Love the team, hate the name.

I was a Metrostar supporter from day 1. Loved Gio Saverese, hated Ruben Dario Hernandez. My favorite era was the days of Cleetus. I had every red/black stripe kit that came out. Even though we were frequently inept I really felt that I began to "bleed" the Metrostar colors.

Then in a flash those colors were gone and my team had become a corporate shill. I have tried hard for five years, but I can't bring myself to support these colors. I feel like I am supporting Sprite FC or the Keebler Elves. As supporters, we are asked to get behind the colors and logo of a team. Yes we cheer on the players, but players come and players go. How many players were on this team even 3 years ago? So we are left with the team image. IF that team image is just crass marketing how can we get wrapped up in its identity? I for one can't.

Metro is dead, and I now await the coming of the Cosmos.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

I actually would prefer an NY team that wasn't the Cosmos, but I don't think that'll happen.

Sure the Cosmos are corportate, so are the Knicks, Yankees, Giants, etc. It just is less obvious then saying "Red Bull till I die". It really feels like I am saying "Pepsi till I die". It is just not an identity I could be proud of or take seriously.

And I love RBA, the promise of Agudelo. I love the fact that we were champions of the East last year. If we were still Metro I'd be on top of the world right now.

I've missed these threads since Metrogo stopped posting over here.

If Metros till I die was part of your identity, I feel very sorry for you.

Hurry up and get to the 'die' part and you won't have to worry about saying it at all.

If this was Nascar, would we be having this conversation?

Have we gotten so politically correct that people can't enjoy a freakin' soccer game without wondering about the level of appropriateness of the branding?

And for the record, I have no problem with the 20th MLS franchise being the Coca Cola Atlanta (with their team being the Atlanta Coca Colas.)

Get over it, or go seek therapy. You obviously take this too seriously.

Of course. I could then make fun of Atlanta!

I say close the thread, because as you say, this topic has been beaten to death. Especially since this is a person who has been around since 2000. He should know better.

I have always thought that a great name for a future Florida or Southern Cali team would be the Tropicana Orange Juicers!!! Even if you dont have them as a team name, Tropicana is a great brand to have as a sponsor at least and has a great family friendly image.

Metros are still my team even if they call them some corporate name.

How about GoDaddy Scottsdale?

So shall I call Bayer Asperin company to remove the tablet on their Leverkusen crest, or take away the PSV that stands for Philips Electronics company in Dutch from Eindhoven, VFL which stands for Volkswagon off the Wolfsburg name, or maybe the Sonic logo from the NPSL team named Sonic FC.

Thank you for showing your true colors. Screw the club that is still Metro. Gio's name is still in the history books. Clint Mathis, Roberto Donadoni, Mike Petke, Daniel Hernandez, Seth Stammler, John Wolyniec, Amado Guevara are still in the history books of Metro/RBNY. You want to be duped by those guys trying to bring back that name, but would rather fly to Asia to promote the club when they should stay in NYC. That's all fine and dandy with me.

Take your soapbox and yourself out of here.

Even though I don't think "Red Bull" is a good product for society because the drink is quite unhealthy, I don't mind the name because I focus on the name as if it stood for the animal of a "bull". Many U.S. sports teams have a team name based on an animal. If you just think of the animal instead of the energy drink, then the name doesn't have to be overly corporate.

Sorry, I've been away from Big Soccer for a while so I didn't realize that this subject had been beaten to death already. I just wanted to see if there were still Red Bulls supporters who felt the same. I should of realized that people who felt strongly about Metro probably left years ago.

I actually respect you guys for sticking with the club. But I think you guys are deluding yourselves if you think that Red Bulls branding of the team did not and does not have a negative effect.

It did get a stadium built. Guess I'm gonna have to live with that "negative effect" on my conscious. And, if by negative effect you mean you won't continue posting in this thread, I guess I'll have to live with that too.

The Red Bull organization has their benefits (cash and more cash), and I begrudgingly accept that. But I can't get over the name. I say RBNY for the front office and Metro as a team nickname. I would just feel uncomfortable wearing Red Bull merchandise, as irrational as it may be. I won't deny other people the ability to say whatever name they like. And I won't leave the team for the Cosmos, who have handled themselves in a worse, more "commercial" way than RBNY has.

I hope the thread's not closed. When discussed in a rational manner, this sort of conversation might even be productive... ... Did I just ask someone on the Internet to be rational?

for the record, VfL does not stand for Volkswagen. It stands for "Verein für Leibesübungen" (roughly, Club for physical exercises).

Exactly. I would even feel better if we were just New York Bulls and they took the huge corporate logo off the clubs shield and shirt. That would be a compromise even though I'd still miss Metro.

If it has turned off a fan like myself (circa 1996), I am sure that it keeps prospective fans from getting interested and attached to the club.

It's an every year thing, Tom. Probably why most of us prefer the other site, for much more eloquent discussions about the team.