I'll amend that by saying that I think that the only thing that could get them to sell RBNY, would be if they were offered the option on the the NY2 expansion franchise and then they would name them RBNY.
Sela doesn't have the money to buy the Red Bulls + RB arena. They are just a marketing company that owns a trademark. Also, the Austrian energy drink company likes the team name as is. Every time the team name is mentioned, they are marketing their beverages.
So true. It's not as though they've paid for a brand new stadium or tried to bring in well-known stars...
It is hugely in the interest of both an owner to buy, and Sela to sell that brand. It would be an epicly horrible business decision to not have this transaction happen. For the owner, you have a brand that is worth a ton of money, that an outside group has already put a lot of work to popularize all over the world. All the hard work has been done! For Sela, if NYC2 happens and they don't use the name, its worth plummets. It would be worth practically nothing after that. Both parties don't have a strong alternative to a negotiated agreement, and both parties would know that.
Which proudly is named RED BULL ARENA and every time it's shown on TV you see a big Red Bull symbol at midfield. It' all about advancing the Brand.
Lets not forget Bruce Arena drinking Red Bull during press conferences and cans all of the place during "Red Bull Corner Pub" or whatever that review bit was called.
Having the team and building the stadium is cheaper than what a company like Geico spends every year on TV ads.
How old do you have to be for the Cosmos name to be meaningful to you? I'm 30 years old, NY resident for the past 18 years, I only heard the Cosmos' name mentioned in different history reels that are practically black and white. With that question in mind, what is the rationale of calling the NY team Cosmos? No attachment to that name here.
This is the fair argument - there are a lot of fans that have no attachment to the team. I think a team not named the Cosmos will draw well too. The opposing argument is - yea - but hte global recognition the Cosmos always had would probably magnify the impact. Going to be fun to see how it plays out.
I think it's going to play out in accordance with The Golden Rule; He Who Hath The Gold Makes The Rules. They're just going to have to pick their target demographic and go for a name that resonates with it. At least that would be the rational marketing approach.
It's great that the team name aligns with the owner's business. When they signed Henry, millions of people around the world read the news and saw the words "Red Bull". If and when the team wins something the same will happen. The team's name means that the owner is completely dedicated to the success of the team.
Sincerely Nick, I have always thought that the best think should be a new history and I like the NYCFC or International name.
Speaking as someone familiar with the history but not having been alive to have witnessed it, I think Cosmos is a pretty lame name. Casuals will only hear that it sounds like a knock-off of Galaxy, even if it's a dual meaning with cosmopolitan or whatever. Of course, to me, all these nicknamey titles of clubs strike me as terribly cheesy. I'm all for nicknaming your team (here in KC, we still call our boys Wizards, still have that in our chants, etc., but the team has a little more grown-up sounding name [opinion]). True, it would be a struggle to do worse than the Red Bulls or Metrostars... Don't read this as being a Eurosnob or anything. I grew up playing youth soccer where we are all the Jaguars or Rockets or Ponies or all that, and even then, I thought it was pretty tacky. I remember coming across BPL teams who didn't have official nicknames and mascots, and that clicked with me. And good lord, I need to stay off forums when I'm sick. I just ramble...
Yes because names like the Timbers, the Sounders, the Impact, etc are names everyone agrees are "lame" and a bad idea!
Pretty sure I clearly labeled all that as my opinion. Will continue to do so: all three of those nicknames are quite stupid to me. Not disrespecting the clubs or their histories. Just that their official franchise titles sound like minor league baseball teams. Totally my opinion, and not one shared by most Americans (and people from other countries too, I do know. Soccer giants like South Africa, for example). I just want it all a bit simplified, but as I said, no one is actually asking me. Anyways, my point really being that it surely is not just me who feels this way. Not just Eurosnobs either. The Liga MX final garnered over 3x the viewers of the MLS final. Nothing wrong with making names a bit more neutral to keep from alienating people who are bringing their love for the sport from other countries all over the world.
This discussion can be had at length and i think there are solid points both FOR and AGAINST the Cosmos. To Napoli's point - i do agree that starting something from FRESH could be amazing and new etc and I honestly do think if in Queens, it will draw well. However the Cosmos history and legacy will make the Queens based team a globally recognized brand and something many people will have interest in. It is a globally recognized brands and overseas supporters will come and that is also beneficial to the Borough of Queens. As for those local casual "Eurosnob" fans in the city...yea some will not care eitehr way - they wont come but ive talked to a lot of the Supporters Clubs at Legends and they are totally interested in the Cosmos because of the History. Lots of fans like the clubs of Europe because of the histories attached.
New York City Football Club sounds just about right but don't forget the nickname will probably be the Cosmos. Although I understand many of these investors are foreigners, we Americans will probably always put nicknames to everything. Like Nick said, global recognition will play a huge deciding factor. Correct me if I'm wrong but the only problem I see with NYCFC is that Manhattan would be New York City Proper. A bigsoccer member posted about that not long ago though I can't remember the name of the poster I remember his post clearly. I'll quote it below.
Was he from NY? Because honestly - that is the view of tourists and people who MOVE here but for born and raised NYers - New York City is all the boroughs. I really dont agree with his statement. I mean i get that when people think NY they think Manhattan but most NYers who were born and raised here live in the outer boroughs.
Those overseas supporters will bail once they see this is not the Cosmos of Pele, Beckenbauer, or even Chinaglia. A glamour club without glamour players. That global recognition will quickly go away. So the Cosmos name can actually be a curse. Which the minor league version of the Cosmos, who can't even get their act together to start the NASL season next year, seem to be finding out. Which is why starting out fresh might be preferable.
Honestly so many good arguments with both sides. This is one of them - unless MLS has plans to lighten the rules further - these are not going to be the same Cosmos at all.