Name Change

[Elvis]

If this new stadium deal is completed, and it looks pretty close, the marlins have agreed to rename themselves the Miami Marlins prior to the 2011 season--the new ballpark's first season. My question is: Why wait until 2011? I mean, if they've agreed to be the Miami Marlins, what's the point of waiting 3+ years to make it official? :shrug: I understand the rational of celebrating the new ballpark with a new identity, but it just seems a little weird to have the lame duck Florida tag for the next 3 years.

[Silver Blaze]

If this new stadium deal is completed, and it looks pretty close, the marlins have agreed to rename themselves the Miami Marlins prior to the 2011 season--the new ballpark's first season. My question is: Why wait until 2011? I mean, if they've agreed to be the Miami Marlins, what's the point of waiting 3+ years to make it official? :shrug: I understand the rational of celebrating the new ballpark with a new identity, but it just seems a little weird to have the lame duck Florida tag for the next 3 years.


It might have something to do with the cost of making the changes - redoing all the signs, merchandise and jerseys. This is not the team with the deepest pockets, remember. There is probably the thought to put it off as long as possible. By the way, I hate the idea. They should stay as Florida Marlins, period. I am presuming that's a better marketing strategy whereby more folks in the rest of the state can buy into the team representing the whole state. Sure, they still may support a team whose name is localized to Miami, but I bet they may lose some support up north and closer to Tampa, to the Rays.

[Marlins_Fan_In_Redlegs_Land]

If I'm not mistaken, they've wanted to be the Miami Marlins since their inception in 1993 but for some reason, they were given the Florida name. This was a long time and ago, and I was fairly young then, but I seem to remember hearing that they wanted to be the Miami Marlins and their '93 expansion counterparts wanted to be called the Denver Rockies, as opposed to Colorado. Can anyone elaborate on this or am I just remembering incorrectly?

[spark240]

By the way, I hate the idea. They should stay as Florida Marlins, period. I am presuming that's a better marketing strategy whereby more folks in the rest of the state can buy into the team representing the whole state. Sure, they still may support a team whose name is localized to Miami, but I bet they may lose some support up north and closer to Tampa, to the Rays.

I think it's absurd to think that people will root for a team because it's named for the state, but won't root for it if it's named for a city. Anyway, the whole-state-marketing never really worked for the Marlins, perhaps because people in northern Florida are mostly Braves fans, and people in mid-Florida are largely transplants from other states, with no particular allegiance to things Floridian.

The Marlins name comes from the minor league teams that played in the Florida State and International Leagues, and they were the Miami Marlins.

[Silver Blaze]

I think it's absurd to think that people will root for a team because it's named for the state, but won't root for it if it's named for a city. Anyway, the whole-state-marketing never really worked for the Marlins, perhaps because people in northern Florida are mostly Braves fans, and people in mid-Florida are largely transplants from other states, with no particular allegiance to things Floridian.

The Marlins name comes from the minor league teams that played in the Florida State and International Leagues, and they were the Miami Marlins.

That wasn't my point, but I guess it might not make that much difference after all. You also have a point about the fans of the Braves, etc, in northern Florida.

[Fuzzy Bear]

If I'm not mistaken, they've wanted to be the Miami Marlins since their inception in 1993 but for some reason, they were given the Florida name. This was a long time and ago, and I was fairly young then, but I seem to remember hearing that they wanted to be the Miami Marlins and their '93 expansion counterparts wanted to be called the Denver Rockies, as opposed to Colorado. Can anyone elaborate on this or am I just remembering incorrectly?

"Florida" Marlins was a Wayne Huizenga concept. He called his team "Florida" to claim ALL of Florida as his home territory, and to preempt Tampa Bay from getting a franchise along with Huizenga.

I believe that "Miami" Marlins is a far more appropriate nickname, and "Florida" is not only inappropriate in this case, but unfair to the Rays, who are also in Florida.

There is a difference between the "Colorado" Rockies and the "Florida" Marlins, the main difference being that the state of Colorado is big enough for only one MLB franchise, whereas Florida is big enough for at least two.

Personally, I think they should just get on with the new name; the costs would probably be offset by the benefits.

[Gary Dunaier]

I believe that "Miami" Marlins is a far more appropriate nickname, and "Florida" is not only inappropriate in this case, but unfair to the Rays, who are also in Florida.
Was "California Angels" unfair to the other California teams?

[Marliner435]

Is it that big of a deal?

[Marlins_Fan_In_Redlegs_Land]

Was "California Angels" unfair to the other California teams?

good question...but i think its far better than the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name they've got going now. But that was done to get association with LA and bring in fans from that market, so I can get why the white men in suits would make such a change. The length is what annoys me, not why it was done...in that respect I could actually care less.

[Marlins_Fan_In_Redlegs_Land]

Also, for a long time Anaheim didn't have its own identity aside from being the home of Disneyland like LA and SF do, so I guess that's why they were called the California Angels. I lived out in LA for a year and even then I saw more people wearing Angels hats and other apparel than Dodger stuff. And that was before they adopted the LA name.

[108stitches]

I think that MLB made a mistake allowing them to call themselves the Florida Marlins when the name Miami Marlins had such a rich history with the city. The Colorado Rockies had to actually buy the rights to that name from the owner of the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils--who moved there from Colorado a number of years back.

[nl1899fan]

If a team plays in a major market it should take the name of the city. If it plays in a small town or a suburb then using the state name makes more sense. Miami Marlins makes sense. There are exceptions though-the Twins took the state's name so Minneapolis or St Paul wouldn't feel slighted (plus they originally played in a suburb). Same with the Rays. I just wish the Angels would go back to the old California Angels name or even the Los Angeles Angels-Anaheim Angels was terrible and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is just silly.