MLS yesterday unveiled the names and logos for the ten-team
league, with most in the media still maintaining a wait-and-see
attitude. The team names, colors and sponsors follow, with a
sampling of media comments:
COLUMBUS CREW: Colors: black and yellow. Sponsor: adidas.
In Fort Worth, Gil LeBreton writes the Crew logo "looks like the
Village People reunion" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/18).
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION: Colors: dark blue and white.
Sponsor: Reebok. BOSTON HERALD columnist George Kimball gave
the team's logo and name generally positive reviews, but added,
"It is the product the Revolution puts on the field that will
ultimately determine its success or failure" (BOSTON HERALD,
10/18).
N.Y.-N.J. METROSTARS: Colors: black and white. Sponsor:
Nike. The Metrostars' debut didn't garner much print in the N.Y.
POST, or respect. The header over a two inch story: "MSL is
alive and kicking" (N.Y. POST, 10/18).
TAMPA BAY MUTINY: Colors: green, blue and black. Sponsor:
Nike. The Mutiny's logo is called "surprising" by TAMPA TRIBUNE
columnist Bill Ward, who notes that it resembles a bat, and has
nothing to do with the expected Pirate theme. The Mutiny will
play in a scaled-down Tampa Stadium, modified for 18,000 seats
(TAMPA TRIBUNE, 10/18).
D.C. UNITED: Colors: black, white stripes. Sponsor:
adidas. Steven Goff writes MLS has the "daunting task" of
convincing the public soccer "can find a permanent place in a
sports-saturated country" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/18).
DALLAS BURN: Colors: red and black. Sponsor: Nike. "A
long, hot telling summer lies ahead" for the Burn, writes Gil
LeBreton, who notes the name is appropriate for a team playing in
TX's midsummer heat. The Cotton Bowl will be modified to seat
25,000 (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/18).
KANSAS CITY WIZ: Colors: blue, orange, red and black.
Sponsor: adidas. The Wiz nickname took the most heat among
national media. In San Jose, Ann Killion writes that a matchup
between the K.C. and Dallas franchises -- the Burn and the Wiz --
"will scream out for a healthy dose of antibiotics" (SAN JOSE
MERCURY NEWS, 10/18).
L.A. GALAXY: Colors: black, yellow, orange and green.
Sponsor: Nike. In L.A., Grahame Jones notes the name Galaxy was
picked because it translates well into other languages,
particularly Spanish (L.A. TIMES, 10/18).
SAN JOSE CLASH: Colors: white, yellow, blue and black.
Sponsor: Nike. In San Jose, Ann Killion writes, "No players. No
coach. No schedule. After fifteen months of planning, I'd hoped
to see a little more substance from a league scheduled to play
its first game at Spartan Stadium on April 6" (SAN JOSE MERCURY
NEWS, 10/18).
COLORADO RAPIDS: Colors: green and white. Sponsor: Puma
(All uniform/sponsor info from BOSTON GLOBE, 10/18).
TV TIDBITS: MLS Chair Alan Rothenberg said the league's TV
package will feature 36 live broadcasts on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
Included in that package will be 10 Saturday afternoon games on
ESPN, 25 Thursday night games on ESPN2 and the October 20 league
championship game on ABC (Grahame Jones, L.A. TIMES, 10/18).
