Location Name Changes

[winghaz]

Never say never.

I said a team should never be named after a state if there are more than one team in a certain sport in that state. But the Texas Rangers and Florida Panthers create situations to break that personal belief, for obvious reasons. I still think names like the California Angels, Florida Marlins and others are wrong. But I guess there are always some exceptions.

Now, for the so-called New Jersey Giants and Jets ... oh, come on. Let's be real. They represent the New York City metro area, and the last I checked, the location of the stadium is in the NYC metro area. If a team is in a metro area, there's nothing wrong with calling it by the name of the city. I mean, we never heard complaints about the Detroit Lions when they played in Pontiac.

[wildwing64]

The only one that's downright ridiculous is renaming the Angels the LA Angels of Anaheim. That's not even in LA County. When teams play the Angels they don't fly into LAX, they fly in at the John Wayne/ OC Airport. The OC is like an entirely different city from LA. It drives me nuts seeing LAA and LAD while I'm watching an Angels or Dodgers game on TV

Your mileage may vary on the whole Anaheim/LA thing (inb4 "Aw geez not this again"). Yes, Anaheim is obviously not located in LA County, but Orange County is grouped together with Los Angeles as part of the Greater LA metro area, and also the same media market. At the same time both feel like very different places, and OC residents - from my vague understanding - don't consider themselves to be from Los Angeles, nor do they claim allegiance to the Los Angeles name unless it's the Lakers. I dunno, perhaps you're better informed about the whole thing than I am?

Having said that, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is stupid. Just pick one or the other and be done with it.

[altosax29b]

San Diego Chargers ---> SoCal Chargers

Cincinnati Bengals ---> Kentucky Bengals

Columbus BlueJackets ---> Ohio BlueJackets

I like Ohio Blue Jackets.

[IceCap]

They might as well be called that.

[The_Admiral]

Just no to any Colorado teams switching to Denver...

The mountains are called the Colorado Rockies... hence the name Colorado Rockies. Plus Denver Rockies just sounds stupid.

Likewise, there are no Avalanches in Denver, they happen in the mountains of Colorado... Denver Avalanche sounds incredibly bad.

Wild horses and gold ore aren't in the streets of Denver, either. What's your point?

I just like that Denver is a specific place whereas Colorado is a big empty rectangle.

[BBTV]

In my experience, the only people who have a serious problem with the New York Giants and Jets are those who haven't been here and don't understand the nature of our suburbs just happening to straddle state lines.

That, or frustrated Jersey partisans.

Similar to here, when the Sixers were signed, sealed, and thisclose to being delivered to New Jersey (still metro Phila) while still being the Philadelphia 76ers, until the Flyers (Spectacor) merged with Comcast and bought them to put them in the new arena they were constructing.

[The_Admiral]

That the 76ers almost moved to Camden is about as unbelievable as the Bears almost moving to Gary. I wonder if we also came close to having the Compton Raiders or the East St. Louis Cardinals.

[ARTnSocal]

The only one that's downright ridiculous is renaming the Angels the LA Angels of Anaheim. That's not even in LA County. When teams play the Angels they don't fly into LAX, they fly in at the John Wayne/ OC Airport. The OC is like an entirely different city from LA. It drives me nuts seeing LAA and LAD while I'm watching an Angels or Dodgers game on TV

Your mileage may vary on the whole Anaheim/LA thing (inb4 "Aw geez not this again"). Yes, Anaheim is obviously not located in LA County, but Orange County is grouped together with Los Angeles as part of the Greater LA metro area, and also the same media market. At the same time both feel like very different places, and OC residents - from my vague understanding - don't consider themselves to be from Los Angeles, nor do they claim allegiance to the Los Angeles name unless it's the Lakers. I dunno, perhaps you're better informed about the whole thing than I am?

Having said that, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is stupid. Just pick one or the other and be done with it.

....

Well ... I live in the North LA area ..... imagine driving to Reading from where you live, and then add another 10-15 miles more on top it. That's how far it is if I wanna attend an Angels or Ducks game. Plus I'd be driving in all that congested LA freeway traffic in between whereas I imagine you'd have to drive thru all that congested traffic in London while on your way to Reading.

It's quite a journey ... but I did do it during the 2002 World Series. That was well worth it.

[TheOldRoman]

That the 76ers almost moved to Camden is about as unbelievable as the Bears almost moving to Gary. I wonder if we also came close to having the Compton Raiders or the East St. Louis Cardinals.

Was the Bears move to Gary ever really close? I thought it was McCaskey throwing it out as an empty threat to get the city to build him a new stadium? As for the Cardinals, maybe you are referencing it, but George Ryan made a pitch about ten years ago to build a stadium in Illinois just over the border (not sure if it was ESL). I imagine the Cards had no interest.

[Camby's Left Nut]

Just no to any Colorado teams switching to Denver...

The mountains are called the Colorado Rockies... hence the name Colorado Rockies. Plus Denver Rockies just sounds stupid.

Likewise, there are no Avalanches in Denver, they happen in the mountains of Colorado... Denver Avalanche sounds incredibly bad.

Wild horses and gold ore aren't in the streets of Denver, either. What's your point?

I just like that Denver is a specific place whereas Colorado is a big empty rectangle.

How so? The entire essence of Colorado is the mountains and the beautiful landscape. That's what people think of when they think of Colorado, not the 16th Street Mall and Casa Bonita. And as such, the sports teams are named after Colorado things that encapsulate just that, not anything Denver specific. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I definitely agree the Denver Rockies suggestion is incredibly dumb. They're the Colorado Rockies, not because it's just a state name and team name being put together...but because the Colorado Rockies are actually a specific place. It wouldn't work any other way.

[AndrewPF]

Naming your team after the state your in is only ok in select circumstances, in my opinion. Naming your team after six just comes off as silly.

Maybe, but if you go back and look at the circumstances, it was a good PR move.

Everyone causes a stink about the Jets and Giants playing 5 minutes from NY. For those of you wanting a Boston Patriots name, they play in Foxborough. That's 40 minutes from Boston, and they ain't moving anytime soon. I think New England works over Boston because it allows states without a pro team in any sport (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island) to claim allegiance, and they certainly do. Connecticut is really more of Giants country though. All things considered, while I'm a Packers fan and generally have no satisfaction from anything Patriots, New England is a helluva lot better than Boston.

I get that, but wouldn't fans in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island claim allegiance if they used the Boston name too? I may be wrong, but I doubt there are very many fans in those states that refuse to root for the Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins because they use "Boston" over a more regionally inclusive nickname.

Since the Pats play in Foxboro, if they were going to be re-named after a nearby city, it'd make more geographical sense to call them the Providence Patriots.

[The_Admiral]

I think it's 20 miles in either direction, and their media flagships are all in Boston, so...

[BBTV]

That the 76ers almost moved to Camden is about as unbelievable as the Bears almost moving to Gary. I wonder if we also came close to having the Compton Raiders or the East St. Louis Cardinals.

At the time, they were hoping that a waterfront redevelopment project featuring a large concert venue, state aquarium, minor league park, and eventually a sixers arena would turn things around, but... yeah.

[RedSox44]

Naming your team after the state your in is only ok in select circumstances, in my opinion. Naming your team after six just comes off as silly.

Maybe, but if you go back and look at the circumstances, it was a good PR move.

Everyone causes a stink about the Jets and Giants playing 5 minutes from NY. For those of you wanting a Boston Patriots name, they play in Foxborough. That's 40 minutes from Boston, and they ain't moving anytime soon. I think New England works over Boston because it allows states without a pro team in any sport (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island) to claim allegiance, and they certainly do. Connecticut is really more of Giants country though. All things considered, while I'm a Packers fan and generally have no satisfaction from anything Patriots, New England is a helluva lot better than Boston.

I get that, but wouldn't fans in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island claim allegiance if they used the Boston name too? I may be wrong, but I doubt there are very many fans in those states that refuse to root for the Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins because they use "Boston" over a more regionally inclusive nickname.

Since the Pats play in Foxboro, if they were going to be re-named after a nearby city, it'd make more geographical sense to call them the Providence Patriots.

But that doesn't sound as good as "Boston Patriots". Boston Patriots just sounds best. Better than New England. Better than Providence.

In fact, Providence Patriots sounds a lot better than New England Patriots.

[pHiL Kizer]

I would like to see the Oklahoma Thunder. I live in Tulsa and they play their first preseason game here each year in our new super expensive arena, the BOK Center. Tulsa Shock is here and also the Tulsa 66ers. They should represent the whole state instead of just Oklahoma City like the Utah Jazz. I couldn't imagine the Salt Lake City Jazz. Oklahoma Thunder just rolls off the tongue better with less syllables.

I'm for the Oakland Warriors. The word "State" should only be used when referring to a college team.

If the Kings aren't going to Anaheim, the Clippers should. Anaheim Clippers..i like it already

I'm also with all the Washington teams changing to "D.C." since there is already a state named "Washington". I know it may seem weird at first but I think people will get adjusted to it quicker than you think. The D.C. Wizards, the D.C. Redskins, the D.C. Capitals, and the D.C. Nationals...that works.

I remember when the St. Louis Cardinals(football) first moved to become the Phoenix Cardinals back when my cousin, Stump Mitchell played for them, they should have left the name alone. It was great and they should go back it.

Carolina Panthers should be the Charlotte Panthers because it makes more sense and it would match up with the other cats in town, the Charlotte Bobcats.

Also

Phoenix Diamondbacks

Denver Rockies

Miami Marlins

Raleigh Hurricanes

Denver Avalanche

[Joshawaggie]

I would like to see the Oklahoma Thunder. I live in Tulsa and they play their first preseason game here each year in our new super expensive arena, the BOK Center. Tulsa Shock is here and also the Tulsa 66ers. They should represent the whole state instead of just Oklahoma City like the Utah Jazz. I couldn't imagine the Salt Lake City Jazz. Oklahoma Thunder just rolls off the tongue better with less syllables.

I'm for the Oakland Warriors. The word "State" should only be used when referring to a college team.

If the Kings aren't going to Anaheim, the Clippers should. Anaheim Clippers..i like it already

I'm also with all the Washington teams changing to "D.C." since there is already a state named "Washington". I know it may seem weird at first but I think people will get adjusted to it quicker than you think. The D.C. Wizards, the D.C. Redskins, the D.C. Capitals, and the D.C. Nationals...that works.

I remember when the St. Louis Cardinals(football) first moved to become the Phoenix Cardinals back when my cousin, Stump Mitchell played for them, they should have left the name alone. It was great and they should go back it.

Carolina Panthers should be the Charlotte Panthers because it makes more sense and it would match up with the other cats in town, the Charlotte Bobcats.

Also

Phoenix Diamondbacks

Denver Rockies

Miami Marlins

Raleigh Hurricanes

Denver Avalanche

I think Oklahoma is another good example of a place where the State name fits better.

[B-Rich]

Likewise, there are no Avalanches in Denver, they happen in the mountains of Colorado... Denver Avalanche sounds incredibly bad.

And to think it actually existed, though...

but only for two years...

And while we're at it, let's not forget the original Colorado Rockies:

A name so good, it HAD to be re-used.

[scarsofthumper]

I'd prefer that all Tampa Bay teams, switch simply to Tampa.

As if St Pete isn't pissed at us enough for not going to Rays games.

[shawa666]

I'm from the area, I live in Rutherford.. the idea that this area isn't a suburb of NYC is beyond ridiculous. Newark and Jersey City are part of the NY metro area.

The Jets didn't get their west side stadium because of Cablevision and MSG. They used their clout with Sheldon Silver and the NY assembly to block the plan. They did this for obvious reasons. You can see in this photo how close the West Side Stadium would of been from MSG.

...

I think you either misinterpret what I wrote, or I didn't express myself correctly. Or the combination of the two.

While I don't live in the Tri-State area, I'm quite familiar with it. I am well aware that the Meadowlands is part of the NY metro area, but it's also in NJ, so I have a hard time referring to Summit or Rutherford as a NYC 'suburb' as say Uniondale-NY or New Rochelle.

My cousin lives in Summit-NJ, that's where I stay whenever we've gone to see the Bills at Jets games, and we always fly in thru to Newark, never JFK or LaGuardia, the latter when they used to play at Shea.

My reasoning for agreeing that they should be known as the NYJ and NYG is because they originally played in NYC and the distance to the newer stadium is in about the same proximity from Manhattan as Orchard Park is from South Buffalo, 7-10 miles.

Anyway, that proposed Jets stadium that got shot-down which was gonna be on the West side, can somebody tell me near what cross streets it was going to be located?? I'm curious because when I was a young boy my grandmother used to live in the most northern part of Manhattan's West side near Fort Tryon Park. Probably a really rough neighborhood now, and not too far from where the old NY Highlanders played pre-WWI ...

Saying that East Rutherford, NJ is not a direct suburb of New York City is like saying that Kansas City, KS, is not a suburb of Kansas City, MO.

[AndrewPF]

I think it's 20 miles in either direction, and their media flagships are all in Boston, so...

No, it's shorter to Providence. I checked a map before I posted that to make sure I wasn't making it up.