MLS 2007 Uni Changes

[Bleujayone]

For the sake of contrast, I must also remind you of the Jacksonville Tea Men.

Who, in point of fact, were owned by the Lipton Tea Company and originally based out of Foxboro, Massachusetts as the New England Tea Men. As a result, the team's name was said to be a reference to the club's owners, as well as the Boston Tea Party.

In my opinion, an outstanding - and truly distinctive - kit:

New England Tea Men Home Kit

New England Tea Men Away Kit

Well, now I know where they got the idea for the Dallas Knights uniforms for Any Given Sunday

Dallas Knights Jersey

[OMMF]

Houtson Villa?

Chicago Wednesday?

No. Reportedly, Major League Soccer's member franchises will be branded as follows:

Arsenal Colorado FC

CD Chivas USA

Chicagornik Zabrze

CSD Colo-Columbus

DC United

FC Dallas

Heart of MidAmerica FC

Houston Dynamo

Los Angeles Galatasaray SK

New England Celtic FC

Real Salt Lake

Red Bull New York

Toronto FC

[Brian in Boston]

Well, it would appear that the Colorado Rapids brand has survived... at least for the time being. Rumor has it that Major League Soccer requires member-clubs to notify the league of a complete rebranding eighteen months to two years in advance of the change. Other sources are saying that unveiling the Arsenal Colorado FC brand in conjunction with the announcement establishing a working relationship between the MLS and EPL Arsenal sides struck some as giving off the impression that the American team was a lesser subsidiary of the English club.

You're absolutely right. MLS rebranding has been overdone.

[BaltimoreFan]

Who says they're "forcing them on to the teams"?

And no, that's not what "United" means. Common misconception. It means that sometimes (as in Newcastle United), but not in others. Manchester United and West Ham United both took the name when a single team rebranded. They liked the sound of it, sounded more professional or more "football-y," nothing more than that.

It just seems like they are forcing European names to the teams. Most of the European names sort of just came to be naturally (from what I've read). It seems like the teams started off as clubs in the late 1800s and sort of developed names as they went came about. For example, the Newcastle United were named that because they joined with another team. I didn't realize not all "United" teams did that, I read that somewhere else. Also, Inter Milan is named because they seperated from AC Milan because didn't like the dominance of Italians on the team and wanted more International players (at least from what I've read on Wikipedia). It would be forced if MLS had an expansion were named Inter Cleveland (unless they liked to sign alot of international players for some reason). I mean Dynamo is somewhat forced since its a Russian term. Also Real Salt Lake is a little forced. I know they have a partnership with Real Madrid, but they don't have any connection to a royal family like the name implies. If they truely wanted to "European-ize" the league I think they'd be best off just naming the team after the city (maybe adding an F.C. or S.C.) then just creating a shield, then letting a nickname just form itself (which seems to be how its happened in Europe). For the most part some of the names work well. NY Red Bulls, Chivas USA, FC Dallas, Toronto FC. DC United sounds good and it sort of works too (looking around a little the other "United" teams struggled early on and were revived by new ownership, which may have lead to United names). Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew are American names but they both a great to keep. The others don't really fit IMO. But all of this is coming from some one new to soccer, so my opinions formed mostly from just reading about European soccer on Wikipedia.

[Joely]

Well, it would appear that the Colorado Rapids brand has survived... at least for the time being. Rumor has it that Major League Soccer requires member-clubs to notify the league of a complete rebranding eighteen months to two years in advance of the change. Other sources are saying that unveiling the Arsenal Colorado FC brand in conjunction with the announcement establishing a working relationship between the MLS and EPL Arsenal sides struck some as giving off the impression that the American team was a lesser subsidiary of the English club.

and heres to make that "working relationship" official from the bbc website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...nal/6348067.stm

seems to suggest keeping the rapids name...

also (sorry for two posts, one would have done!) gazieka mendieta looks like he wants to make the move to mls...he might be past his prime, but could this be the start of a second wave of europeans to us soccer (and if so how do americans feel about it, would you prefer to develop yound american talent?)?

[duma]

while we are on the topic of the names, I really thought that the politicians in Houston ruined easily the best name/logo in all of MLS. Houston 1836. Such a shame the name didnt stick.

[TBGKon]

while we are on the topic of the names, I really thought that the politicians in Houston ruined easily the best name/logo in all of MLS. Houston 1836. Such a shame the name didnt stick.

Yes, but in a market heavily populated with Latino fans (the target audience), the year of 1836 meant the time in whcih their Mexican/Latino brethren died in the battle for Texas independence, and that is why the name changed, and for good reason...why shun you're target audience

[Fred T. Jane]

Yes, but in a market heavily populated with Latino fans (the target audience), the year of 1836 meant the time in whcih their Mexican/Latino brethren died in the battle for Texas independence, and that is why the name changed, and for good reason...why shun you're target audience

They died on both sides, el jefe...

But at least the logo still lives on with the Supporters' Club for the gringos...

[IceCap]

while we are on the topic of the names, I really thought that the politicians in Houston ruined easily the best name/logo in all of MLS. Houston 1836. Such a shame the name didnt stick.

Regardless of who was offended, Houston 1836 would have been a terrible name. IMO the only date that should appear in a soccer team's name/crest is the year they were founded.

Houston Dynamo is an ok name, all though Dynamo Houston would have been better.

[VitaminD]

while we are on the topic of the names, I really thought that the politicians in Houston ruined easily the best name/logo in all of MLS. Houston 1836. Such a shame the name didnt stick.

Yes, but in a market heavily populated with Latino fans (the target audience), the year of 1836 meant the time in whcih their Mexican/Latino brethren died in the battle for Texas independence, and that is why the name changed, and for good reason...why shun you're target audience

By that logic, we never should have had teams named the Philadelphia 76ers or the New England Patriots. God knows we can't offend people whose ancestors we fought in battles for independence hundreds of years ago...

Of course, the whole issue could've been sidestepped nicely had the Houston club adhered closer to German naming practices and simply used "Houston 06" in honor of the year of the club's founding. I'm just pissed that the team caved to a subsection of their potential fan base (many of whom are actually expected to be fans of Chivas USA) over something that's awfully esoteric to be that offensive. Before the whole naming flap, did you ever hear anyone - Mexican or otherwise - take offense to the year 1836?

[Brian in Boston]

By that logic, we never should have had teams named the Philadelphia 76ers or the New England Patriots. God knows we can't offend people whose ancestors we fought in battles for independence hundreds of years ago...

You're comparing apples and oranges. Residents of Mexican descent - including first and second generation residents and recent emigres - constitute a far greater percentage of Houston's modern population than residents of English descent do of either Boston or Philadelphia's current population.

[CC97]

By that logic, we never should have had teams named the Philadelphia 76ers or the New England Patriots. God knows we can't offend people whose ancestors we fought in battles for independence hundreds of years ago...

You're comparing apples and oranges. Residents of Mexican descent - including first and second generation residents and recent emigres - constitute a far greater percentage of Houston's modern population than residents of English descent do of either Boston or Philadelphia's current population.

True, whenever I hear someone from Boston or Philly talk I don't know what it is but it definitely doesn't sound like English.

[Avsman]

So is MLS just jacking all the premier league team names and such? As an "outsider" that's what it seems like to me. Real, Arsenal, all that.... Is there some hidden partnership with "European" leagues? What does Real mean anyway(in the soccer sense)? Can anyone help me figure that out?

I can help you out....on everything.

1. No the MLS is not 'jacking' Premier League club names. If they did 'jack' them they would have done it when the MLS first started 11 years ago. What is going on is rebranding on the part of some clubs to become more attractive to 'Euro-snobs' like me who cannot bring ourselves to root for a football club called the Wiz, Burn, Crew, Mutiny, and Clash.

2. There is some partnerships going on with some of these clubs. NY/NJ Metrostars were bought by RedBull and renamed like their sisterclub in Austria. Chivas in LA, well that's a no brainer...oh yeah...sorry. Chivas Gujadalahara (I think it's spelled right) purchased an expansion franchise and called it Chivas Gujadalahara USA.

LA Galaxy has a partnership with Tigres of the Mexican League and Houston Dynamo, I believe, has a partnership with Club Americas also of the Mexican League.

Real Salt Lake has a partnership with Real Madrid (that's in Spain). Real means Royal in Spanish.

Hoped this helped.

Hmmm, thanks for the lesson folks. I've always had a soft spot for the MLS, and always hoped they'd do well. Perhaps trying to market to the "Euro-Snobs" is an idea that has been long overdue. I did hear about the RedBulls "rebranding" and wished that money was not the motivation for a name change, but if they were bought out, whatcha gonna do?

[Gothamite]

Who says they're "forcing them on to the teams"?

And no, that's not what "United" means. Common misconception. It means that sometimes (as in Newcastle United), but not in others. Manchester United and West Ham United both took the name when a single team rebranded. They liked the sound of it, sounded more professional or more "football-y," nothing more than that.

It just seems like they are forcing European names to the teams. Most of the European names sort of just came to be naturally (from what I've read). It seems like the teams started off as clubs in the late 1800s and sort of developed names as they went came about. For example, the Newcastle United were named that because they joined with another team. I didn't realize not all "United" teams did that, I read that somewhere else.

In point of fact, the vast minority of "United" teams did that.

The only difference I see between what Newton Heath did in 1920 and what the Dallas Burn did in 2005 is we weren't around for the first one. Both clubs played under one name for over a decade, then decided that they needed a rebranding. They looked around at what other soccer clubs were doing, and adopted a new identity that fit within that style.

How is one more "natural" than the other?

[duma]

while we are on the topic of the names, I really thought that the politicians in Houston ruined easily the best name/logo in all of MLS. Houston 1836. Such a shame the name didnt stick.

Yes, but in a market heavily populated with Latino fans (the target audience), the year of 1836 meant the time in whcih their Mexican/Latino brethren died in the battle for Texas independence, and that is why the name changed, and for good reason...why shun you're target audience

By that logic, we never should have had teams named the Philadelphia 76ers or the New England Patriots. God knows we can't offend people whose ancestors we fought in battles for independence hundreds of years ago...

Of course, the whole issue could've been sidestepped nicely had the Houston club adhered closer to German naming practices and simply used "Houston 06" in honor of the year of the club's founding. I'm just pissed that the team caved to a subsection of their potential fan base (many of whom are actually expected to be fans of Chivas USA) over something that's awfully esoteric to be that offensive. Before the whole naming flap, did you ever hear anyone - Mexican or otherwise - take offense to the year 1836?

exactly right. It makes me laugh evertime i hear people say how bad the 1836 name was. O its really that bad? better not tell the 49ers and 76ers fans their "name" sucks. Its just ridiculous people need to open their minds.

and on the subject of the Mexican fans, really, was 1836 such an issue before this name was brought up? i never heard anyone calling for "remember 1836" or anything of the sort. this is just a case of a politician trying to make a name for herself by playing the race card. from what i hear about the MLS, Mexican soccer fans shun the league anyways, so really who were they offending with the name 1836 besides a small group of politicians? its a shame really.

[Cianfrocco]

What is going on is rebranding on the part of some clubs to become more attractive to 'Euro-snobs' like me who cannot bring ourselves to root for a football club called the Wiz, Burn, Crew, Mutiny, and Clash.

That will always remind me of the early MLS years, when Kieth Olberman had a line on Sportscenter that went something like "It always Burns when you play the Wiz."

[Sodboy13]

Or as I once said on my high school's newscast, "Burn over the Wiz. I had that once. Antibiotics, 2 weeks, cleared right up."

Ah, good times.

[Discrim]

heh, I remember watching sportscenter highlights from a Wiz game back in 96, and someone had a sign up reading "Flush the Wiz"

[eSabre]

Any update on the LA Galaxy situation? Are they going to change anything?

[juventuz]

Any update on the LA Galaxy situation? Are they going to change anything?

Nothing new on the rebranding effort, but supposedly it's come down to Citibank or Herbalife as the jersey sponsor. Citibank is reported to have offered close to $10 million a year.