Things You'll Need:
- Dictionary
- Thesaurus
- Pen or pencil
- Paper
- Sports encyclopedia
- A good imagination
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Step 1
Although the current economy is depressed- making it unlikely that there will be any expansion teams in the North American professional sports leagues for the next few years- new teams will eventually be enfranchised because of the population growth of fans and athletes and the ever-expanding transmission of televised action. Just for fun, let's dream up some team nicknames for brand new teams in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League. The goal of this name-game is to chose a moniker that is possibly original, or, at least historical and appropriate for the team and the city and region it represents. Again, even though expansion will be sluggish over the next several years ahead- eventrually it will occur because history indicates that economic and social pressures will push it to happen. Since 1960 Major League Baseball has expanded from 16 to 30 teams. NFL teams have increased in number from 12 teams in 1960 to 32 teams today. NBA teams have increased in number from 12 teams in 1960 to 30 franchises today. NHL teams have increased in number from only 6 in 1967 to 30 today.
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Step 2
Let's start with baseball. Out East, the greater New York City area will eventually get 2 more big league baseball clubs- the NEW JERSEY GEMS (alliterative and short for newspapers) and the LONG ISLAND ATLANTICS (after the old 19th Century Brooklyn Atlantics). West in New York State the BUFFALO BISONS (after the current minor league team there) will be awarded a major league franchise. Going down South the LOUISIANA CORSAIRS (an alliterative moniker based on the pirate ships of Old that sailed the Gulf of Mexico) will represent New Orleans. In Texas the SAN ANTONIO PINTOS (an alliterative Spanish name) will be playing ball. In the Midwest the INDIANAPOLIS INVADERS (an old baseball team nickname from around 1901-04 that is also alliterative) will entertain Indiana baseball fans. In Southern California the SAN BERNARDINO STARS (from the old minor league Hollywood Stars) will compete with the Dodgers and Angels. The SACRAMENTO GOLD SOX (a moniker that is historical, short & alliterative) will compete against the Giants and Athletics. And in the Pacific Northwest the PORTLAND BUCKAROOS (an old Portland ice hockey team had this name) will compete against the Mariners.
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Step 3
For pro football - specifically the National Football League - there may be 10 expansion teams acquiring NFL membership. The NEW YORK CENTURIONS (after a 1980 New York City police movie "The New
Centurions") will compete against the Giants and Jets. The HARTFORD WHALES (a more politically-correct spin-off moniker from the old hockey team known as the Hartford Whalers) will compete against the Patriots in New England. Down South, two football hotbeds will finally get teams- the MEMPHIS MARAUDERS (an old Civil War nickname) and the BIRMINGHAM IRON MEN (Birmingham is a steel-manufacturing center) will join the NFL. To the West in Texas the SAN ANTONIO STALLIONS (alliterative) will compete against the Cowboys and the Texans. In Chicago, the Windy City will finally get a 2nd NFL franchise - the CHICAGO GLADIATORS (a terrific football moniker that is also alliterative) to compete against the Bears. Out West the PORTLAND LUMBERJACKS (known as Jacks for short) will compete against the Seahawks, i.e. Jacks vs. Hawks. And maybe the NFL will add 2 football franchises in Japan - the TOKYO YOMIURI SAMURAIS and the OSAKI NANKAI NINJAS. -
Step 4
The NBA will possibly add quite a few more teams in the future because the college teams of today are providing more talented basketball-players than ever. Out East the BUFFALO BARONS (named after an old pro basketball team of the 1910's and 1920's) will join the NBA along with the HARTFORD EARLS (a newspaper-freidnly moniker) to compete against the Knicks and the Celtics. Down South the TAMPA BAY TARPONS (after the old Tampa Tarpons minor league baseball team) will compete against the Heat and Magic. In the Midwest 5 new teams will join the NBA- the PITTSBURGH PUMAS (a spin-off moniker from the University of Pittsburgh Panthers), the CHICAGO GEARS (after the old professional basketball team known as the Chicago American Gears of the 1940's)- who will rival the Bulls, the CINCINNATI SIMBAS (a spin-off moniker from the football Cincinnati Bengals, i.e. Simba is a lion from India) - who will compete with the Cavaliers and the Pacers. Missouri will get not one but two NBA franchises - the KANSAS CITY MONARCHS (after the old Satchel Paige baseball team of the 1930's) and the ST. LOUIS SOVEREIGNS (St. Louis was named after King Louis XVI of the 18th Century). Then the competition will be Sovereigns versus Monarchs. Out West the SEATTLE SAILORS (a spin-off moniker from the baseball Seattle Mariners) will replace the defunct Super Sonics. In California the SAN DIEGO DONS (a newspaper friendly name also used by the University of San Francisco) will compete against the Lakers, Clippers and Suns.
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Step 5
Finally, for ice hockey, the NHL might add 4 current minor-circuit American Hockey League teams- the CHICAGO WOLVES, the PHILADELPHIA PHANTOMS, the HARTFORD WOLF PACK and the SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE. NHL hockey might return to Ohio with the addition of the CINCINATI SWORDS (alliterative) and the CLEVELAND CAPTAINS (in honor of the boats of Lake Erie). Farther West the KANSAS CITY COUGARS (alliterative) will rival the Blues. And on the Pacific Coast three really good hockey towns will get NHL franchises - the SEATTLE TOTEMS (from an old ice hockey team that played here), the PORTLAND PALADINS (an alliterative moniker describing the Knights of Medieval England and France) and the SAN DIEGO GULLS (a newspaper-freindly moniker of several old ice hockey teams that played here). So there you have it- some of the names are new and others have some historical link with the sporting heritage of the team or the history of the city or region.
