The Wizards' new G League affiliate "will be called the Capital City Go-Go, paying homage to one of Washington’s beloved musical traditions," according to Dan Steinberg of the WASHINGTON POST. The team will "share a red, white and blue color scheme with its parent franchise, and the logo will incorporate the same basketball used in the Wizards logo." Rather than "riffing off the Wizards’ and Mystics’ magical theme, Monumental Sports decided on a locally rooted name and logo." The Go-Go’s primary logo "features a conga drum; the secondary logo features musical notes over the outline of the District." The stripes in the drum "represent the DC flag, while 'Capital City' pays homage to the Wizards’ one-time 'Capital Bullets' name." Go-go music will be "featured during the game presentation for the new affiliate." MS&E Chair Ted Leonsis said the company wanted its team close by, "so we can cross-promote, so the players and the coaches can be going back and forth, and so it looks like it’s an extension of the NBA" (WASHINGTON POST, 12/2). NBC SPORTS WASHINGTON's Chase Hughes noted the Wizards "first went out and talked to Wizards fans, many of which suggested Go-Go as the name." MS&E AFL Managing Partner Roger Mody "received the same suggestion from a good friend in a text." He "showed the message to Leonsis who took it as another sign that Go-Go was a good idea." The Wizards have "held go-go nights over the years and Leonsis has been impressed with the reaction from fans" (NBCSPORTS.com, 12/2).
COMING TOGETHER: In L.A., Paul Coro noted with 26 teams, the G League is "close to producing [its] '30 for 30' with a single affiliation partnership for each NBA team." The Nuggets, Pelicans and Trail Blazers are "deep into the process to complete a single-affiliation system." What "began as an eight-team league" in '01 has "boomed in membership and reputation." G League President Malcolm Turner said, "We’re this league that’s still trying to figure out what it wants to be when it grows up. You really have a chance to put your imprint on something. It’s one that the NBA family and our NBA owners, coaches and GMs have embraced." Coro noted the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat's affiliate, and Erie BayHawks, the Hawks' affiliate, are the "outliers in a purposeful proximity trend." The "average distance between parent franchises and affiliates was reduced" from 550 miles in '12-13 to 120 this season (L.A. TIMES, 12/3).
