Thoughts on San Diego?

[No Fun Shogun]

I think it's more a factor of if a team deems an old name to have value or not to them. The Devils and the Chiefs clearly didn't care much, if at all, about the Rockies and Texans monikers, so they let others adopt them. If Quebec City ever gets a team back, I'm sure the Avs wouldn't put up road blocks to the Nordiques, use of a logo on a jersey not too long ago aside. An interesting one might be the Canes and the Whalers, though. They actively use and profit off that branding, so if Hartford ever got a team back there might be issues there even though Carolina would be wise to not be seen as blocking a return of the name and logo.

The ultimate example is the Titans' refusal to let the Texans do anything with the Oilers brand, going so far as to even wearing Oilers throwbacks versus Houston just last year. But that's more of an obviously petty bad blood situation that the Titans ownership have with their old city and current divisional rival.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I think it's more a factor of if a team deems an old name to have value or not to them. The Devils and the Chiefs clearly didn't care much, if at all, about the Rockies and Texans monikers, so they let others adopt them. If Quebec City ever gets a team back, I'm sure the Avs wouldn't put up road blocks to the Nordiques, use of a logo on a jersey not too long ago aside. An interesting one might be the Canes and the Whalers, though. They actively use and profit off that branding, so if Hartford ever got a team back there might be issues there even though Carolina would be wise to not be seen as blocking a return of the name and logo.

The ultimate example is the Titans' refusal to let the Texans do anything with the Oilers brand, going so far as to even wearing Oilers throwbacks versus Houston just last year. But that's more of an obviously petty bad blood situation that the Titans ownership have with their old city and current divisional rival.

So the CFL famously had two names back in the day with virtually the same name: the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders. (it goes back to the fact the CFL was formed from the merging or two separate leagues). Anyways the Ottawa Riders eventually folded in 1996. When an expansion franchise was awarded in 2002 the Saskatchewan 'Riders blocked the new team from using the name Rough Riders. Instead the team took the name Renegades.

The Renegades though were hardly successful either, folding again in 2006.

CFL returned to Ottawa in 2014. Saskatchewan again blocked the name Rough Riders, but the name Renegades held no real fondness for Ottawa fans, so the team was now called the Redblacks (in french - Rouge et Noir) after the team colours.

So I bring this up as an example of why a team/league might block a team from adopting an old name (in this case, because the name was basically identical). I'm pretty sure that's why Minnesota couldn't take the name North Stars when they returned to the NHL.

But it's also an example of when a team just doesn't see much value in the old branding. In Ottawa's case the Renegades only lasted a handful of years, wasn't successful, and nobody wanted to return to that name.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

To be honest, having two roughriders/rough riders teams in a nine-team league was pretty dumb. It was a historical leftover from leagues merging and the like, as is the case with the SEC having mutliple Tigers teams, so the CFL was probably smart to want to avoid that when going back into Ottawa the past two times.

And NHL teams like their shorthand monikers. Even if Dallas had been the Lone Stars, that probably would've been enough for them and NHL to not want to have a second Stars team. Same as how the Kansas City Scouts came to be because the Chicago Black Hawks (at the time) opposed their originally desired Mohawks name, and fast forward to the contemporary era the same was the case when Vegas was initially positioning themselves for a Red Hawks or Desert Hawks name before allegedly being told that they were hard nopes and they then focused on Knights names instead.

 

[Jets4Life]

I am not sure that the NHL still had that name. The Colorado Rockies weren't exactly the Brooklyn Dodgers or even Hartford Whalers. I don't recall Colorado Rockies throwback jerseys being a thing. So if they weren't using the trademark and didn't renew it, it might have expired by then.

I did a google search, and there is suprisingly little information on how the MLB Roc kies acquired their name. A poster on reddit had said that trademarks typically run out, after 10 years. So it''s possible the NHL could ahve just let the Colorado Rockies name lapse in 1986. The MLB Rockies chose the name in 1991, and began play in 1993.

So I bring this up as an example of why a team/league might block a team from adopting an old name (in this case, because the name was basically identical). I'm pretty sure that's why Minnesota couldn't take the name North Stars when they returned to the NHL.

I''m almost positive there was a fan contest to choose the name, and Wild came in 1st. Otherwise, I can definitely see Dallas blocking Minnesota from using the "North Stars"" name.

 

[Jets4Life]

And NHL teams like their shorthand monikers. Even if Dallas had been the Lone Stars, that probably would've been enough for them and NHL to not want to have a second Stars team. Same as how the Kansas City Scouts came to be because the Chicago Black Hawks (at the time) opposed their originally desired Mohawks name, and fast forward to the contemporary era the same was the case when Vegas was initially positioning themselves for a Red Hawks or Desert Hawks name before allegedly being told that they were hard nopes and they then focused on Knights names instead.

Fun fact: When San Jose was awarded an NHL franchise in 1990, they did a fan poll to see what the team would be called. "Sharks" actually came in second, behind "Blades." Supposedly, there was a Bay Area gang called blades" at the time, and the team was afraid of the negative connotations that would have on the team, so they opted for Sharks.

When Calgary bought the Atlanta Flames, and moved them to that city, they kept the Flames name, preventing Atlanta from ever becoming the Flames again. There was talk of naming the franchise awarded to Miami in 1992 the "Blockbusters,"" considering the owner of the video chain was the person to be granted the franchise. However, that did not stop the Disney-owned Anaheim team, from calling themselves the Mighty Ducks after a Disney movie of the same name.

 

[Sgt Schultz]

Off topic, but I moved to the Washington DC area about the time the Bullets were changing their name to the Wizards. Before the name was unveiled, the standing joke was that the organization thought the name Washington Bullets had too much of a violent connotation so they were going to change it to correct that.......they were just going to call themselves the Bullets.

 

[mouser]

I think it's more a factor of if a team deems an old name to have value or not to them. The Devils and the Chiefs clearly didn't care much, if at all, about the Rockies and Texans monikers, so they let others adopt them. If Quebec City ever gets a team back, I'm sure the Avs wouldn't put up road blocks to the Nordiques, use of a logo on a jersey not too long ago aside. An interesting one might be the Canes and the Whalers, though. They actively use and profit off that branding, so if Hartford ever got a team back there might be issues there even though Carolina would be wise to not be seen as blocking a return of the name and logo.

The ultimate example is the Titans' refusal to let the Texans do anything with the Oilers brand, going so far as to even wearing Oilers throwbacks versus Houston just last year. But that's more of an obviously petty bad blood situation that the Titans ownership have with their old city and current divisional rival.

The NHL currently owns the trademark rights to the Nordiques and Whalers.

Both the Avalanche and Hurricanes franchises continued to hold the former team trademark rights for many years after relocating, but have since transferred those trademarks to the NHL.

Checking the US Trademark database the Whalers rights were transferred to the NHL in 2018 or earlier. The Nordiques rights seem to have been officially transferred in 2004 after a 1999 NHL application for the trademarks.

 

[aqib]

I did a google search, and there is suprisingly little information on how the MLB Roc kies acquired their name. A poster on reddit had said that trademarks typically run out, after 10 years. So it''s possible the NHL could ahve just let the Colorado Rockies name lapse in 1986. The MLB Rockies chose the name in 1991, and began play in 1993.


I''m almost positive there was a fan contest to choose the name, and Wild came in 1st. Otherwise, I can definitely see Dallas blocking Minnesota from using the "North Stars"" name.

I'm not sure when the practice of the NHL retaining team names became a thing. John McMullen owned the Devils and the Houston Astros at the time so even if they needed an ok it would have either been from him or he would have been able to arrange it.

Yes Minnesota was a fan contest. The other choices were: Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, and White Bears.

 

[Jets4Life]

I'm not sure when the practice of the NHL retaining team names became a thing. John McMullen owned the Devils and the Houston Astros at the time so even if they needed an ok it would have either been from him or he would have been able to arrange it.

Unsure how it was in the 80s, but the NHL started to own the rights of former NHL franchises. For instance, the Jets and Nordiques trademarks are property of the NHL, not the franchise that they relocated to. This allowed Winnioeg to reclaim the "Jets" name, when they purchased the Atlanta Thrashers. There is even a movement to officially acquire the 1979-1996 Winnipeg Jets history, and officially link it to the Winnioeg Jets 2.0 franchise, as nobody in the city cares about Thrasher history. This would be similar to what the Cleveland Browns did.

 

[aqib]

Unsure how it was in the 80s, but the NHL started to own the rights of former NHL franchises. For instance, the Jets and Nordiques trademarks are property of the NHL, not the franchise that they relocated to. This allowed Winnioeg to reclaim the "Jets" name, when they purchased the Atlanta Thrashers. There is even a movement to officially acquire the 1979-1996 Winnipeg Jets history, and officially link it to the Winnioeg Jets 2.0 franchise, as nobody in the city cares about Thrasher history. This would be similar to what the Cleveland Browns did.

So it seems like the league acquires the trademarks its not automatic. Like they bought the Nordiques trademark in 1999 four years after they moved https://trademarks.justia.com/757/74/quebec-75774365.html They acquired the Thrashers name and logo at some point after the move.

I'm not sure if they acquired the Jets trademark on its own or if they had it through their ownership of the Coyotes.

The Jets should get the history of Jets 1.0 like the Hornets did. They need to retire Hawerchuck, Steen, and Hull's numbers.

 

[Yukon Joe]

So it seems like the league acquires the trademarks its not automatic. Like they bought the Nordiques trademark in 1999 four years after they moved QUEBEC NORDIQUES Trademark of National Hockey League - Registration Number 2808917 - Serial Number 75774365 :: Justia Trademarks They acquired the Thrashers name and logo at some point after the move.

I'm not sure if they acquired the Jets trademark on its own or if they had it through their ownership of the Coyotes.

The Jets should get the history of Jets 1.0 like the Hornets did. They need to retire Hawerchuck, Steen, and Hull's numbers.

All three players are in the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame, together with a bunch of other Jets players of the past (like Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Randy Carlyle, Teemu Selanne, etc).

Personally, I'm against retiring numbers, just because there's only 99 numbers you can put on a jersey, but way more players I think any team would like to honour.

I'm kind of waiting for when the first Jets 2.0 player gets recognizied for the Jets Hall of Fame. Personally my money would be on Byfuglien - if he's willing to come back to do it.

 

[aqib]

All three players are in the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame, together with a bunch of other Jets players of the past (like Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Randy Carlyle, Teemu Selanne, etc).

Personally, I'm against retiring numbers, just because there's only 99 numbers you can put on a jersey, but way more players I think any team would like to honour.

I'm kind of waiting for when the first Jets 2.0 player gets recognizied for the Jets Hall of Fame. Personally my money would be on Byfuglien - if he's willing to come back to do it.

I understand the opposition to retiring numbers but its something that is done.

My overall point is that I would like to see the Jets 1.0 and Jets 2.0 tied together formally like the Cleveland Browns and Charlotte Hornets are. Right now they kind of work around it but having "Winnipeg" records and franchise records but it not like the current Jets trade on Dany Heatly and Ilya Kovalchuk the way the Dodgers do Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reece who never played in LA.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I understand the opposition to retiring numbers but its something that is done.

My overall point is that I would like to see the Jets 1.0 and Jets 2.0 tied together formally like the Cleveland Browns and Charlotte Hornets are. Right now they kind of work around it but having "Winnipeg" records and franchise records but it not like the current Jets trade on Dany Heatly and Ilya Kovalchuk the way the Dodgers do Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reece who never played in LA.

Agreed. I have been advocating it for years.

Give Thrashers name and history back to the league and if NHL ever returns to Atlanta give em that.

So the CFL famously had two names back in the day with virtually the same name: the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders. (it goes back to the fact the CFL was formed from the merging or two separate leagues). Anyways the Ottawa Riders eventually folded in 1996. When an expansion franchise was awarded in 2002 the Saskatchewan 'Riders blocked the new team from using the name Rough Riders. Instead the team took the name Renegades.