I know this should be ether one 1) under the chivas USA forum or 2) this post was already posted. But how great would it be if chivas USA was rebranded as the la Aztec ?
it seems no matter how many times it gets brought up that the LA Aztecs were owned by Club America, Chivas' rival, people still think that Chivas USA's owner should rebrand to that team. its almost as if google doesnt exist for this sort of reason.
The thinking on this thread & this forum in general is, "old-NASL names have been good for some teams in MLS thus they will be good for any team in MLS.
It's also currently owned by NASL (well as L.A, the Los Angeles trademark is dead). So it's not likely to happen any time soon, although Chivas USA bought out by a decent ownership group, moved and rebranded to the Aztecs could be a real success story. Alas it aint happening any time soon and the league is happy to have them ticking over in mediocrity.
That's true, but LA Aztecs is a kickass team name. So are some other old NASL names, like Memphis Rogues, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Tulsa Roughnecks (yes, I know that neither Memphis or Tulsa will ever have an MLS team and that Rowdies is currently in use).
I've thought they should have done this initially when the Chivas came into the league. I think it would be a better name and also believe the name would get more supporters as they would be marketing the entire LA soccer community and not just Hipanic Chivas supporters...
I'm no expert on the LA soccer market, however this is a subject I've found interesting. The other team in LA. As someone who remembers attending Chicago Sting games as a child, I'll always be nostalgic of the old NASL days. Its obvious that some of these clubs and their brand still resonate in the country (the 'Quakes, Timbers, Sounders and Whitecaps). The Aztecs do have a cool logo, also I think its fairly obvious to most neutral observers that Chivas USA is a failed experiment in attempting to leverage the brand/cache of CD Guadalajara. I personally would love it if Jorge Vergara would sell the club to someone who is passionate about the sport in LA and whom understands the market there. Again, I'm not expert on LA, but in my opinion, two things need to happen: 1) re-brand Chivas USA and get away from what it stands for in most league circles. Disinterested ownership and mediocrity. 2) move away from HDC to a different part of the LA area. Whether that is Orange County or around Burbank/Pasadena, find a different segment of that massive population center you can market your club around. Even though I'm a Fire fan, I've always found this topic interesting and would love if some of these clubs that the new cool MLS has left behind (Chivas USA, NE Revolution) could join the rest of the league moving forward.
I don't think this is the first time I've read this type of suggestion. I remember posting this a few times and even initially back in 2006 and thought the Chivas should be re-branded as the LA Aztecs. If I recall, their was a huge backlash back then on the boards for even bringing it up. Funny how after only a few short years things change suddenly.
Personally, i like the Aztecs logo, and it does harken back to the past. It does carry some cache and history as well, Johan Cruyuff and George Best did play for them. That being said, it doesn't have to be the Aztecs. More importantly whether its an old NASL name or not, it needs a passionate owner and a market to call its own. Whether that's in other part of LA or SoCal all together. This league still doesn't have the luxury to have clubs toiling in the shadows. The NBA can afford to have the Clippers (pre Blake Griffin), the NFL can afford to have their Jaguars. MLS still needs to elevate the status of these obscure clubs, not for its survival, but to accelerate its growth.
Agreed. I'm not exactly sure how committed Vergara is to keeping the team in LA or in HDC. Sooner or later, I'm sure he won't want to keep paying the Galaxy rent especially since he doesn't make anything off the deal. I'm sure it costs a lot to build a new park and all but if he were to own his own, he would spend money initially but possibly make more in the long run. I keep reading about once a year that he wants to build a stadium for the Chivas but I never hear or read anything concrete about when or where it will ever be built.
For what its worth, I am not sure concrete this is or if this is insider information. However, via my Galaxy ticket rep. Chivas USA is expected to annouce perhaps at the MLS Cup a move to the LA Mermorial Coliseum for the 2013 season. Also he tells me via his insider info with Chivas, they are currently in talks to obtain the rights to the Los Angeles Aztecs name and trademarks.
Oh wow I knew it. I thought they should have called them the Aztecs 6 years ago. Great news about bringing back the LA Aztecs. Not so sure about the LA Mermorial Coliseum though.....
Yeah I didn't think after 30 years anyone really cared about hanging on to their (Aztecs) name and pulling a Peppe Pinton. Not sure how much money it cost. I know former NASL Quakes owner Carl Berg gave Peter Bridgewater the Quakes name and logo and he sold in turn 11 years later sold it to the MLS in 2000 but not sure for how much though.
I believe the new NASL secured the rights on some old NASL names and I know that a Texas based company (that did not even know a soccer ball is round) owned the Rowdies
Do you know how much they finally sold the new NASL the Rowdies for? One logo I always liked was the Tornado. I wish Dallas would bring that back.....
I'd love to see it, but FCD needs to ratchet up a couple more thousand a week before that happens. I'd love a DFW United, maybe a stadium next to Jerryworld... That being said, you can check the patent website, the LA Aztecs brand has been bought I think (it's come up on this forum, do some digging, it came up like within the last month or two).
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4007:1maoma.2.4 According the patent and trademark wedsite nobody has owned the rights to LA Aztecs since 1985.
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4007:1maoma.3.2 The trademark for Los Angeles Aztecs has been abandoned in 2002.