Toronto City

[socamonarch]

Since there has been so many names thrown around and it seems like the there is somewhat of a consensus that Toronto City should be one of the names considered in the MLSE planning. I would like anyone to second their support for this name and if possible the reasons why this name seems superior to the other names considered so far.

My reasons on why I like this name
1- It sounds catchy- People must understand that there is thousands of dollars of merchandise that will be sold. To the point- if people don't like the name or it comes off as "awkward" then that will hurt sales. And lets be honest, we need people wearing the teams gear because that is FREE ADVERTISING- It brings awareness to the team to the general public and it prods people to at least see what the product is.

2- It has history. I don't have to state that point again. The original City team was a hugely successful team at the time. Reviving a name is not uncommon (ie Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal alouettes, Ottawa Senators ). Reviving one with a history such as the one the original team has may be a good omen.

3. All of the names so far don't make sense. Northmen makes no sense since we are not that far north lol (boston and seattle are actually farther north that we are.) Inter toronto in theory makes sense in the fact that Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world, BUT we have a huge Italian population and all of my italian friends so far say the potential "Inter Toronto" name reeks of cheese and is a very cheap knockoff of Inter milan. Blizzard was my sentimental favorite but for the same reasons that Northmen doesn't fit Blizzard fails for the same reason.

If anyone has any other reason's that I missed please feel free to add to the list.
I know there has been many posts on the subject but my hope that if mlstoronto has to show some posts on this board to the opposition to the Inter toronto name and the relative support of Toronto City to MLSE brass then we can have one thread condensed with information to make their life easier.:D

[Joe Stoker]

One would think that MLSE would strongly consider "Toronto City" in honor of Steve Stavro, recently retired MLSE boss who owned the original Toronto City soccer team in both the Canadian pro league (featuring Sir Stan Matthews among others) and the United Soccer Association. Stavro arranged many big international contests at Varsity Stadium through the years.

Of course, if they hated the boss, MLSE will probably go with something else!

PS: The donning of light & dark blue would honor the Italian heritage of the Toronto Falcons, City's respected arch rival in the Canadian pro league days. Notice I'm deliberately avoiding kiss-of-death reference to the Falcons in NASL, lest Garber and cronies take note.

[GoodDead]

Toronto City is deffinately the best name for the team

[RealGooner]

I agree with everyone here that Toronto City is the best name for Toronto's new MLS team. I agree its catchy and marketable, as in "lets go watch City play LA tonight".
You could have all manner of spin offs - a dance troupe (for prematch only!) called the City Girls, cool clothing with the word CITY emblazoned on it (think ballcaps, t-shirts etc. An auto manufacture sponsoring the team would be titled "official car of the City" etc

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Maybe there are legal issues where trademarks are concerned due to CITY TV:-

http://www.citytv.com/

[LeeS]

Maybe there are legal issues where trademarks are concerned due to CITY TV:-

http://www.citytv.com/

Is that a television station? If so, then why would the word "City" be a problem for a soccer team to have?
I mean if they tried to call themselves "Toronto City TVFC" that might be a problem, but just because the word "city" is applied to both, that alone wouldn't be an issue.

I have to say that Toronto City FC, with the colors dark blue & light blue, and a mascot of a falcon, well that sounds pretty damn good! I'd vote for that in a second!

Lee

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

"Toronto City" may be registered as a trademark belonging to Moses Znaimer the owner of the television station which could complicate merchandising. Don't know this for sure I'm just throwing the possibility out there.

[LeeS]

"Toronto City" may be registered as a trademark belonging to Moses Znaimer the owner of the television station which could complicate merchandising. Don't know this for sure I'm just throwing the possibility out there.

Its easy enough to search whether the actual name "Toronto City" is trademarked or not. What is the Canadian equivilant of the USPTO?

But on the link you provided, I didn't see anything mentioning "Toronto City". But I didn't do a serious search either.

Lee

[Haig]

the fact that Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world

Sigh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Toronto

Toronto is one of the world's most multicultural cities. There is an urban legend among Torontonians that UNESCO has proclaimed the city as the world's most multicultural city, but ranking or proclaiming cities as the most multicultural is not a practice that UNESCO has ever undertaken.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factoid

Factoid can refer to a spurious (unverified, incorrect, or invented) "fact" intended to create or prolong public exposure or to manipulate public opinion...

...The media in Canada have often reported that the city of Toronto was named by UNESCO as the most multicultural city in the world. Although there have been some reports suggesting that Toronto may be one of the world's most diverse cities (see Demographics of Toronto), the United Nations agency has never designated any city as being the most multicultural or diverse. Nonetheless, the belief in this status persisted for years, even finding its way onto UNESCO's own web site and into international media reports in respect of Toronto's two Olympic bids.

Inter is still a fine name, as is City. Northmen is crap, but even that beats "Red Bulls."

[GoodDead]

Is that a television station? If so, then why would the word "City" be a problem for a soccer team to have?
I mean if they tried to call themselves "Toronto City TVFC" that might be a problem, but just because the word "city" is applied to both, that alone wouldn't be an issue.

I have to say that Toronto City FC, with the colors dark blue & light blue, and a mascot of a falcon, well that sounds pretty damn good! I'd vote for that in a second!

Lee
Like this maybe?
http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Photo/competitions/UEFACup/342188_MEDIUMLANDSCAPE.jpg

[RealGooner]

Like this maybe?
http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Photo/competitions/UEFACup/342188_MEDIUMLANDSCAPE.jpg


Yes, the Toronto 'double blue'.

[RedandWhite]

I have to say that Toronto City FC, with the colors dark blue & light blue, and a mascot of a falcon, well that sounds pretty damn good! I'd vote for that in a second!

Lee

Argo colours my friend, they will do nicely.

And for the City TV thing, I don't see a problem coming from there.

[GoodDead]

Yes, the Toronto 'double blue'.

That jersey looks even nicer in person BTW. The navy Blue is very striking.

[socamonarch]

Sigh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Toronto



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factoid



Inter is still a fine name, as is City. Northmen is crap, but even that beats "Red Bulls."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto
Main article: Demographics of Toronto
Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. In 2004, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ranked Toronto second, behind Miami, in its "List of World Cities with the Largest Percentage of Foreign-born Population". Though ranking first, Miami's foreign-born population is mostly Hispanic, whereas Toronto's is significantly more diverse. Toronto also ranked ahead of Los Angeles, Vancouver, New York City, Singapore, and Sydney.

Toronto represents a multicultural mosaic. The 2001 Canadian census indicates 42.8% of Toronto's population being of a visible minority. In March 2005, Statistics Canada projected that the visible minority proportion will comprise a majority in both Toronto and Vancouver by 2012.

Small majorities still claim their origins from Britain, Ireland and Italy. Significant populations of Portuguese, Jamaicans, Croatians, Chinese, East Indians, Sri Lankans, Latin Americans, Armenians, Romanians, Filipinos, Iranians, Vietnamese, Somalis, Poles, Guyanese, Macedonians, Pakistanis, Greeks, Koreans, West Africans, Arabs, and Trinidadians, amongst others, exist throughout the city. Areas like Koreatown, Chinatown, Little Jamaica, the India Bazaar or Little India, Portugal Village and Corso Italia and Little Italy are examples of these large cultural populations.

[Haig]

Good, so you agree you stand corrected, cuz.

So I got a question: was the Toronto City (that was really Hibs) who played in the United Soccer Association run by the same folks who owned the earlier City side? And did the USA TCSC team have the same crest and shirts as the earlier City club?

Continuity doesn't seem to be one of MLS's strong suits, sadly.

[Joe Stoker]

Good, so you agree you stand corrected, cuz.

So I got a question: was the Toronto City (that was really Hibs) who played in the United Soccer Association run by the same folks who owned the earlier City side? And did the USA TCSC team have the same crest and shirts as the earlier City club?

Continuity doesn't seem to be one of MLS's strong suits, sadly.

Excellent question! I've looked long & hard for many years attempting to find the '67 crest and official colors of Toronto City (USA) without luck. If anyone would know, it would be historian Colin Jose and/or the folks at the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

Yes, TC '67 was run by Steve Stavro, who ran TC in the Eastern Canadian Soccer League earlier on. The original franchise went on hiatus during the 1966 Canadian season. From what I've learned, the league wanted TC and Falcons to merge into one super club. Stavro said no, and sat it out in anticipation of the United Soccer Assn ('67).

As with the other 11 USA franchises, TC was represented by a foreign side (Hibs) for the inaugural 12-match season. Then, with the off-season merger of USA with NPSL, the first order was to eliminate two-team cities. Stavro was bought out in the agreement to go with Falcons in NASL.

Some logo sites on-line which claim to show the TC logo for '67 are actually showing the original Falcons logo (spread-eagle-like bird behind an Italian crest and soccer ball). What say we both e-mail the Canadian HoF and see if at least one of us can get an answer outta them this time?

www.thesoccerhalloffame.ca

[Joe Stoker]

Well, General Haig, I received a response from none other than the esteemed North American soccer historian Mr. Colin Jose himself on the matters at hand. I don't imagine he'd mind me sharing some of our corrsepondence here re: Toronto City.

He says that nothing of the ECPSL is currently available for ready reference thru him or the Hall of Fame. His knowledge of TC from the Canadian league days is from newspaper reports. One b/w photo of Danny Blanchflower in action for TC shows him in all-white strip. No documented colors or logo currently available.

The '67 version (which Mr. Jose says he saw often in person) wore the Hibs strip of green tops w/white sleeves, white shorts, green stockings. He adds that there was an actual logo, apparently a stylized street map of Toronto with a maple leaf in the upper right corner, all surrounded by a circle.

He added that he has some '67 programs from TC matches at Varsity, but they are simply folded single-piece bristol board with scant info.

Tip o' the derby to Mr. Colin Jose for his response and valued input.

:)

Last I heard, Mr. Steve Stavro is still alive somewhere. If someone with the wherewithal to hunt him down could so do (a soccer-friendly Toronto reporter?), we might get definitive answers from the horse's mouth (no disrespect intended). We ran out of time here around Cleveland before Mr. Ted Bonda left us, taking untapped Stoker memories to his grave. Don't let this happen with Mr. Stavro, Torontonians!