NFL Seattle... KINGS?!?

[Buster]

A quick google search shows that this was the proposed helmet for the Kings?

Yep. That's it. Here's some other material (some found initially by our very own ColorWerx...)

Over time the group slowly came to the realization that they weren't as well capitalized as another group vying to bring the NFL to Seattle. Near the end, just before the NFL was to award franchises, the Kings group volunteered to join the other and put forth a united front for Seattle. They basically were told to get bent, and the other group ultimately became the first owners of the Seahawks.

Would have been wonderful to see what the "Seattle Kings" would have evolved to be today if everything had gone through. I like the purposed look.

Would have been especially interesting given the county changed from the original King name (William R. King) and crown symbol to the likeness of MLK. I'm guessing the team wouldn't have followed suit but they may have tried some tribute or patch for Dr. King.

Other than politics, what was the purpose of that considering Dr. King was born in Georgia?

I really wish the team had been born as the Kings instead of the Seahawks.

[IceCap]

Dr. King being a Georgian doesn't seem like a big deal. George Washington never visited the Pacific Coast but the state in question is named after him. William Rufus King, who the county was previously named after, was from Alabama.

Anyway they changed the designation from William Rufus King to Martin Luther King Jr. because William Rufus King was an outspoken bigot. His tenure in the US Senate saw him stifle anti-slavery legislation, work to keep slavery legal in the District of Columbia, and work to expand the institution of slavery into the territories. By changing the designation of the name they're honouring a man who worked to fight against the social injustices the original inspiration for the name helped perpetuate.

[hockey week]

Dr. King being a Georgian doesn't seem like a big deal. George Washington never visited the Pacific Coast but the state in question is named after him. William Rufus King, who the county was previously named after, was from Alabama.

Anyway they changed the designation from William Rufus King to Martin Luther King Jr. because William Rufus King was an outspoken bigot. His tenure in the US Senate saw him stifle anti-slavery legislation, work to keep slavery legal in the District of Columbia, and work to expand the institution of slavery into the territories. By changing the designation of the name they're honouring a man who worked to fight against the social injustices the original inspiration for the name helped perpetuate.

And all without having to change any of the signs or letterhead or designations or addresses that say "King County"

Really, it's one of the best name-rectifications out there, ceasing to continue honoring someone undeserving with minimal impact.

[uk-owns-iu]

How ironic is all of this given the recent attempt to relocate the Sacramento Kings to Seattle (granted the name wouldn't have moved). I like the CenturyLink Field but wish it didn't have to come at the expense of the Kingdome. What an amazing structure.

If Seattle does finally land the NHL, they should give the above purple and orange a try to break free from the overuse of blue, green, yellow in the area.

[sc49erfan15]

Googled for some more info on this and found this patch, don't remember seeing it before.

Lavender and copper... interesting color combo.

[Buster]

Could just be faded from age or crappy 1970s-quality photography.

Lavender in the NFL?

Seattle would be the place to do it, I suppose.

[TruColor]

I estimated these colors for the Seattle Kings - based on the photos and graphics we've found:

I think the Lavender is probably a poor thread match more than likely.

[Panthers]

Hmmmm… According to the book Rozelle, when Paul Brown got a team (and I am not sure if it was part of the merger agreement as the Saints were), Brown was asked to put his team in Seattle. When the merger was agreed upon, the Jets were to move to Memphis and the Raiders to Portland, OR. Also, I am not familiar with the Lamar Hunt-Memphis story. I read somewhere that it was New Orleans that was approached. Also…..

Buffalo, Minneapolis (Max Winter), and Houston (Bud Adams) tried to acquire the Chicago Cardinals. Minneapolis pulled out of the AFL when Winter was granted an NFL franchise.

As part of Pete Rozelle's expansion plan, he wanted the league to go into the Pacific Northwest first, hence asking Brown to field a team in Seattle and moving the Raiders to Portland.

Where did you read the CFL and NFL considered a merger? Ironic story here – in a Pro! program (1974), there was one of those sidebar articles about how the schedule was made. (fast fact - when the full merger was implemented, they set teams' opponents until 1978. The NFL Guidebook, a "sister" to the NFL Record and Fact Book, published the opponents for each team until '78. So I along with two friends worked out a combined NFL-CFL merger into the "North American Football League" and worked out the entire schedule. We had Montreal in the AFC East, Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa in the AFC Central, and the Seattle Kings in the AFC West. In the NFC West we had BC, Saskatchewan, Calgary and Edmonton, Winnipeg in the NFC Central and moved the Falcons and Saints, I think to the NFC East. I don't remember the entire configuration. Then we created a full 14-game schedule for each team. We typed it up and sent it to the NFL, who thanked us very much for our efforts - it was a letter from Rozelle himself.

I think that San Antonio, Orlando, Birmingham, and Memphis could definitely have healthy attendances. The problem is that each of those cities is tired of fly-by-night leagues and teams. No one is going to put a foot forward in B'Ham, Orlando and Memphis in upgrading their facilities without the promise of a long-term tenant.

I do know from my source who used to work in the league, that the NFL really, truly wants a minor league. The costs are prohibitive, and they are actively searching for a joint venture partner. Could San Antonio, Portland, Sacramento, Omaha, Orlando, Memphis, Virginia Beach, Columbus and Birmingham field successful, thriving teams? Only if it has an NFL label AND say a 10+ year commitment from the league. Could Monterrey/Mexico City be in the mix? Who knows? Tec de Monterrey, the Alabama of Mexican collegiate football, was sending out feelers to the NCAA but botched the process badly.

Roger Goodell stated he wants the NFL to gross $25 bn by 2025 (they reportedly grossed $9 bn in 2012). Would minor league football be part of it? Who knows.

I think it is ironic that leagues like the WFL and the USFL really opened new markets - Jacksonville, Phoenix for example. And as for Memphis and Birmingham, the NFL didn't want either because 1. The Americans/Vulcans ownership wasn't stable and 2. The owners couldn't stand John Bassett. Here's a guy who came in from Canada, steal players, and bragged about it. Honestly though, I think Bassett would have been a great owner in the NFL.

[hawk36]

Dr. King being a Georgian doesn't seem like a big deal. George Washington never visited the Pacific Coast but the state in question is named after him. William Rufus King, who the county was previously named after, was from Alabama.

Anyway they changed the designation from William Rufus King to Martin Luther King Jr. because William Rufus King was an outspoken bigot. His tenure in the US Senate saw him stifle anti-slavery legislation, work to keep slavery legal in the District of Columbia, and work to expand the institution of slavery into the territories. By changing the designation of the name they're honouring a man who worked to fight against the social injustices the original inspiration for the name helped perpetuate.

I like the change in designation but am not a fan of the change in logo. The crown was simple and clean and since William Rufus King was not royalty, didn't really represent him anyway.

As for using the purple/gold for the NHL, I rather they either go with the more traditional Seattle hockey colors of either red/green (Metropolitans) or blue/green (TBirds).