken over by Newcastle Falcons owner Semore Kurdi in May 2014, and the renaming and sharing of facilities brings the two operations even closer.
The newly named professional side - the first in the city since 1938 - take on Dewsbury in a friendly on Saturday.