Week 6: Final Name Evaluations
Saturday · May 18 · 2013 | 2:06 PM PDTThere's been a growing concern among readers and myself that the IceHL's 13 Weeks of R&R has been suffering creatively. A handful of the newly selected team names have faced a lot of harsh criticisms. What I want to know before we proceed to logo designs is whether this is a vocal minority. If it's not, as commissioner I will take steps to fix things.
In the polls below — which will last only through this weekend — you can vote on whether you're satisfied with the names that have been chosen. I recognize that voters may have simply been going for the lesser of several evils as opposed to something they truly liked.
So cast your votes and let's see where we are Sunday night. In the meantime, don't submit any logos for these teams until the names are final.
If you have a logo idea for one of the 5 other teams, here's how to submit!
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A simple majority will win these polls. For teams where the majority votes "yes," the new names will be locked in. For teams where the majority votes "no," things are a little more complicated.
The names voted on will be discarded. I will quickly assemble a group of IceHL fans and participants (designers, GMs and all-around fanboys). This IceHL Branding Committee will hash out the details and do its best to come up with a satisfying team name. Their decision will be final.
At that point, all 11 teams will be available to logo designers.
Reader Comments (42)
Chris, I would love to serve on the naming committee if I am allowed to.
I'm positive that I didn't vote on single winning answer in ANY of the polls, haha!
Does Philadelphia have to have a patriotic theme? Yes, there is historical relevance to USA's foundation there, but is that all there is to go off of for them? As long as the Guardians, Sentinels and Colonials are around, I'd like to see that franchise go in another direction. So no Freedom, Patriots, Founders or Brothers.
How about considering some state symbols of Pennsylvania? Look at some aspects of those and consider if there's a good name or an alternative name for those symbols.
http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Pennsylvania/State_Symbols.html
Or how about animals?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_Pennsylvania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Pennsylvania
Or... just pick something that sounds cool.
From Wikipedia on the origins of the Philadelphia Flyers name:
" Details of the name-the-team contest were released on July 12, 1966. Ballots were available at local Acme Markets grocery stores — sponsor of the contest. The top prize was an RCA 21" color television, with two season tickets for both the second- and third-prize winners, and a pair of single-game tickets for the next 100 winners. Among the names considered behind the scenes were Quakers, Ramblers and Liberty Bells. The first two were the names of previous Philadelphia hockey teams and — given the connotations of losing (Quakers) and the minor leagues (Ramblers) — were passed over. Liberty Bells, although seriously considered, was also the name of a local race track. Bashers, Blizzards, Bruisers, Huskies, Keystones, Knights, Lancers, Raiders and Sabres were among the other names considered. "
Of those, Quakers, Keystones and Liberty Bells were the only ones relevant to the city and none of them were really patriotic, except probably Liberty Bells. The Flyers name was chosen because it sounded good. So, what I'm saying is... don't limit the new name to a particular played out category. There must be more out there than just patriotic names.
Also, about the Sharpshooters name being a mouth full, I'd imagine their fans would probably just call them the Shooters or something like that for short.
throwaway the auto buisness what is detroit famous for motown so i was trying to get votes for soul i think it has true meaning with that team
Why not a professional sports team called the Dragons? Vancouver Dragons would be cool.
I really like the name and idea of the Hamilton Steelcats, but I was also looking forward to some good Toronto concepts. Such a dilemma!
Very disappointed about Vancouver.
Contrary to popular belief, there are no Lumberjacks here and it is a giant ripoff of both the Canucks (colours)and Giants (logo)
Vancouver Wolverines (was the best option from other choices this week)
Eagles
Breakers
and many of the other previous suggestions all better.
I just think it is necessary to get away from this stereotype and the colours and logos of current teams already in Vancouver.
We can do better than Lumberjacks. Like honestly....
So disheartened to see Lumberjacks is @ 53%
Would also support Vancouver Dragons (nba team was almost called this), Thunderbirds
I'd urge anyone seeing this before voting to getaway from the Lumberjacks name.. please... It doesn't even have to be anything related to Vancouver as long as it sounds good and is unique. We don't necessarily have a huge Wolverine population here but thats a great name for a team..
End of the day I guess I'm only one person speaking against the masses (53%) but being from Vancouver it is just sad to me to see such a generic name that isn't even native to Vancouver being used.
Just want something different that is all!!
Good luck all
The Acadian flag is blue, white and red (French flag) with a yellow star. I had ideas on using this in my design, similar to the old Rockies logo. But...I would be held to the chosen colors. Not a big deal though.
Some idea about the names. Philadelphia and Saskatchewan would sound a lot better with one-syllable names. Regional or unique nicknames are good, but let's get people creative with generic ones. Bears? Comets? Cardinals?
Glorifying murder isn't that cool. If Sharpshooters and Hitmen are bad, Snipers isn't better.
Seriously? you bring up all these points, and ignore that Calgary Stallions is INCREDIBLY close to the Calgary Stampeders?
I agree with JSLEEPS. We need to get away from the Lumberjacks image for the Vancouver IceHL franchise. The Giants use a lumberjack in their primary logo (also their mascot is a lumberjack), and the Canucks also use a lumberjack as part of the rather mixed up identity (Johnny Canuck). IMO the lumberjack name should be off the table. I'm a Vancouver citizen, and I would like to see something different for a change, a Vancouver hockey team concept that dose not feature a lumberjack in any way.
Vancouver Voyagers
Vancouver Wolverines
Vancouver Ravens
Vancouver Vipers
Vancouver Crusaders
Vancouver Rainiers
Vancouver Rebels
*Remember folks, the team moniker dose not have to incorporate something the city is known for.
Detroit Chargers is decent. I could live with it, if the designers are dedicated to a very industrial, blue collar color pallette and logo. Not a great name, but the best of the three options we were given. I'd like to see more thought put into it, but that's just me.
That being said, if there's one group of creative minds I trust to brand the rebirth of the Detroit ICEHL franchise, it's the icethetics community of designers.
@Gord
I agree that it's time for a major league to utilize Dragons as a team name. I recommended it for Halifax with a sea monsters theme, but could work for Vancouver also.
Does anyone like HALIFAX SEA DRAGONS or is HALIFAX DRAGONS more catchy? I think it ties in nicely to the English/Scottish/Irish heritage of the area like Highlanders.
Really happy to see Phila get a second chance because it would be hard to accept Philly naming their team after New England's football team and as many have pointed out there are enough Red, White and Blue names. INDEPENDENCE is a name that still sounds good IMO. Not too close to the other teams and doesn't have to use a red/white/blue palette. BRUISERS/BRAWLERS also seem like a fitting name for the city and I honestly don't mind RENEGADES carrying on in Phila.
Detroit: The name I'd most wanted was the Detroit Thunderbirds (T-Birds)...for one of Ford's most famous cars instead of an obscure Dodge one.
Halifax: I am in the stark minority of those who actually like the Acadians name. It has a "classic" feel to it, plus imagine the fans shouting "LET'S GO CADES!"
Hamilton: This'll be our last chance for a Toronto team, so I'm voting for a do-over with the Toronto identity.
Philadelphia: Bullies sounds like an awesome name for a team, just as long as we (obviously) avoid Flyers colors. My "Rocky" choice for them would've been the Stallions, but obviously Calgary has that now.
Saskatchewan: YES. And please keep the logo-it's one of my absolute favorites in the set.
Vancouver: I actually don't mind the Lumberjacks name, so long as we stay away from that Canucks-Giants blend.
Acadians does make sense. The Acadians lived in Nova Scotia until they were kicked out, and then they travelled to Louisiana where French people reside today. So for people wanting to change the name don't know their history very well.
And now Lumberjacks are over 60%........
Jsleep says that the lumberjacks are a rip off, and while I wouldn't put it that way there is a greater issue here. I touched on this in the comments of the last topic but I would ask those who are voting for the lumberjacks to look at the existing hockey teams in Vancouver.
While on paper the Vancouver Giants do not sound anything like the Lumberjacks, just take a look at their website. The Giants have a visual identity based on lumberjacks. The logo features one, the colors were taken from the typical red plaid shirt they wear, and their mascot Jack is a lumberjack on skates.
We can change the logo, we can change the colors, but if the Lumberjack name is maintained there will be an ongoing connection to an existing team which works against the realism that is being attempted here. And we can do better than that.
It's great to see so many of you so invested in the IceHL's team names. It's this kind of dedication that will always make the league better. Allow me to address some concerns.
On the Acadians, the historical peoples notwithstanding, most of us can probably agree that it's just a poor name for a hockey team, real or not. It just doesn't make sense to go that route. I think the poll results are bearing that out.
Ian K: You may need to check the definition of "incredibly." I won't call it a stretch to say they're conceptually similar, but I do disagree with your assertion.
I can support Dragons as a team name. It's certainly not a common one in pro sports.
Simon: I'm not sure who thinks glorifying murder IS cool, but we certainly aren't doing that. For one thing, Sharpshooters has never referred to a person with a gun. It's always been in reference to a type of high-scoring hockey player. Surely you've heard a talented scorer referred to as a sniper. That's the idea here.
On the issue of the Lumberjacks and so forth, I think part of the problem we're seeing is that we're collecting mass votes from all across the continent and even the world. And when folks are unfamiliar with a subject or a region, stereotypes tend to win out because people would rather cast an uninformed vote than admit to themselves they don't know enough to cast an informed one. Therefore all of us in the Pacific northwest are lumberjacks.
I see the frustration, but I'm less inclined to go against a popular vote when the team has existed for five years already. So we'll probably end up keeping the Lumberjacks and Steelcats names even though we can almost certainly improve upon them. The other problem with these popular votes is that people are inclined to stick to what they know and are comfortable with over treading new territory. Human nature, right?
The teams that get turned over to the IceHL Branding Committee may be the first experiment in a new way of handling decisions in this project. More and more I'm not sure popular votes are the best idea for these decisions. (And now we're learning why most professional sports teams don't do this sort of thing.)
The Lumberjack name wasn't the problem, the logo and colours were.
A new Lumberjack logo/jersey with greens and browns could look pretty sharp
I personally am very sad to see the Acadian name go. To me it had that traditional classic uniqueness about it that I wish a real franchise would have. I loved it and its unfortunate so many here get hung up on the whole it has to have something to do with the area. The Canadians play in Montreal but there has been long debate about Quebec becoming its own country and though it will never happen lets say it did would the Canadians then abandon their history and beloved name because they weren't Canadian anymore? Who cares if the name is beautiful! Halifax Acadians is a great name and now thanks to some crazies it's gone. So unfortunate.
Also chargers is terrible to me its too cliche of the auto industry much like lumberjacks in Vancouver. The Rainers name would have been interesting and classy for Vancouver. I get some people really love the amateur minor league type names and the minor league cheese ball logos but surely we here can come up with something classy and unique for each of the new cities that doesn't necessarily have to directly tie into the exact city or area like another poster pointed out about flyers just sounding classy and cool.
No one will probably agree with me but when I think of Vancouver I think of timber mountains sea life and wildlife so why not something made up like the Vancouver Timberhawks and you could have something like a hawk carved into a totem pole in the shape of a V or something keeping to the area it combines trees and wildlife and its unique and fun and if we must change Acadians I hope something original like Halifax white-tail is selected and not something you hear all the time.
The point about the Acadians not representing Halifax is way overblown. The fact is the team would also represent all of Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and need a name to cement a strong partnership between these two provinces
The Regina Renegade franchise was transferred to Philly, yes? RENEGADES is a perfect name for the attitude and reputation of Philadelphia.
I am from Coquitlam, BC (30 mins from Vancouver) and I completely agree with "Rob from Cascadia" and Chris' idea of a commitee to make a team name. That's why I think Chris should get 5-10 people from Vancouver/BC and create a good name for Vancouver. I think Lumberjacks is OK, but I know when you get a group of Vancouverites together we can make a better one work.
I understand why so many like the Lumberjacks name because if you're not up on your Canadian major junior teams or from BC it just sounds like a good brand...I mean the Giants franchise and marketers thought so as well. I have recently changed my vote though away from Lumberjacks after several persuasive comments from the community's Vancouver area natives because we can improve on it. A few previous suggestions that stick include:
VOYAGERS
WOLVERINES
DRAGONS
Rob had suggested SALMON which I learned was named the official fish of the province. Actually Pacific Salmon which incorporates 7 distinct species so you could fierce up the name by utilizing one of the 7 species in the list (sockeye, chinook, coho, pink and chum salmon, and steelhead and cutthroat trout).
VANCOUVER CUTTHROATS or
VANCOUVER SOCKEYES perhaps?
Philly could go back to the WHA days and go with Blazers.
Beavers are important in Canada and it would be nice to see the designers play with that.
Detroit could go with Stags, another nod to the WHA as well.
I like the ability for the league to go in other than the obvious direction, and I fear that has become the rule. I suggest going outside the box. You don't want to be boring do you!
Halifax Lobster Kings
Halifax Oystermen
Halifax Clam Diggers
and, of course, Halifax Whalers (why couldn't Hartford move north?)
What about just the Philadelphia Fighters, Pennsylvania Keystones, or the Pennsylvania Express (after all, Pa. has a great railroad history)
To say I am disappointed in the Vancouver vote is an understatement, but this round has brought up a couple things of note.
- Chris S. Thank you for adding this weekend vote. I believe that this addition will better the league in the future.
- Chris R. Thanks for your support.
- Halifax & Philadelphia, Good luck with your second chance.
- Saskatchewan Snipers, congratulations. I'd honestly love to see the Saskatoon logo back with green replacing the blue.
Artists looking to submit ideas for the Lumberjacks, I urge you to look at the histories of both the Canucks and the Giants to ensure we move far away from those teams. No major usage of blue or red, brown or tan could work.
While I was fine with Philadelphia Patriots (since Freedom's been taken a few dozen times and ways), I can understand wanting to change it around. Of the names that have already been proposed, I'd like to recommend Philadelphia Keystones to the committee, since it has a unique tie to the state, it provides a strong visual to base a logo around, doesn't infringe on any other team or league, and (perhaps best from Chris's perspective) doesn't lend itself to any particular color scheme, so there wouldn't be an overwhelming feeling of "they should be blue."
Also looking from the uniqueness perspective, Liberty Bells is a mouthful, but Philadelphia Bells seems to have a nice... I was going to say ring to it, then groaned inwardly. It also lends itself to a color scheme that isn't blue (it would likely rather be gold-heavy), and in a league where so many teams have violent imagery, it'd be a bit of a change of pace.
chris big fan would love to be on the commitnee
Really disappointed that the Boston Colonials name stuck around. I think it is awful.
I guess I'm now officially on board with the chargers since the community has spoken...I've been saying it on my head for the past day just trying to get used to it. Still think TurboChargers would have been better - chargers for short (Seattle SuperSonics being "sonics" in the NBA) but I can live with chargers.
Acadians is by far the best new name, and comes with a great shortened version - cades. Just awesome.
Philladelphia Brawlers
Yes!!!!! Second chance with Philly. I recommend Keystones, because of it being PA and it was my idea. ;}
Man, June 8 cannot roll around soon enough!!!!
Chris: You can't improve on the SteelCats name. We tried that already, and it failed. SteelCats IS HAMILTON. Plain and simple.
As for the Lumberjacks, Eddie Ray Design had a fantastic logo set based on Green, Tan, and Silver (a very nice and unused colour scheme) You can see that design here: http://www.icethetics.info/storage/icehl/vote/van-eddieraydesign.jpg
I'd strongly urge you to just use that, Chris. It's fantastic. It avoids all likeness to the Canucks (colours) or Giants (logo) while injecting some fresh blood into the IceHL.
I agree, Colonials is very drab. Why not go with "Reveres" or "Night Riders" something along those sorts. Still "colonial" yet different. I also like Keystones and Brawlers, both, for Philly. I would even throw Bullies in the mix. And Feenixx's TurboChargers name really has a nice ring to it, and I like his logic behind it. I want to get my hands into coming up with some logos for these teams!!!!
Congrats to the newly dubbed Philadelphia Aces.
And also congratulations to the Halifax Dragons.
Hey Chris,
When will the voting start to rename the Philadelphia and Halifax franchises?
@Rob
Is Halifax Dragons official? if so that's the rebrand I'm most excited for. Can't wait to see an HFX Dragons jersey!
@Chris
As official as it gets. It was announced earlier on Twitter. Check the current post on the IceHL page.