The MLC Original Six: What’s in a Name?
After two years of Minor League Cricket, Major League Cricket -- the most high-profile professional cricket league in US history -- is ready to launch this July. Overall, fan interest, both here and internationally, is uniformly high as cricket fans around the world want to see if the US can become a serious player in the franchise T20 world. Oddly, one area where folks here are showing the most concern has pretty much nothing to do with what happens out on the pitch. A lot of controversy has popped up over some of the names of the six teams that will compete in the league's inaugural season…especially those teams connected to Indian Premier League ownership. While most fans have no trouble with the Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, or Seattle Orcas, there's been criticism of how MI NY, Texas Super Kings, and Los Angeles Knight Riders ownership didn't do their part in trying to lure in local fans with their team names and marketing. But is that criticism valid?
If you added up all of the people on the planet who know who the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Marlins, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Columbus Blue Jackets are, you still wouldn't come close to the number of people who know who the Mumbai Indians are. The Mumbai Indians brand is known by over a billion people. It's probably the most famous cricket franchise in the world. If you were expanding cricket into a new market and DIDN'T take advantage of this brand recognition -- this instant connection to one of the most popular sports teams on Earth -- you'd be a fool. Yes, MI NY doesn't fit the mold of what we consider a "proper" sports team name in the US, but just how many of the teams that we watch day after day and year after year have names that actually make sense or have any relevance today?
Ten percent of Major League Baseball teams -- three out of thirty -- have names that reference colorful hosiery worn by players in the late 1800s. As a lifelong Bostonian, I'm far more upset that the Red Sox traded away generational talent Mookie Betts than I am that the team is named for something as mundane as socks. Teams move, keep the same name, and we don't care. The Utah Jazz? Does it matter that Utah may be the last of the 50 states that someone might associate with jazz? And is anyone really upset that the Lakers play in Los Angeles where there aren't a whole lot of lakes?
So, should we really be concerned that the name "Super Kings" makes no reference to Texas? Is anyone calling for the Kansas City Royals or Sacramento Kings to explain themselves? Like the Mumbai Indians, the Super Kings name -- and its yellow uniforms -- is synonymous with T20 cricket. The Los Angeles Knight Riders fall into the same category. The Knight Riders name is known globally for T20 cricket. Knight Rider Nation encompasses not just Kolkata in the Indian Premier League, but also Abu Dhabi in the UAE International League T20 and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Premier League. There aren't a lot of people in LA complaining that the "dodger" in Los Angeles Dodgers refers to the ability to not get run over by streetcars when crossing busy Brooklyn streets in the late 19th century. I think they'll be able to deal with "Knight Riders."
People like to look at Major League Soccer as the template that Major League Cricket is supposed to follow, but here -- even more so -- you have team names that fly in the face of what we expect to see in this country.
When the league opened, you had the Kansas City Wiz -- a traditional (if somewhat oddball) team name. When the franchise was sued by the electronics company, The Wiz, the team changed its name to a very traditional -- though no less random -- Kansas City Wizards. Was the name a reference to the Wizard of Oz, even though Dorothy came from Kansas…not Missouri, where Kansas City is located? Was the moniker a nod to the midwestern city's rich history steeped in sorcery, occultism, and necromancing?
Before the 2012 season, the team once again changed its name -- this time to Sporting Kansas City. Sporting Kansas City? What does this even mean? "Sporting" isn't even a noun! And it's in front of the team's location! How is a team going to sell hats and shirts with a "sporting" on them? How are kids going to get into soccer if there isn't a cute mascot of a "sporting" for them to fall in love with? Fans were expected to embrace and support an adjective -- and they did. Surprisingly, this didn't start a trend and we never got to root for Super Expensive New York or Caffeinated Seattle.
Were fans upset when Chivas USA joined the league in 2005? Despite the name, they weren't representing the nation; they were based in Los Angeles. So, what was with the name? And why the Spanish "chivas" instead of its English translation -- goats? Based on traditional team names, they should have been the Los Angeles Goats, but they weren't. The team was an expansion into the American soccer world by the owners of C.D. Guadalajara -- one of the most famous soccer teams in Mexico and a team whose nickname was Chivas. And like the Super Kings, Knight Riders, and Mumbai Indians, it was an attempt to take advantage of a known brand and grow it in a new market.
And while you'd think for marketing purposes it would be important to try to create a separate identity for each team in a league, a third of MLS clubs simply go by a city name and the letters FC (football club), SC (soccer club), or CF (club de foot). And the league continues to grow and attract more fans.
Essentially, if you're an American sports fan that's new to cricket, there are going to be a lot of things that are kind of new and weird. So, if the team names are kind of new and weird, that's just par for the course. But once American sports fans become cricket fans, they'll realize how relevant and normal those names actually are. They may not understand how the Duckworth-Lewis math works or why "innings" is always plural, but at least the team names won't bug them.
© CricAmerica.com/Steve Steinberg 2023
The State of the Union's Cricket
2 Comments
James
Here’s a relevant blog comment in English:
It’s fascinating to see the evolution of sports leagues and
how they adapt to new markets. The author raises
some excellent points about the controversy surrounding the team names in Major League Cricket.
While it’s true that some names may not have a direct
connection to their respective cities, it’s important to
remember that these names are already globally recognized in the cricket world.
The Mumbai Indians, for instance, are a household name in the cricket
community. By associating the team with this well-known brand,
Major League Cricket can potentially attract a significant
number of fans who are already familiar with the team.
Moreover, as the author pointed out, many sports teams in the US have names
that don’t necessarily reflect their location or have a deep local significance.
The Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers are perfect examples of this.
As for the argument that the team names should be more reflective of their local communities
to attract local fans, it’s worth noting that sports fandom is often about more
than just local pride. Fans can be drawn to a team for a variety of reasons, including the team’s history, its players, or even its logo and
colors.
In conclusion, while the team names in Major League Cricket
may not be traditionally American, they have the potential to draw in a large international audience and
create a unique identity for the league. It will be interesting to
see how this plays out in the inaugural season.
Marsha
Note: This comment is written in a respectful and constructive manner, adding to the ongoing discussion about the team names in Major League Cricket.
It does not include a signature or notes about the comment’s creation.
u-asta
Comment:
I found this article to be incredibly insightful and thought-provoking.
The author raises some excellent points about
the importance of brand recognition and global appeal when it comes to naming sports
teams. In a world where international viewership and fan engagement are increasingly important, it
makes perfect sense to leverage the popularity of established cricket franchises
like the Mumbai Indians and the Knight Riders.
While it is understandable that some fans might be initially confused or put
off by the names of teams like MI NY, Texas Super
Kings, and Los Angeles Knight Riders, I think it is important
to remember that sports are a global phenomenon. The fact that the names of these teams
might not immediately resonate with American audiences should not
be a cause for concern. Instead, it represents an opportunity to
introduce new fans to the rich history and traditions of
cricket.
Furthermore, as the author points out, there are plenty of examples of sports
teams in the US with names that don’t have any obvious connection to their location or history.
The fact that teams like the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers have been able to build passionate fanbases and achieve success on the court
suggests that the name of a team is less important than the quality of play and the
level of engagement with fans.
Overall, I think the author makes a compelling
case for embracing the unique naming conventions of the
MLC’s Original Six teams. By leveraging the global popularity of established cricket franchises,
the league can tap into a vast pool of potential fans and help
to grow the sport in the US.