MLS' San Jose Clash will change its name to the
Earthquakes, according to Jody Meacham of the SAN JOSE
MERCURY NEWS, who reports that the team "also gets new
colors -- blue, silver and yellow." The public will be
asked to name a new mascot from a list of names consisting
of Richter, Tremor, Shaker, Chip or Cyber. Meacham: "The
moves are an admission by the league and team officials that
major errors were made in creating the image for San Jose's
team when MLS started to play in 1996." MLS Commissioner
Don Garber: "This is a 're-branding,' which was driven by
what the fans want. ... The (fans') awareness was very low;
most people didn't recognize the name, they didn't
understand what the mascot -- the scorpion -- was." Team GM
Lynne Meterparel said that "the new name and colors were
chosen based on interviews and focus groups of Bay Area
fans," and she acknowledged that some people have raised
questions about naming the team after a disaster.
Earthquakes was the name of the city's NASL team in the
'80s. Meterparel: "People in California, and especially in
this area, feel earthquakes every single day. It's part of
life here. It creates a community that is prepared, that
works together to conquer the odds. That's exactly what you
want to do with a team on the field" (MERCURY NEWS, 10/28).
