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Philadelphia settles on finalists for team name

PhillyGroundbreaking (AP)

Philadephia fans still have to wait more than a year for their expansion MLS team to take the field, but they are finally closer to knowing what that team's name will be.

According to sources within MLS, the Philadelphia expansion team has settled on four finalists for the club's name. AC Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia Union and Philadelphia SC. The club is expected to hold a vote in the coming months, allowing fans to choose the name of the team. The Philadelphia expansion team is scheduled to begin play in 2010.

So now that the name possibilities are out, which one do you like the most? Vote below:

Which ones do I like? Philladelphia City and AC Philadelphia are pretty snazzy and none of them are Kansas City Wiz terrible.

What do you think if the final four name finalists? Do you dislike any of them? Is there a nickname that should have made the cut that didn't?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I THINK THE NAME SHOULD BE SHOOTERS BECAUSE OF THE MUMMER SHOOTERS AND WHEN YOU WANT TO HAVE A PLAYER KICK FOR THE NET.YOU YELL “SHOOT” COMMODORES WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD NAME DUE TO LOCATION NEXT TO COMM. BARRY BRIDGE. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT WE SAY,THE NAME IS ALREADY PICKED AS WERE THE CHOICES TO VOTE FOR.

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  2. I think we need to get something more creative such as ……DRUM ROLL

    PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM!!!!!!

    shows history, and local flavor.

    also catchy and easily marketable

    plus you can rock out to elton john philadelphia freedom lol well rock out as much as you can rock out to Elton

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  3. AC Philadelphia is a great choice. I also like Philadelphia City. Both names pay tribute to the roots of the game in Europe and the immigrants that brought the game to the US.

    No one should want to see another name like the Kansas City Wizards, or New England Revolution. And, for the record, Real Salt Lake is a solid name that has one of the most beautiful logos and stadia in the league. MLS owners need to follow the Dave Checketts play book for building a franchise.

    Good Luck Philadelphia, and welcome to MLS!

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  4. How this: WTF Philadelphia!?

    Philadelphia Union just reminds me of mountains of trash stacking up on empty lots back in ’86… Which I guess is appropriate given the proximity of the stadium site to the landfills next to the Port of Wilmington. As for referencing working-class roots, the Columbus Crew already took that one.

    AC Philadelphia? Really??? Atlantic City Philadelphia?????? Don´t think so!!!! And, why just AC Philadelphia… Why not DC Philadelphia (there is a D.C. United, after all…). Maybe Philadelphia AC/DC…. They can have black home uniforms and the rainbow flag for their away kits.

    Since I left Philly to study in Santa Cruz, I´m kind of fond of the Philadelphia SC, since that kind of traces my steps. (FC has already been over-used: Seattle, who enter the league this season, as well as Dallas and Toronto before them. SC sounds like a cheap imitation, or gringification, of the FC.)

    Two teams have geographically-relevant destructive forces as their name: Chicago (Fire) and San José (Earthquakes). Maybe we should go with the Philadelphia Democratic Political Machine. The Philadelphia Move? Or maybe the Philadelphia Casinos? (Too soon?)

    Perhaps to get ahead of superstition, it should be the Philadelphia Billy Penn´s Hats?

    I really like Philadelphia Liberty, but the ladies already took that one.

    K.C. is the Wiz, so I guess we can´t go with Cheese Wiz…. the Philadelphia Wit´ would be good, though.

    So far the best idea I´ve seen is writing in Philadelphia Athletic, which is what I believe I will do.

    Cheers to all!

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  5. I don’t like any of the names, they’re all too generic. I’m not sure if there are trademark issues if the teams are in other sports, since (for example) there are the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Kings (different sports).

    But just to be safe, let’s assume that Liberty and Athletics are off limits–though I would maintain that ‘Athletic’ is different from ‘Athletics’, in the same way that ‘Cardinal’ is different from ‘Cardinals’ (to use a currently painful example).

    ‘Atoms’ and ‘Fury’ are possibilities, and though ‘Freedom’ was also used, it would depend on how much one likes Elton John whether the name ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ would be a valid one.

    After thinking about ‘Commodores’ (after Commodore John Barry, the namesake of the bridge near the team’s stadium) and ‘Continentals’ (after the Continental Congress, the one that was responsible for the Declaration of Independence), I settled on ‘Federals’ (after the signing of the Constitution in 1787 which created a federal republic).

    The only possible conflicts would be with the defunct Washington Federals of the USFL (1983-84), who became the Orlando Renegades, and a couple of amateur teams (one in Australia, one in Washington DC which uses the name ‘Federal Triangle SC’).

    I think ‘Federals’ is short enough, it can also be shortened (‘Feds’), I don’t see any trademark conflicts, and finally, it is alliterative with ‘Philadephia’ or ‘Philly’. Plus it’s still associated with BEN FRANKLIN!

    GO FEDERALS!

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  6. Scott:

    1. I’ve made numerous arguments for the American naming style, none of which have contained the phrase “too European.” Nor have I suggested a single name like “the Sockers.” I’m arguing against ditching our traditions for the sake of fitting into a mold THAT DOES NOT EXIST. Feel free to read any of my previous posts for clarification.

    2. Like I’ve said numerous times, I will not take anyone seriously who wants me to start calling soccer “football” until they go into a reputable Italian blog and tell them to start calling calcio “futbol.” I’ve spent time in the UK. I called the game “football” when I was there. But I live in the States and I will continue to call it soccer.

    3. It’s funny to me that most peoples are fighting to preserve their sports cultures and we’re so eager to throw ours away.

    I’m not necessarily talking about you, Scott, but I seriously question whether some people REALLY like this sport…or if they’re just into it because it’s foreign. You know…the ones who go to the “pub” and yell at the “wanker” referee and say “cheers” every third word. Lame.

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  7. Philadelphia Athletic SC. I hate it when SC or FC is put in front of the city’s name because it’s not Soccer Club Philadelphia, it’s Philadlephia Soccer Club. However, I want Philadelphia Athetic SC and I think we should make a serious effort of all writing that name in.

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