I like Detroit Arsenal FC, because, while not only paying an omage to the Gunners, Detroit is, after all, "The Arsenal of Democracy".
Anyone else remember when the German punk band Die Totenhosen became the shirt-sponser for their favorite team? That's what we should look into. FC Dallas isn't half as cool as FC Butthole Surfers. Fugazi United is way cooler than DC United (and during their suck years, they could've been called Minor Threat United)... The Galaxy are so lame they could've been called the L.A. Go-Gos, but that's beside the point.... I think expansion teams should be limited to cities with good music scenes and bands that are willing, if not to lend their names to the team, at least put up some cash to get on their jersey. The Cleveland Ubus is pretty cool if you have to go back in time, as would be AC Devo should the team locate in Akron. It doesn't necessarily have to be punk, of course. The Pittsburgh House Rockers, after a legendary local blues band, would be fine by me, for instance.
A) Screw the Gunners. B) Detroit hasn't been called "the Arsenal of Democracy" for over half a century now, it was called that for less than four years during the war when the car factories switched to war production. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY in or around Detroit ever thinks of Detroit in that way any more. For all the relevance it has, you might as well name the team the Detroit Carriage Makers. C) It's spelled "homage," with a silent "h."
If the Seattle Sounders and Rochester Raging Rhinos expand into MLS, then they should definitely remain named the Seattle Sounders and Rochester Rhinos (though the "Raging" part should stay if that's what their front-office and fans really want, as their opinions are really the only ones that matter in this case). Those are good team-names that are already well-established with a ton of history behind them for their respective franchises- much more so than any artificial "FC Whatever" rebranding of said franchises. -G
Baltimore: Crab City FC Portland: Niketown FC St Louis: Gateway Town Philly: Liberty FC Cinci: Catholic United Detroit: 8 Mile FC Louisville: Bluegrass FC Charleston, WV: Inbread SC Miami: Dominica FC New Orleans: Red Hurricane SC Green Bay: FC Favre
I'd pay to see 8 Mile FC play Hillbilly FC or Deliverance FC Gateway Town has a certain charm. Not sure I get Miami. More Cuban or Haitian I think.