Alternate names for sports teams?

What if some famous sports teams either kept their original names or had different names? For example, the Boston Red Sox were originally called the "Boston Americans". Doesnt really roll off the tongue as easily as "Red Sox" admittedly, but what if they kept that name, or, alternately, had a name that has something to do with Boston?
 
Maybe the Mets could be called the Knickerbockers or Knicks, creating the "New York Basketball Knicks" term (not unlike the "New York Football Giants" terminology)
 
Dallas Cowboys had 2 alternate names before they took the field.

They first called themselves the Dallas Rangers, but the Texas League baseball team objected.

They also called themselves, on official contracts, the Dallas Steers. But I think somebody pointed out that steers are castrated bulls.
 
Renamings are always an opportunity for butterflies.

The Washington Wizards were called the Bullets until 1997, when their owner decided to rename them to a less violent name. Other names considered were Sea Dogs, Dragons, Stallions and Express. So, you could have one of those names (or a name that is less terrible than those alternatives) be chosen, or keep the Bullets.
 
Lost choice, and a good OTL choice

As far as I know not used at all--but the "Massachusetts Minutemen" would have been a great team name.

"Atlanta Flames" from the NHL seems like a good commemoration of a great victory in the rebellion of 1861-65--all they'd need would be to wear Union blue uniforms, and it would be perfect :)
 
As far as I know not used at all--but the "Massachusetts Minutemen" would have been a great team name.

"Atlanta Flames" from the NHL seems like a good commemoration of a great victory in the rebellion of 1861-65--all they'd need would be to wear Union blue uniforms, and it would be perfect :)

Other then Umass Amherst at a pro level a alt name for the Patriots or maybe a MLS team name instead of the New England Revolution ?
 
NBA:
Utah Jazz doesn't really make much sense in a town like Salt Lake City. So how about New Orleans Jazz gets re-founded in their original city, with the removed "Jazz" being named something like Utah Mormons, or, to make it religiously neutral, Utah Saints? ;-)

NHL:
Colorado Avalanche could keep their (Québec) "Nordiques" sound by making it something like Colorado Nordics.

German Bundesliga (football):
When people are having the debate of tradition vs. commercialisation, I always point out that the supposedly traditional club 1. FC Köln (Cologne) was in fact a merger. So maybe they could keep some of their older tradition by keeping the older name "Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901", shortly Kölner BC 1901.
 
Colorado Avalanche could keep their (Québec) "Nordiques" sound by making it something like Colorado Nordics.

Nordics wouldn't make sense because it means northerners, and Denver isn't a northern city.

Another name that was considered: The Rocky Mountain Extreme. That is terrible. Colorado Avalanche is so much better.

As for the Oakland Raiders, they were originally called the Se'nors.
 
My wife is still upset for her old high school girls basketball team renaming herself last year... Apparently calling yourself 'the Lady Couguars' was just a reference to a fearsome animal in the 1980's but today has a completely other meaning. I heard the coach insisted on the name change after she was approached a couple of times by fans thinking SHE was the 'Lady Couguar'...

May be after the new Star Wars craze a couple of sports teams might go back to their old name of 'Rebels'. Just have then dress up their mascot as Chewbacca to avoid any discussions about what other meaning 'rebels' could have South-of-Dixie.
 

Coulsdon Eagle

Monthly Donor
Crystal Palace F.C. - could have been Sydenham Hill based upon the odl ground's location.

As as we Stole Croydon Common's ground the Nest after WWI, why not steal their name?
 
Before they entered the (then) New South Wales Rugby League competition in 1988, the Brisbane Broncos bid team almost decided on calling themselves the Brisbane Brumbies (a Brumby being a wild horse in Australia).

If they chose the Brumbies name, the A.C.T Brumbies would have needed a different name for the first sesson of that competition in 1996.

Also in rugby league, the Melbourne Storm were originally going to be named the Melbourne Mavericks, and the Gold Coast Titans were going to use Dolphins as their name until Brisbane club Redcliffe threatened legal action.
 
Manchester United remains as Newton Heath?

Following on with the British Football theme, I would change Arsenal Football Club as the name originates from when they were based in Woolwich with the Royal Arsenal Factory.

In 1913*Woolwich Arsenal F.C.*moved north to Highbury, dropping*Woolwich*from its name.*

I would instead have the name change completely to Highbury Football Club.
 
May be after the new Star Wars craze a couple of sports teams might go back to their old name of 'Rebels'. Just have then dress up their mascot as Chewbacca to avoid any discussions about what other meaning 'rebels' could have South-of-Dixie.

On a similar note, have any sports teams ever used the name "Avengers"? It's a cool sounding name, even without the comic/movie connection.
 
On a similar note, have any sports teams ever used the name "Avengers"? It's a cool sounding name, even without the comic/movie connection.

The problem with 'Avengers' is that you need to have something to take revenge for, most like a previous defeat. So the situations in which you can use the name and implicate-as sports team names are supposed to- that you are a fearsome all-time winner are pretty limited. I can imagine a team with lots of new players being informally called 'the avengers' because they set out to avenge the heartbreaking loss the team with the old players suffered last year, but once they did 'get their revenge', their name would become moot.

Also in the US, there is the association with the Dodge Avenger which is a pretty so-so sports sedan, but nothing so legendary as the Ford Mustang Likewise the North American P51 Mustang versus the Avenger torpedo plane. (The latter today mostly known as the plane George Bush Senior got shot down in) So in my mind, if the Avengers were ever to play the Mustangs, I would give them a slightly better chance then the Scions and the Golden Beatles.
 
May be after the new Star Wars craze a couple of sports teams might go back to their old name of 'Rebels'. Just have then dress up their mascot as Chewbacca to avoid any discussions about what other meaning 'rebels' could have South-of-Dixie.

Rebels was the name of my Junior High sports teams--but then, people from our town that stole the powder that, later on, the British were marching on Concord to seize.

Rebels is a fine name, if you're rebelling for freedom...
 
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