Official Expansion team name poll

[Old Man!]

www.mlsnet.com has the official poll to name the new Utah franchise. The options are:

1.) Olympic SC
2.) Salt Lake Sting
3.) SLC Saints
4.) Utah United
5.) Wasatch Front


Currently these are the rankings by percentage of votes:

1.) Olympic SC 23%
2.) Salt Lake Sing 30%
3.) SLC Saints 30%
4.) Utah United 10%
5.) Wasatch Front 7%

I am very surprised and disappointed to see the Sting name used for the Utah team, and even more surprised to see it ranked so highly. That name forever belongs to CHICAGO soccer HISTORY.

[SLCFan]

The poll on mlsnet doesn't seem to be a short list of "real" names. If the media quotes of Checketts and Howes are accurate you can eliminate sting, stingers, saints, and any other cutsy names.

[metrocorazon]

I always thought that "Salt Lake City" was an appropriate name. Not only is it simple, but it has that "Euro/UK" moniker that Checketts wants. It comes off simple and not forced. When you hear SC, FC, UNITED, etc... You automatically think, "POSER". This one is perfect, without trying to hard its almost too good.

[VioletCrown]

The poll on mlsnet doesn't seem to be a short list of "real" names. If the media quotes of Checketts and Howes are accurate you can eliminate sting, stingers, saints, and any other cutsy names.

Especially since Checketts specifically said that Saints wouldn't be used, and this article (http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_2386039) seems to have lots to reinforce that names like Sting and Saints are out of the running.

[Calexico77]

I guess Olympic SC would work :confused:

It is in line with article that Kenn posted.

BTW, where is said poll?

[(TxT)]

Olympic SC would be like the Montreal Expos. Both teams would be named after major events in the cities history. SLC had toe 2002 Olympics and Montreal had some World Exposition in the early 60's.

[Lizzie Bee]

I was looking at team names in England and Europe, and decided that most Americans would consider them rather bland. A lot are just city names. Makes sense, doesn't it? So the obvious idea would be:

Salt Lake SC

However, with Salt Lake being a rather "small" city compared to other MLS team cities, I'd love to see something like:

Wasatch United SC

Yes, even if it sounds like a poser name. At least it has that euro feel to it, and it makes all of the region feel like the soccer team belongs to them, not just Salt Lake City. And if you want more "cutesy" but at least some meaning:

SL New Pioneers

Because people trying to expand the MLS in the USA are pioneers in their own right, and this draws on Utah history.

[Brian in Boston]

The poll is based on the top five submissions that MLSNet.com received to its earlier "Name the Team" suggestion box. The Salt Lake City MLS ownership group isn't bound by these suggestions. That said...

Go Salt Lake City Swarm SC, Salt Lake Swarm SC or Utah Swarm SC!!!

[paulocesar]

I'm not from the area, but Olympic SC, out of all the ones suggested, is i think the best.

I would change it to Olympic SLC, because Salt Lake City Olympic SC is a mouthful, and Utah Olympic SC just doesn't flow nicely.

Saying Olympic S-L-C keeps the use of just using the initials of the city, just like with DC United or LA Galaxy.

I like the idea of having your uniforms purple as your first choice, but i am tempted by the idea that no team in the league has officially made white their first choice, just so that it forces MLS to kill the road whites concept. Can't the league see that team identity is associated with their colors, and that each time a casual fan watches the tv and see who is playing each other, that its seems their home team is playing the same oppenent (i doubt they've even know the players on either team). All the other leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc) are able to have more color in their games, simply by uniforms, helmets, or in the case of the NBA, the basketball courts themselves. It would behove MLS to realize that fans don't watch games on black and white televisions anymore.

Finally, as far as your emblem, if Olympic SLC was chosen, the olympic torch would have to be included in there. Not sure what the mascot would be, since that seems ever present in American sports, but I'm sure someone would have an idea.

[10 fan]

I love Olympic SC. It's just great.

Someone should email the writer of that article and let them know that in Europe, they still have nicknames (the gunners, the galacticos...) but the nickname just isn't part of the official name.

[jameseyla]

I like just calling them "Salt Lake City"
then we can all sound cool when we say , "hey my team is playing City tonight" or "I hate those City scum"

[blitzzfan]

Salt Lake City SC is starting to grow on me.

SLCSC across the unis.

[ilvfutbol]

What happened to Salt Lake City 1847
SLC 1847?
And I do like the new thought of Racing Club SLC.
Sporting SLC
Salt Lake "City" works great too

[Freddy Garcia Lives]

If everyone is hung up on Olympic SLC or something close due to the tie in with the Olympics, than why not Olympus SLC? It is the name of a peak on the Wasatch Front and still has the tie in to the Olympic theme. And a stadium could open up with a view of the peak. see link, half way down has views of the peak.

http://utahpictures.com/GrandeurPeak.html

or here for plenty of pics of the mountain

http://utahpictures.com/olympus.html

[Blitzz Supporter]

I'm sticking with my picks: Utah United, Wasatch Forest, or Utah North End.

[Ajax65]

The poll is based on the top five submissions that MLSNet.com received to its earlier "Name the Team" suggestion box. The Salt Lake City MLS ownership group isn't bound by these suggestions. That said...

Go Salt Lake City Swarm SC, Salt Lake Swarm SC or Utah Swarm SC!!!

That was the name I came up with: The Utah Swarm. It is better than the other names mentioned, but I think out of the group the Saints is the best of the lot. Of course, they could just call them the Bees.

[the cup]

That was the name I came up with: The Utah Swarm. It is better than the other names mentioned, but I think out of the group the Saints is the best of the lot. Of course, they could just call them the Bees.

Sit down.

[Dan Loney]

Olympic SC - IOC lawsuit
Salt Lake Sting - NASL, WNBA, the Police, and God knows who else have beaten this name to death
SLC Saints - thought Checkers said no religious names
Utah United - what is this, the CFL, and their multiple Rough Riders? We already got a United
Wasatch Front - default winner

How about ZZ Top SC?

[Mattinho]

Olympic SC - IOC lawsuit

How about ZZ Top SC?

There's a number of teams in the world with Olympic in their name, no law suit has ever occurred over that issue.

SLC Olympic
or:
Olympic SLC for me.

By the way, "SLC Punk" is one of my favorite movies of all time. Everyone needs to go watch it now, you might learn something....

[dysko]

By the way, "SLC Punk" is one of my favorite movies of all time. Everyone needs to go watch it now, you might learn something....

What exactly is it that I can learn from this movie??? I have yet to Lillard in anything that had any educational quality... Enlighten me.