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Why are some MLB teams named after states, not cities?

Usually, it's because of wanting to appeal to a broader area. Carolina Panthers might appeal to more Carolinians than Charlotte Panthers. Teams figure to expand their reach a little bit with the state/region naming of their team. Doesn't sound like genius, but it works.

The Marlins have at least one fan right here! As we discussed last year in the baseball thread, there are many issues with attendance...among them summer rainouts and the awful location of the stadium. You won't be riding a train right up to the stadium like you can in many places. Bad location, summer rainout issues, bad stadium made for football...I could go on and on.
 
mrcoaster said:
The Marlins have at least one fan right here! As we discussed last year in the baseball thread, there are many issues with attendance...among them summer rainouts and the awful location of the stadium. You won't be riding a train right up to the stadium like you can in many places. Bad location, summer rainout issues, bad stadium made for football...I could go on and on.
Click to expand...

What do you think of the new ballpark, and the name change?
 
Babaganoosh said:
mrcoaster said:
The Marlins have at least one fan right here! As we discussed last year in the baseball thread, there are many issues with attendance...among them summer rainouts and the awful location of the stadium. You won't be riding a train right up to the stadium like you can in many places. Bad location, summer rainout issues, bad stadium made for football...I could go on and on.
Click to expand...

What do you think of the new ballpark, and the name change?
Click to expand...

I can't answer for him, but I'm not a Marlins fan, and I've got to say it's about friggin' time. Joe Robbie stadium is horrible.
 
The Twins were named "Minnesota" so as not to offend part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Their cap logo was "TC" for Twin Cities, since an "M" might be interpreted as standing for Minneapolis. Sometime in the '80s, (the year they won the championship, IIRC) they switched to an "M" cap logo, but the traditional "TC" logo has been brought back as an alternate.

When the Angels moved from LA to Anaheim, Gene Autry decided "California" would have a broader marketing appeal than "Anaheim," so he followed the Twins' precedent. When Disney bought the team, they named it Anaheim as part of a branding strategy to make the home of Disneyland a "destination city."

--Justin
 
J.T.B. said:
When the Angels moved from LA to Anaheim, Gene Autry decided "California" would have a broader marketing appeal than "Anaheim," so he followed the Twins' precedent. When Disney bought the team, they named it Anaheim as part of a branding strategy to make the home of Disneyland a "destination city."
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Seems like a lot of needless squabbling over the name. I think California Angels sounds better in this case. :p
 
and i forgot New England Patriots, which of course, is an area not even a state...
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I alwyas thought the New England Patriots and Golden State Warriors had the most interesting designations.
 
>Utah is shorter than Salt Lake City and I'm sure more of the "lesser >intellects" out there would have a better chance of finding Utah on a map >before finding Salt Lake City.

When Karl Malone was first drafted by the Jazz he actually asked "Is Utah a city or a state?"
 
Colorado Rockies sounds a lot better than the Denver Rockies. On the other hand, they also have the Denver Nuggets and Denver Broncos...
 
I think for Minnesota, it's because St. Paul and Minneapolis are there largest cities and most recognizeable so they don't have to say the St. Paul Twins or the Minneapolis Timberwolves or the St. Paul Wild.

I mean seriously, who would put a major sport in a place like Fargo? Or Duluth?
 
J.T.B. said:
The Twins were named "Minnesota" so as not to offend part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Their cap logo was "TC" for Twin Cities, since an "M" might be interpreted as standing for Minneapolis. Sometime in the '80s, (the year they won the championship, IIRC) they switched to an "M" cap logo, but the traditional "TC" logo has been brought back as an alternate.
Click to expand...

Actually, if you have ever seen the Twins' old logo in the 60's and 70's (or more recently and to our dismay, the Turn Ahead the Clock uniforms of 1999), it was two oversized baseball players shaking hands over a bridge, one of them had the letter "M" on his sleeve, and the other player had the letters StP on his, to pretty much signify the Twin Cities.

And, weren't the Lakers the Minneapolis Lakers, before they moved to a place with no lakes to speak of?
 
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Exit8A said:
J.T.B. said:
The Twins were named "Minnesota" so as not to offend part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Their cap logo was "TC" for Twin Cities, since an "M" might be interpreted as standing for Minneapolis. Sometime in the '80s, (the year they won the championship, IIRC) they switched to an "M" cap logo, but the traditional "TC" logo has been brought back as an alternate.
Click to expand...

Actually, if you have ever seen the Twins' old logo in the 60's and 70's (or more recently and to our dismay, the Turn Ahead the Clock uniforms of 1999), it was two oversized baseball players shaking hands over a bridge, one of them had the letter "M" on his sleeve, and the other player had the letters StP on his, to pretty much signify the Twin Cities.

And, weren't the Lakers the Minneapolis Lakers, before they moved to a place with no lakes to speak of?
Click to expand...

Ah, the two fat dudes. I was so bummed when they originally did away with them and tried that stupid "M" logo. I'm glad they went back to the "TC" logo, but I miss those beer-belly guys.

And yes, the Lakers originally were from Minneapolis. One of the few times I can think of that a major Minnesota team went with a city designation. The only other I can think of was the old St. Paul Saints (hockey, not the current baseball team). And I guess that wouldn't even qualify as a "major" team.
 
^ I once drove past an event in Montana with a big sign that said, "Testicle Festival". Me, being a young man from a suburb of NYC, figured it was a big gay orgy weekend.

Someone a little more hip to the cowboy jive, explained it had to do with emasculated bulls, and consuming the uh...by-products of castration.

I'm not sure which scenario had me more concerned.
 
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