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Football (Soccer) Thread

Started by Liep, March 11, 2009, 02:57:29 PM

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Syt

I assume at the time European club names and their naming conventions were even less household knowledge than they're now. :P
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Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Josquius

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Grey Fox

Washington Dips is really something.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

celedhring

I remember the ASL having some really silly names too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Professional_Soccer_League

All the variants of European names are a bit boring.

Josephus

Quote from: HVC on January 17, 2023, 01:52:57 AMNew England tea men? Those guys sound tough :D

Guess this was a time before all the teams wanted to sound European?

Exactly...when they wanted it to be American with six points for a win plus one point for each goal up to 3.
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FunkMonk

I've never quite liked either the American-style team names or the new practice of copying European club names. Neither feel right to me.
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Gups

Quote from: FunkMonk on January 17, 2023, 11:36:16 AMI've never quite liked either the American-style team names or the new practice of copying European club names. Neither feel right to me.

Agreed. I don't know what you go for when creating a new team. Presumably under a franchise system you can't just use the name of the city.

Barrister

Quote from: Gups on January 17, 2023, 12:14:41 PM
Quote from: FunkMonk on January 17, 2023, 11:36:16 AMI've never quite liked either the American-style team names or the new practice of copying European club names. Neither feel right to me.

Agreed. I don't know what you go for when creating a new team. Presumably under a franchise system you can't just use the name of the city.

I think it more that you need something you can trademark.  "City Name" thus doesn't work.

Yeah personally I don't care for Euro-style team names in North America like Toronto FC or D.C. United, but I guess that's where the market is these days.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Grey Fox

And then the teams wonder why the MLS isn't making more money.  :rolleyes:
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Jacob

Quote from: Gups on January 17, 2023, 12:14:41 PMAgreed. I don't know what you go for when creating a new team. Presumably under a franchise system you can't just use the name of the city.

I think those original names - once they've been around for a while - become legitimate enough. The Vancouver Whitecaps, Portland Timbers, and Seattle Sounders are all around still and those names have accreted enough history that they're real and solid IMO. Sure, they're North American sounding, but they're in North America. They're no more off to my ears than the L.A. Lakers or Winnipeg Jets are in other sports.

I agree that things like DC United or Toronto FC are kind of weak names. It's not like DC United was formed by combining different clubs (I don't think. If it was, then it's legit). Similarly, Toronto FC is not a football club, it's a football franchise.

... hmm... maybe it should be Toronto FF. Which would open the possibility of clubs like FF Seattle, or FFS for short :hmm:

Barrister

Quote from: Jacob on January 17, 2023, 12:42:24 PMI agree that things like DC United or Toronto FC are kind of weak names. It's not like DC United was formed by combining different clubs (I don't think. If it was, then it's legit). Similarly, Toronto FC is not a football club, it's a football franchise.

... hmm... maybe it should be Toronto FF. Which would open the possibility of clubs like FF Seattle, or FFS for short :hmm:

I googled DC United before I name-dropped them.  Nope - just named to sound like a Euro team such as Man U.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Duque de Bragança

CF (Club de Foot) Montréal is not exactly better than Impact de Montréal, as well.

celedhring

What was the reason for switching to Euro-style names? To appeal to the football hipster crowd?

Jacob

Quote from: celedhring on January 17, 2023, 12:58:22 PMWhat was the reason for switching to Euro-style names? To appeal to the football hipster crowd?

I don't think it's appealing to football hipsters - who'd probably be okay with old names, but rather to appeal to people who want a bit of the glamour of top tier Euro football but without any knowledge of it.

Basically, football hipsters would be fully aware of the poseur-qualities of calling clubs "FC" or "United" when they aren't.

Barrister

Quote from: celedhring on January 17, 2023, 12:58:22 PMWhat was the reason for switching to Euro-style names? To appeal to the football hipster crowd?

Of course.  To try and appeal to existing soccer fans who already cheer for Euro teams, but to give them a home team to cheer for.

It goes back to the founding of MLS back in the 90s.  Some of the older teams that survived from earlier leagues kept their NAm-style names, like the Vancouver Whitecaps, the large majority have contrived, Euro-style names.

Looking at a list - one of the worst contenders might be Real Salt Lake, which is neither Spanish, nor has any connection to royalty.

I'm up on the air with the former team Chivas USA, which was meant to be the 'little brother' to the Mexican team Chivas de Guadalajara, and had common ownership.  The team ultimately folded in 2014.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.