With the MLS expansion team in Philadelphia just two years away I couldn’t help but wonder what good nickname would be for the club.
With the Seattle expansion team considering the awful name Emeral City Greens we can only hope that the people in Philadelphia come up with something better.
What shouldn’t Philly’s team be called? The Liberty Bells probably wouldn’t go over well. The Cheesesteaks probably wouldn’t either.
You make the call people. What should the MLS expansion team in Philly be called? Share your suggestions below.
The team colors will be powder blue and gold to reward the SoB’s help in landing the team. The only problem I have is that what is so great about the Chester site? The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Chester isn’t good. And with the location of the stadium doesn’t this pose greater traffic delays. Driving through that area is already a headache and now you want to add 20,000 more people on a friday night in mid-summer.
Don’t get me wrong. I am happy the team is coming. Only wish the politics of the deal would have done what truely is best for the fans, and not due to political favors. Cause the only thing you’ll see while you sit in gridlock and breathe in jet fumes is a beautiful stadium and a Harris Slot Casino.
From what I’ve read Philadelphia Athletic SC would be the best fit. I think the bicentennial/patriotic theme has already been overdone. ‘Freedom’ I believe was already chosen by the WPS team in Washington anyway. Let’s hope the color scheme gets away from the RWB and goes for something different like the Flyers with the black and orange; something original. Remember, DCU, NYRB, NE Rev will be prime rivalries so we don’t want to look too similar. Let’s take this direction and what colors would the team be? How ’bout blue & orange ala Brasil’s blue & yellow nation team colors?
Staying with the pun created by the SoB – Son’s of Ben why not Philly United or PU for short. It also plays on the pun that we are a united by brotherly love.
The league already has Football Clubs or FC’s. Another name could be based on location. Since it is not far from Philly International Airport, the name could be borrowed for the Soccer team. International Philly Soccer Federation or Inter Philly for short.
Philadelphia River Rats
(Chester might be offended)
Philadelphia Friends
(Quaker reference)
Philadelphia Freedom FC
Its strong, catchy, and historical. NO doubt about it that’s going to be the name!
Philadelphia Athletic FC. Classy and traditional. They can use The A’s as their nickname. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Alliance Philadelphia SC
(nickname first than city name)
congrats with the team!
Philadelphia Independence FC? I think it should be The Philadelphia Independents. BOO YAH
Philadelphia Rebellion
Philadelphia United
FC Philadelphia
Im a fan of Philadelphia Athletic or AC Philadelphia but whats wrong with Philadelphia 1776! I like that the best out of all of them!
I am actually a fan of the Emerald City FC but I like the Greens as their nick name. Its like the blues and the Reds. As long as u keep the greens as the nick name it will be sweet. Im just glad we got the color green in the MLS now!
Alliance Philadelphia SC
For the latino’s 🙂
CDP River Delaware
(CDP = Club Deportivo Philadelphia)
Otherwise, the Athletics sounds best as it builds on a heritage namesake and pertains to a sport where people are actually athletic, unlike baseball players.
I saw a suggestion for “Franklin’s Old Boys” somewhere else. I rather liked that one…
How about the “Philly Ups” It sounds positive, or that your being molested, or (for NJ fans) that you need some gas.
Do the Philly fans get to choose the name? I would like to see Philly move away from the typical American nickname. “Philadelphia Freedom” does not have a nice ring to it. I would go with Philadelphia 1776 (to bad Houston pussed out) unless of course there is a group of British Americans who find the name offensive. Something simple and to the point like Philly FC would work too. Alas, it’s up to Philly not me. Hope Sons of Ben and any other supporters are happy with whatever monicker they get stuck with.
How about FC NAGNY (Not As Good As New York)
in regard to whoever said something about naming them bethlehem steel, while i do love the old school reference, bethlehem is just too far (almost 70 miles) from philly for that to make sense.
i like philadelphia athletic SC or independence SC (a la independiente of argentina).
i do not like anything with FC in it. i understand the whole soccer purist nonsense, but this is american SOCCER, not american FOOTBALL! let’s be american and call it soccer, rather than being poser europeans and call it football (or, even worse, futbol)! philadelphia athletic SOCCER club or independence SOCCER club!
either way i can’t wait to chant against them at rfk, or, if DC govt. and united can ever get on the same page, at poplar point.
Why should it be Philadelphia Athletic? Isn’t Philly oficially the fattest city in the US? Try Philadelphia Fatties or Lardo FC, it’s a bit more suitable.
I think it’s going to be something the Philadelphia Colonials. On a side note did network solutions just park philadelphiaathleticfc.com?
Im surprised no one has come up with this one:
Philadelphia Benjamins
Their crest would just be a wad of cash.
🙂
philadelphia ‘fleet’ would relate to the city’s naval history and the team’s proximity to the delaware river
Since Philadelphia is a greek name, why not name it after the God of Fertility: Philadelphia Priapus
Since Philadelphia is a greek name, why not name it after the God of Fertility: Philadelphia Priapus
I want them to be called Philadelpha Gentlemen FC and The Gents for short! That would kick some serious butt!!! It sounds classy, and has a subtle pun in it. See, gentlemen play football fair and with their feet… 😉
I guess Commodores, Alliance or Athletic I could live with as well…
But thats just me, so maybe its the best if they call it plainly Philadelphia FC, SC or AC and let the nickname grow over time… probably the most reasonable approach, as it leaves out the factor of possibly misleading subjectivity. Looking at the Sons of Ben I’m not afraid that some really nice nicknames should evolve of which the best and most fitting would stick with the team.
I think John E had it right. The FC does not have to stand for football club. FC can be
First Congress
First Capital
some of you others can probably come up with even better meanings for it.
I think Bethlehem steel should be considered.
philidelphia has arguably the richest history of professional soccer in america
Alliance Philadelphia SC
Nickname before city name!!!!!!!!!!!!! Original and powerfull!
Philadelphia Liberty
Philadelphia Athletic. Simple, short, and allows for a nickname on it’s own.
The trademark for Philadelphia Athletics is, in fact, registered with the USPTO. The rights to the name are owned by the Oakland A’s. Despite the fact that Lew Wolff owns both the A’s and Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes, I don’t think it can be assumed that he’ll simply allow a Chester-based team the use of Philadelphia Athletic as a name. His Major League Baseball brethren would likely make it known that they would prefer that he exercise some exclusivity over use of a historic American League brand. At the end of the day, Wolff owns a Major League Baseball franchise at the consent of his fellow owners, so I can certainly envision him denying the soccer team’s request. Further, MLB could argue that Philadelphia Athletic or Philadelphia Athletic Club is close enough to Philadelphia Athletics to infringe upon the existing trademark. Philadelphia Athletic would be a fine brand for the MLS side, but I can see substantial obstacles to it being adopted.
To whoever came up with Old City FC….isn’t Old Town Philadelphia’s “gayborhood”?
Illafifth Dynamite
NAMBLA FC
Seriously, I like Independence FC or Athletic…
or Phily FC*
What about Pat’s FC, that should start another debate. Seriously though I like Indpendence FC of Phily AC.
Maccabi Philadelphia.
If Houston 1832 pissed of a certain demographic, I’d love to see what that would do. =)
Nothing is better than Philadelphia Athletic…Posted by: Phil | February 22, 2008 at 11:37 AM
But why the the reference to the baseball Athletics? This is soccer!
I’m going to address a few of the previous posts:
1. Emerald City FC is good for Seattle, just don’t add Greens.
2. KC might drop Wizards from it’s “official” name when they get their stadium.
3. philadelphiaindependence.com is already registered to MLS
4. philadelphiaindependencefc.com is already registered to MLS
5. I think Philadelphia Athletic is a better name.
That is all.
Nothing is better than Philadelphia Athletic. I’ve been saying it since the beginning. It could be AFC Philadelphia, Philadelphia Athletic or Athletic Club Philadelphia. What better way to stay American and soccer appropriate at the same time, then by naming your team similarly to the old Philly baseball team, and also using the Euro-appropriate Athletic Club.
papa bear, northzax:
Thanks, I like to learn something every day. 🙂
Scrapple FC
TastyKake FC
Pork Roll FC
I’m hungry
I was gonna say the Phillie Blunts as well! 😀
On a serious note, I say Philadelphia Athletic is the best choice. Someone said Old City FC and that ain’t bad either.
And since this league likes to pander to hispanics…Philadelphia Athletico.
Damn, there are a lot of Athletic Supporters out there!
Personally, I prefer Philadelphia United.
(Good old PU!)
Philadelphia Athletic, it just sounds right.
Scott: actually the Great Fire is more a symbol of the rebirth of Chicago as a modern city. there is a good reason it had so many early skyscrapers, they got to build the place from scratch, just as new technology was coming into play. perfect timing.
and can we stop with the freaking ACs already? the only one that would have made any sense at all would be AC Washington (giving us the nickname AC/DC) Associazione Calcio is a term imposed on the Italian clubs by Mussolini because he didn’t want the English term FC in his bright new fascist Italian state. You’ll notice that AC Milan, for instance, is still Milan, not Milano.
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Philadelphia Athletic Football Club
Philadelphia Eaglets
Scrapple FC
TastyKake FC
Pork Roll FC
I’m hungry