Friday Afternoons: Let's Change How We Name Sports Teams

Alright, here's a crazy half-baked idea that would absolutely never happen but is still fun to consider. What better way to finish off a Friday afternoon than debating ideas that will never come to fruition?

What if cities treated the names of their pro sports teams the same way colleges do? That is, one nickname and one set of colors for every team in the city, voted on by the residents. For example, the New Orleans NFL and NBA teams would both be called the Saints. Fans could wear their Saints gear to either game. If they got a baseball team, that team would also be the Saints (again, just like university sports). 

Cities with multiple teams in each sport (like New York) would divide them up by region, creating an even stronger "our part of town vs. your part of town" rivalry. When you think about what this would look like, there's an interesting shift that places the focus more on the city than on the team. For example, instead of saying "the Hawks are playing the Celtics tonight," you would probably say "Atlanta is playing Boston in basketball tonight."

What do you think? Are you on board with this idea? What team name would your city adopt? Leave your comments below.