# Best and worst sports team names based on their location **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 23, 2019, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383 "2019-05-23T01:01:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/121 "2019-05-28T19:47:07Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > I’d argue the Yankees is a pretty inappropriate name for a team from New York since they aren’t from Vermont and they don’t eat pie for breakfast. But when they do, they put a slice of Cheddar cheese on top. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/122 "2019-05-28T19:56:37Z")
> [@Squonk](#): > > There was a minor league hockey team called the Macon Whoopee. I’ll leave it to you to decide if that’s an example of best or worst. There was also a minor league hockey team called the Macon Trax. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/123 "2019-05-28T20:25:42Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > To expand, for the NFL alone these teams need to be renamed: > > Patriots (Boston) > Redskins (also Boston) > Chargers (San Diego) > Raiders (after they move to Vegas) > > I’m sure that MLB is worse, and there are plenty in the NBA also. Don’t forget the Colts (Baltimore), Cardinals (Chicago), and Rams (Cleveland) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/124 "2019-05-28T23:36:02Z")
There was a baseball team in London, Ontario called the Werewolves. They had a mascot named Warren Z. Vaughn. [I am not making this up.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Werewolves) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/125 "2019-05-29T00:31:19Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I like the Joliet Slammers, playing near the famous Joliet Prison. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I would so love a team that played there to pick the name “Joliet Blues.” When the team started up there was a naming contest. The top vote-getter was the Joliet Jakes. Sadly, it was rejected probably due to fears of copyright infringement. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/126 "2019-05-29T01:15:50Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Sadly, it was rejected probably due to fears of copyright infringement. Probably not copyright, trademark. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/127 "2019-05-29T02:15:44Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > When the team started up there was a naming contest. The top vote-getter was the Joliet Jakes. Sadly, it was rejected probably due to fears of copyright infringement. I don’t get the reference, but copyright infringement seems unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/128 "2019-05-29T02:43:41Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t get the reference, but copyright infringement seems unlikely. Joliet Jake Blues is the name of John Belushi’s character in The Blues Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/129 "2019-05-29T03:17:13Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Don’t forget the Colts (Baltimore), Cardinals (Chicago), and Rams (Cleveland) The Cardinals, Colts, and Rams had been previously mentioned. I was adding to Ascenray’s list. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/130 "2019-05-29T03:20:22Z")
Yeah, there’s no possibility of copyright infringement. Copyright law doesn’t protect single words, names, short phrases, slogans, or titles. It could theoretically be a kind of trademark infringement, specifically a false association claim. It wouldn’t be the easiest case, because someone is going o have to establish that the name Joliet Jake Blues is being used as an indicator for the source or origin of goods or services. Considering I didn’t even recognize the reference to Joliet Jake that seems a difficult argument to make. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/131 "2019-05-29T16:42:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Yeah, there’s no possibility of copyright infringement. Copyright law doesn’t protect single words, names, short phrases, slogans, or titles. > > It could theoretically be a kind of trademark infringement, specifically a false association claim. It wouldn’t be the easiest case, because someone is going o have to establish that the name Joliet Jake Blues is being used as an indicator for the source or origin of goods or services. Considering I didn’t even recognize the reference to Joliet Jake that seems a difficult argument to make. Whether it’s [trademark or copyright](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_protection_for_fictional_characters) is not the important point. They didn’t choose the name for fear of having to pay licensing fees to use it. It would have been awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/132 "2019-05-29T16:54:45Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Whether it’s [trademark or copyright](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_protection_for_fictional_characters) is not the important point. It might be an unimportant point, but by offering that link, you’re arguing the point. Yes, a _character_ might be protected by copyright law. That doesn’t mean a character’s name, by itself, is protectable. To the extent that a character can be covered under copyright law, the creator would have to prove that the character as a whole is a creative and original work of expression. There’s almost no way to argue that a name by itself is a creative and original work of expression. If they used the name and also used other aspects of the character from the movie, that might be a different issue, but they’d have to do more than use a name. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/133 "2019-05-29T17:31:11Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > To expand on that, the Lakers were originally the Minneapolis Lakers. In Minnesota, “Land of a Thousand Lakes”… 10,000 lakes. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/134 "2019-06-01T03:56:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The Philadelphia Phillies; couldn’t work in any other town. > > Pittsburgh Steelers get a thumbs down. Sure, the steel industry contributed to the early growth of Pittsburgh, but steel is gone and the region struggled hard to clean up the horrible environmental impact. Okay, you lose your Yinzer cred. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/135 "2019-06-01T16:52:59Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I used to think that a team should be named for the actual political jurisdiction in which its home field is located, but I’ve changed my mind about that. > > A team should be named for the _city_ (not state or region) that represents the historical cultural/social/economic center for its fan base. > > So, not the 49ers shouldn’t be renamed for San Jose. San Francisco is the cultural/social/economic center for the 49ers’ fans, so the team should be named after San Francisco, not San Jose, and not some god-awful wishy-washy term like “Bay Area.” > > That whole region _is_ San Francisco, regardless of how local governments draw their petty lines. And on the east side of the bay, it’s Oakland, but San Francisco still trumps Oakland. So if the Warriors moved from San Francisco to the east bay, they could choose to change to Oakland Warriors, but they could keep San Francisco Warriors. > > Similarly, Los Angeles Angels is perfectly good. > > Were I dictator, I’d mandate — > > Minneapolis-St. Paul Twins > Dallas Rangers > Phoenix Diamondbacks > Tampa Rays > Denver Rockies > Boston Patriots > Phoenix Cardinals > Charlotte Panthers > Minneapolis-St. Paul Vikings > Tampa Buccaneers > Nashville Titans > Oakland Warriors > Indianapolis Pacers > Minneapolis-St. Paul Timberwolves > Los Angeles Ducks > Phoenix Coyotes > Raleigh Hurricanes > Denver Avalanche > Miami Panthers > Minneapolis-St. Paul Wild > New York Devils (New Jersey doesn’t get a name of its own for any place within the orbits of New York or Philadelphia) > San Francisco Sharks > Tampa Lightning > Las Vegas Golden Knights (No abbreviated forms) The Warriors are moving back to San Francisco next season when the new Chase Center arena opens there. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/136 "2019-06-03T01:49:26Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Ok, I find it funny how many people have posted about the Chicago Bears/Cubs, and not said a single word about the Detroit Lions/Tigers. Really? :rolleyes: Post 41. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/137 "2019-06-03T15:41:00Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Post 41. :rolleyes: Um, I didn’t say, that no one had posted about the Tigers/Lions. Read what I said more carefully. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/138 "2019-06-03T18:20:47Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Um, I didn’t say, that no one had posted about the Tigers/Lions. Read what I said more carefully. 😉 You literally said exactly that. You stated they hadn’t said “a single word”. Though I guess you’re pedantically correct, because they hadn’t said a single word, but multiple words… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/139 "2019-06-03T19:41:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The Philadelphia Phillies; couldn’t work in any other town. > > Pittsburgh Steelers get a thumbs down. Sure, the steel industry contributed to the early growth of Pittsburgh, but steel is gone and the region struggled hard to clean up the horrible environmental impact. The Phillies’ “official” name is the Philadelphia National Baseball League Team, so long before the Washington Nationals existed, the Phillies were also occasionally called the Nats. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383/140 "2019-06-03T19:47:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The Cincinnati Reds were originally the Red Stockings. Sounds like they went from being cross-dressers to being Communists. During the 50s, at the height of the Red Scare, they called themselves the Redlegs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-and-worst-sports-team-names-based-on-their-location/834383.md?page=8)