Team Name Poll

Looking at those old NASL logos I noticed that a couple of the old Stars logos were the only ones that utilized "Soccer Club" in the name. So there would seem to be a precedent in place for St. Louis SC, or some other variation like FC or AC.

Some of those logos were rather hideous, but still fun to look back on.

 

What about some sort of name that pays tribute to the 1950 St. Louisians.
La Montana F.C.
The Hill S.C.
Miracle S.C.

I am not from St. Louis but it seems like a cool thing to do for Frank and the boys.

 

I notice that the native St. Louisan generally does not like any name associating with:
1) The Mississippi river.
2) The Arch.
3) 1950 US team made up of St. Louis Italians that beat England.
4) Stars, same name as the previous NASL team.
5) Heart, or Heart of America.
6) Louis and Clark.

Nothing really wrong with Knights or Crusaders, although in this militant Islamic era, do you really want a name evoking religion?

Any reason for this aversion to your own history - which is a great history btw?

 

SB has responded well to most of these. But to add...

1&2 - Many teams, both minor and major, over the years have felt they must pledge allegiance to the river or the Arch. Sure they are major landmarks, but leave it at that. Please, no more River City, Rivermen, Archers, Gateway, etc. The major teams here are Cardinals, Rams, and Blues. OK, the Blues are a indirect reference to the river, but there are Chicago Blues, Memphis Blues, and New Orleans Blues (music, not necessarily sports teams). As Sport Billy said, the river does not belong to St. Louis.

3. SB said it all

4. Stars - I wouldn't have a problem including Stars in the name somehow, but these days every average player in every sport thinks he's a "star". It can be and is an overused term.

5. Heart - depending where you are in the midwest, heart and heartland is an endearing term. But most people, including most Midwesterners, cannot determine where the eastern and western edges of the Midwest are, let alone determine who/what is the Heartland. Yours truly, born and raised in the so called Midwest, couldn't give you exact borders. But I do think we are in the Midwest. Are we in the Heartland? You say toe-may-toe, I say toe-mah-toe. Get the picture?

6. Louis and Clark. Sure they started their journey from St. Louis. Or did they? Once you read a little history on this dynamic duo you soon find out that almost anyone can claim them as their own, from Virginia, to the Ohio Valley, to St. Louis, to the Missouri Valley, to the Dakotas... Oh hell, they're America's Team!!!

Bottom line: St. Louis has many influences from many countries and sources. If America is the great melting pot, St. Louis is the stuff that gets stuck in the bottom of the pot after cooking. It comes from everywhere, but we'll be damned if we can accurately identify it.

Respecting history is a good thing. Based on the survey responses herein, it would appear many are respecting the traditions and history of the game of football, and not necessarily the history of the locale of a potential team. To me, AC St. Louis sounds much better than St. Louis Flatboat Pilots. (and Flatboat Pilots was meant as a joke!)

 

This naming thing is complicated. Can't we just call ourselves The St. Louis Posse and have a rivalry with the Crew?

For me, it is creating a brand that can attract a wider fanbase. This eliminates Rovers, Wanderers and such, just cause they really sound goofy. But, as previously mentioned, the Arch and River has been used in MINOR league names in the area, which (maybe sadly) eliminates them.

So what's in a name then? I want a name that says "This is the St. Louis MLS team". The remaining options all have benefits. Stars: says STL soccer...also a team in Dallas. The Knights and even the Hearts give an image of a team that plays the game hard and plays the game right. I like that. I think Knights works better....Hearts might be a tough sell.

I've even turned 180degrees on AC St. Louis (then giving a nickname, like the Knights). I prefer AC since I hear about the Missouri Athletic Club giving out honors every so often(especially for soccer), and I think this would help the STL MLS cause.

No matter what....I want to be the green team in the MLS. Then, when you see a green soccer jersey in St. Louis (and the US) you think of AC St. Louis and the Knights!

 

As an outsider, could someone please fill me in on why "Knights" is in the lead in this poll?

I've spent alot of time in STL and still can't see a reasoning behind the St. Louis Knights. Yeah, "Knights" at first seems like it would be a cool and catchy name, but it still sounds like an Arena Football or CBA team name to me (read: minor league).

Since a new team wouldn't have much of a history of it's own, I think it's important the club name be tied in a bit with the history of the city. I think that would help to make the fans feel more apart of them

I actually like the St. Louis Explorers... it speaks to the history of the city and to the endeavor of the club. Also, on a national level, because the name hasn't been overused and watered down by every high school team and minor league sport in history, a name like Explorers could easily become identified with the city of St. Louis, in the way that the Yankees and the Red Sox are so closely linked to NYC and Boston.

PS: Just for the sake of throwing out another incongruous name, how's about the St. Louis Shredders?

 

I agree with all of the above except for the name.
I love St. Louis Hearts, and St. Louis Big River.
Add FC, SC, AC or whatever.

 

Take a gander at some of the more recent logo designs in the "Team Name - Jersey" Thread. Besides the Arch, the most recognizable symbol in St. Louis is the Statue of St. Louis, which sits in front of the Art Museum. The statue portraits St. Louis on his horse as if he were leading a battle, and therefore looks much like a Knight.

Since all Arch names seem dumb to me, the Knights is a much much much better option. And IMO, it is not minor league. The AFL has done much worse with names like the Rush, the Force, the VooDoo and the Soul. blech.

 

Not that I'm dying for river related name, but...

The railroad is what killed St. Louis. St. Louis was the most important city in this part of the country until the railroad became the primary method of moving goods and travelers. Once Chicago was able to get a rail line to New Orleans, their rise to power over St. Louis was complete.

It's no coincidence that the city's seal is still a riverboat; it harkens back to the city's heyday.

 

I love "St. Louis Big River", but I'll be damned if the name isn't already being used by a bunch of dope-smoking frisbee players....

http://bigriverultimate.org/

 

How about the Stix after Stix, Baer & Fuller?

 

I went with "Others". I was thinking about a fierce animal that's common to the region. It's solitary by nature to humans, but whenever one of us comes across one, it generally tends to freak us out. I give you the Alligator Snapping Turtle, or St. Louis Snappers for short?

 

i really hope st louis does not use an fc ac sc or anything like that. If the MLS wants to be seen as a legit league they need to quit allowing team names that are just wannabes. REAL Salt Lake? Are we in Spain? If u look at any other league other then la liga u will not find a REAL. United is what the Premiership is known for with manchester and sheffield, but no DC needs to be a bunch of wannabes too. AC St Louis? We might as well bring two teams and one be Inter St Louis. How corny. BE ORIGINAL.

ps snapping turtle, be original, but this isnt a U-10 club

 

If you like rivers, how about the St Louis Torrent? On the otherhand if you like the Arch then maybe the St Louis Archers?