# Question for Non-americans about Sports **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 31, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087 "2014-10-31T04:39:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/1 "2014-10-31T04:39:51Z")
The San Fransisco Giants just won the World Series. Is it only in the US where major cities feature a major sports team that identifies with that city. For example is there a major sports team for Paris, London, Berlin, Manila, Tokyo and other major cities? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/2 "2014-10-31T05:02:53Z")
Since this is about sports, let’s move it to the Game Room. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/3 "2014-10-31T05:06:56Z")
Lots of 'em. Have you never heard of Manchester United? Barcelona? Real Madrid? These are the three most valuable soccer teams in the world - _Forbes_ values Real Madrid at $3.4 billion, by comparison with a measly $1 billion for the San Francisco Giants. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/4 "2014-10-31T05:11:02Z")
There are two teams in Japan’s Central League that represent Tokyo, though Tokyo is not in either of their names. But that is also true of some US teams like the Florida Marlins. Real Madrid is a famous football (soccer) team. There are many football teams in London, though I guess not any of them represent London as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/5 "2014-10-31T05:43:27Z")
I’m confused. What else would a team represent? The local mountain or river? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/6 "2014-10-31T05:45:20Z")
It certainly isn’t just in the US - even 3/4 major sports leagues in the US aren’t just in the US - MLB, NBA, and NHL all have Canadian teams…the NHL started in Canada. The CFL and regional hockey leagues like the OHL are organized similarly. Nippon Professional Baseball has an odd setup…it’s one team per city (with the sort-of-exception of Tokyo), but most of the teams are referred to by the company that owns them, not the city they’re based out of, though some are named with the formula City/Prefecture Owner Team - such as the memetic Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (that is to say, the Fighters are owned by Nippon Ham, and based out of Sapporo, Hokkaido). (I should start following Japanese baseball again…I was a fan of the Giants for a while…) ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/7 "2014-10-31T05:57:01Z")
Weren’t the Giants an American Football team from New York? That must be confusing. Anyway, since teams aren’t franchised here in Europe, I’d say the main difference is that big cities can have several teams. A good instance is London, which hosts a big chunk of the Premier League. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/8 "2014-10-31T06:42:37Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Weren’t the Giants an American Football team from New York? That must be confusing. It was probably more confusing before 1958, when both teams were in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/9 "2014-10-31T06:49:55Z")
Teams in the [Philippine Basketball Association](http://pba.inquirer.net/) represent companies. So you have, for example, the Kia Sorento (that’s the name of the team) and the San Miguel Beermen. It’s all based in Metro Manila although there are occasional games at provincial venues. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/10 "2014-10-31T08:34:54Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > I’m confused. What else would a team represent? The local mountain or river? Why not? It happens that teams typically represent cities, but it’s completely arbitrary. It’s not like the players are citizens from this city, the team is owned by the city, etc… “Irwell United” would be as good a name as “Manchester United”. Or they could have the name of companies (like cycling teams do), or of people who sponsor/own the team, or a neutral name, like “the blue team” for chariot races in the Roman/Byzantine empire, or maybe of universities if someone came up with this absurd idea. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/11 "2014-10-31T09:50:28Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Teams in the [Philippine Basketball Association](http://pba.inquirer.net/) represent companies. So you have, for example, the Kia Sorento (that’s the name of the team) and the San Miguel Beermen. It’s all based in Metro Manila although there are occasional games at provincial venues. I looked up the teams in that league: Alaska Aces Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Blackwater Elite Talk n Text Tropang Texters Barako Bull Energy Those are some “interesting” team names. Are the Aces from Alaska? Do the Elite work for Blackwater? And a team called the “Texters”? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/12 "2014-10-31T09:53:34Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > It certainly isn’t just in the US - even 3/4 major sports leagues in the US aren’t just in the US - MLB, NBA, and NHL all have Canadian teams…the NHL started in Canada. The CFL and regional hockey leagues like the OHL are organized similarly. > > Nippon Professional Baseball has an odd setup…it’s one team per city (with the sort-of-exception of Tokyo), but most of the teams are referred to by the company that owns them, not the city they’re based out of, though some are named with the formula City/Prefecture Owner Team - such as the memetic Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (that is to say, the Fighters are owned by Nippon Ham, and based out of Sapporo, Hokkaido). > > (I should start following Japanese baseball again…I was a fan of the Giants for a while…) I wonder if baseball in Japan goes along those lines because the teams were originally modeled after American baseball leagues? So teams are based more on cities. Although years ago many companies did own their own baseball teams. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/13 "2014-10-31T10:02:14Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > I’m confused. What else would a team represent? The local mountain or river? Well you have the Colorado Rockies which are named after a mountain range but play out of Denver. The only team I can think of which is named after a region and not a city or state is the New England Patriots. Some are city based but want to be a national brand so thats why say the Dallas Cowboys want to simply be known as the “Cowboys” and “The Mighty Ducks” (a hockey team) started by Disney dont always go by their city name which is Anaheim California, a suburb of Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/14 "2014-10-31T10:45:43Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The San Fransisco Giants just won the World Series. > > Is it only in the US where major cities feature a major sports team that identifies with that city. For example is there a major sports team for Paris, London, Berlin, Manila, Tokyo and other major cities? It is more unusual in the UK when they don’t. The only major one I can think of is cricket, where they are named after counties. And then that gets weird because over the years the county boundaries have changed so you can get things like Warwickshire, my county’s team. They play in Edgbaston, Birmingham but in 1974 the county of the West Midlands was created from parts of three different counties, meaning Birmingham left Warwickshire. ETA: Oh and London has far too many sports teams to have a “London” one. For football there’s a stupid amount: Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Chelsea, Fulham etc etc etc. There used to be three Rugby Union teams called London Irish, London Scottish and London Welsh. I’ve no idea if they are still around. ETA (slight return): Most London football teams are named after areas of London. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/15 "2014-10-31T10:56:57Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I looked up the teams in that league: > > Alaska Aces > Rain or Shine Elasto Painters > Blackwater Elite > Talk n Text Tropang Texters > Barako Bull Energy > > Those are some “interesting” team names. Are the Aces from Alaska? Do the Elite work for Blackwater? And a team called the “Texters”? [Alaska](http://www.alaskamilk.com/v2/) is a brand of milk. [Blackwater Elite](http://blackwater.com.ph/index.php) is a men’s cologne. The Texters are owned by [Smart Communications](http://www.smart.com.ph), which markets mobile phone and internet broadband plans. The name of the team can change depending on whatever the sponsoring company wants to market at the time. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/16 "2014-10-31T11:07:59Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > It was probably more confusing before 1958, when both teams were in New York. That’s why the official name of the football team is the New York Football Giants. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2014, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/17 "2014-10-31T11:13:51Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The only team I can think of which is named after a region and not a city or state is the New England Patriots. The Patriots were the Boston Patriots for years before they moved out to Foxboro. The MLS team in Foxboro are the New England Revolution. There used to be teams called Chivas USA based out of Carson, CA and the NY/NJ Metro Stars. The Carolina Panthers are regional. The Los Angeles Angels of Aneheim 🙂 ---
**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:** [October 31, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/18 "2014-10-31T11:52:16Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > That’s why the official name of the football team is the New York Football Giants. I don’t think so. The official name of the team is just New York Giants. P.S. — “based IN,” people. “Based IN!” ---
**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:** [October 31, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/19 "2014-10-31T12:00:19Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I don’t think so. The official name of the team is just New York Giants. [http://www.giants.com/](http://www.giants.com/) The official site of the New York Football Giants ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087/20 "2014-10-31T12:28:26Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > The only team I can think of which is named after a region and not a city or state is the New England Patriots. Don’t forget the Tampa Bay teams: Bucs, Rays, and Lightning. They’re named after a body of water, ostensibly to represent the region. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-about-sports/703087.md?page=2)