Philadelphia Expansion Thread Part III

[Looper121]

Nothing new lately(?), and was just trying to get this rekindled. Today SLC team and colors are being introduced, which make me think about what people here would be saying if an MLS franchise showed up in our backyard...

[Adam Zebrowski]

The info I ahve says 2007 at the earliest for mls here.

[Steve Holroyd]

2007 or not, let's talk about potential nicknames again.

``We talked a lot about mascot names -- names you can't tell if it's arena football or indoor lacrosse,'' Checketts said. ``I wanted a soccer name. I wanted to make sure that when people heard it around the country they knew that it was soccer. And I kind of liked the way RSL rolls off the tongue.''

Putting aside the question of whether Checketts went too far by going the Real route (and, personally, I think he did, although "Real" in the U.S. is not entirely new; the WSL had Real Santa Barbara in the late 1980s), his first point is an important one: why re-invent the wheel when a name exists which automatically brands your new team as a soccer franchise?

Which is why I have always said that Atoms must be the nickname for any MLS franchise. Love it or hate it, it is the one name which still means soccer in Philadelphia.

Again, this is kind of an academic point, since we're years away from a team. But, since Looper wanted to kickstart the expansion thread, I thought I'd give everyone something to yell about.

[astrobull21]

I have actually come up with a name for the Philadelphia MLS team (when it starts up)....introducing the Club Seventeen Seventy-Six or Club Liberty

[Rickster]

The info I ahve says 2007 at the earliest for mls here.

Things look so bleak, I would kill for a 2007 start. What do you base that on?

Do things speed up if Temple scales back football?

[skyscraper]

2007 or not, let's talk about potential nicknames again.



Putting aside the question of whether Checketts went too far by going the Real route (and, personally, I think he did, although "Real" in the U.S. is not entirely new; the WSL had Real Santa Barbara in the late 1980s), his first point is an important one: why re-invent the wheel when a name exists which automatically brands your new team as a soccer franchise?

Which is why I have always said that Atoms must be the nickname for any MLS franchise. Love it or hate it, it is the one name which still means soccer in Philadelphia.

Again, this is kind of an academic point, since we're years away from a team. But, since Looper wanted to kickstart the expansion thread, I thought I'd give everyone something to yell about.

Time to beat this drum again:
NO regressive team names (regressive meaning resurrecting team names from the past, such as Atoms.) No '76/Liberty stuff; those things, while historically important and tied to the identity of the city, are not contemporary or forward-looking. Plus the image of the Liberty Bell would inevitably rear its head, and we all forget that that damned bell is broken! What kind of an image is that, a bell that can't ring?!?!
Philadelphia Phalanx is my vote. It is alliterative, it has that cool x at the end, and it refers to ancient Greek armies that formed an invincible formation with their shields and spears. Very cool image for a sports team, and great graphic logo potential. And the boosters club could dress in togas!

[Looper121]

I have actually come up with a name for the Philadelphia MLS team (when it starts up)....introducing the Club Seventeen Seventy-Six or Club Liberty

I see you have 1 post here on BS, did you name Salt Lake City too :D jk

Anyway, I can't see the Philly team (yes, I talk as if it has happened) being called the Atoms for th reasons that have been mentioned.

I was watching some games this weekend, and I hate it when teh NFL stripes are there, drives me crazy...what the frick, back to square-1 I guess...

[Looper121]

Things look so bleak, I would kill for a 2007 start. What do you base that on?

Do things speed up if Temple scales back football?

Based on Temples start this year, they might as well throw in thetowel...:rolleyes:

[Steve Holroyd]

Philadelphia Phalanx is my vote. It is alliterative, it has that cool x at the end, and it refers to ancient Greek armies that formed an invincible formation with their shields and spears. Very cool image for an arena football team, and great graphic logo potential. And the boosters club could dress in togas!

Fixed your post. ;)

No regressive nicknames? Someone should tell the Cleveland Browns. And Ottawa Senators. And the new MLB team in Washington which will likely be called Senators.

Regressive or no, Atoms gives Philadelphia the type of "soccer brand" recognition that Checketts was striving for, without resorting to blatant Europosing. Would you prefer Philadelphia City? AFC Philadelphia? Lurie's Old Bhoys?

How about Philadelphia Celtic? Actually, there was an ASL team by that name in 1928 or so...

[Sinko]

Philadelphia Federation (SC)... the Feds.

[Spartak]

This is just a thought. Why do we need a nickname? The best nicknames come about over time after the club has been in existence for a while. So my vote goes for Piladelphia SC(Soccer Club).

[skyscraper]

This is just a thought. Why do we need a nickname? The best nicknames come about over time after the club has been in existence for a while. So my vote goes for Piladelphia SC(Soccer Club).

????What??????
I can only think of one example, and that is the New York Yankees, who were first called the Highlanders when they moved to ny from Baltimore. The Yankees name was first an informal nickname but became official in the 19-teens.
What other example can you give of this?

[Steve Holroyd]

????What??????
I can only think of one example, and that is the New York Yankees, who were first called the Highlanders when they moved to ny from Baltimore. The Yankees name was first an informal nickname but became official in the 19-teens.
What other example can you give of this?

For the record, there are probably a dozen examples of this. Most (if not all) involve baseball teams.

You've already mentioned the Yankees. Another example was the Brooklyn club: in 1894 they were the Bridegrooms, so named because a bunch of players got married at the same time. They later were dubbed the Superbas. Dodgers finally took hold. The Pirates were so dubbed by the press after the Pittsburgh club raided other teams' players. The New York team was called Gothams until, at one point, they had a team of all six-footers (a rarity at the time), and the writers started calling them "Giants."

A converse example would be the Philadelphia NL team trying to change its name to Blue Jays in the 40s, even putting a blue jay patch on the shoulder. But the fans and press never bought it, so the team stayed as Phillies.

This "tradition" arose because the early baseball teams were just called by their city. If anything, they'd be referred to as "Nationals" (if they were NL) or "Americans" (if American Association) or "Unions" (if in the Union League). Nicknames evolved--usually based on very local influences. Cleveland's AL team was unofficially Spiders until writers decided to honor their best player, a Native Americans, by calling the team "Indians."

While Spartak's idea is not a bad one, the reality of today's sports (i.e., the need for licensing revenues) requires a nickname.

[mls2atl]

union fc

[Looper121]

union fc

No thanks...

What about the Philadelphia Phantasmagorics...very catchy. We can be the team with the most syllables in an MLS team name...

[dfb547490]

I have actually come up with a name for the Philadelphia MLS team (when it starts up)....introducing the Club Seventeen Seventy-Six or Club Liberty

What are we starting here, a soccer team or a Delaware Ave. strip joint??

[Looper121]

Does anyone know what's up with that big lot behind Drexel (across the street from teh Boy's Choir)that is only a block away from Spring garden? It is bordering 30th Street station's rail yard. Obviously nothing would ever happen there but I was just curious as to what the deal was with it when I was driving by the other day...

[DaMunk]

Does anyone know what's up with that big lot behind Drexel (across the street from teh Boy's Choir)that is only a block away from Spring garden? It is bordering 30th Street station's rail yard. Obviously nothing would ever happen there but I was just curious as to what the deal was with it when I was driving by the other day...

I'm pretty sure Drexel owns the lot. When I lived across Powelton Ave in '97-'99 it started as an empty, overgrown lot that they then cleared and used as a parking lot for the contractors building the new dorms.

I've looked at it longingly myself. It's just about perfect size for a full pitch.

[Looper121]

I'm pretty sure Drexel owns the lot. When I lived across Powelton Ave in '97-'99 it started as an empty, overgrown lot that they then cleared and used as a parking lot for the contractors building the new dorms.

I've looked at it longingly myself. It's just about perfect size for a full pitch.

Oh it definitely could hold a field. although I know there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that it will be anything other than an old lot that will collect litter over time...

[DaMunk]

Oh it definitely could hold a field. although I know there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that it will be anything other than an old lot that will collect litter over time...

Who knows, the turf field next to the Armory on 33rd St. used to be a garage.