Alpha Entertainment files trademarks for 5 potential XFL Seattle team names

[MikeMitchell]

A reason these names are blah is because NHL Seattle took all of the good names.

I also think that the XFL doesn’t want to copy all the other teams in the market. They don’t want to be the 30th team associated with The Sea or Sailing or the Rain in Seattle.

They want to create their own identity. Not piggy back everything else. It’s like going into Chicago and saying that there’s Bears and Cubs, let’s be Grizzlies.

[XFL_FAN]

Oliver Luck said in February that he knew the Seattle team name. With that in mind, we will not be getting a fan vote on the names. The trademark of 5 is for suspense.

[MikeMitchell]

Oliver Luck said in February that he knew the Seattle team name. With that in mind, we will not be getting a fan vote on the names. The trademark of 5 is for suspense.

I agree. The only way to do a fan vote would have been to trademark 40 names. 5 for each team.

[MarkNelson]

SeattleForce.com and SeattleFury.com were both registered by MarkMonitor Inc. on 14 June. This is the same registrar that has registered domains for WWE properties. It is a third party that is designed to hold the domain and keep the owner private.

That being said, this doesn't actually mean much. The other trademarked names may be already registered by (seemingly) other entities, but that wouldn't stop the XFL from choosing, for example, Seattle Dragons as the name and then use the domain Dragonsxfl.com or SeattleDragonsXFL.com.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

SeattleForce.com and SeattleFury.com were both registered by MarkMonitor Inc. on 14 June. This is the same registrar that has registered domains for WWE properties. It is a third party that is designed to hold the domain and keep the owner private.

That being said, this doesn't actually mean much. The other trademarked names may be already registered by (seemingly) other entities, but that wouldn't stop the XFL from choosing, for example, Seattle Dragons as the name and then use the domain Dragonsxfl.com or SeattleDragonsXFL.com.

Good catch.

[Dynamofan1]

I'm still not that thrilled with these names. But Seattle Fury is beginning to grow on me. There are just issues of connecting the name with the city. What's the connection with any of these names? They seem interchangeable.
Power
Fury
Rage
Force
Pride
Put any city in front of these names.
Dallas Surge
Dallas Pride
Dallas Force

Washington Surge
Washington Power
Washington Fury

Tampa Bay Power
Tampa Bay Force

I just don't get it.

[Tank55]

Is there evidence that locally-inspired names lead to greater fan engagement? It makes sense, but I wonder if that's actually how it plays out.

[MikeMitchell]

SeattleForce.com and SeattleFury.com were both registered by MarkMonitor Inc. on 14 June. This is the same registrar that has registered domains for WWE properties. It is a third party that is designed to hold the domain and keep the owner private.

That being said, this doesn't actually mean much. The other trademarked names may be already registered by (seemingly) other entities, but that wouldn't stop the XFL from choosing, for example, Seattle Dragons as the name and then use the domain Dragonsxfl.com or SeattleDragonsXFL.com.

Good catch Mark. I must admit that I am not opposed to non plural names if they actually are the name of an entire unit. Like I don’t like Glory as a team name, or another virtue like Valor or Honor. Force at least, describes a unit. Like a Task Force.

I think that Force can have several meanings. It could be tied into Seattle’s military bases, naval and the Air Force. The branding is key. What’s the logo for Force?

Fury is another term that has multiple meanings and definitions. I always equate it to an emotional state like anger, but Fury could also be passion, frenzy, energy or intensity.

The traditionalist in me would prefer more conventional names like Dragons, Skyliners or Lumberjacks.

I can see the lure though in wanting to not come off as a minor league affiliate to all the other sports teams in a market.

[MikeMitchell]

I'm still not that thrilled with these names. But Seattle Fury is beginning to grow on me. There are just issues of connecting the name with the city. What's the connection with any of these names? They seem interchangeable.
Power
Fury
Rage
Force
Pride
Put any city in front of these names.
Dallas Surge
Dallas Pride
Dallas Force

Washington Surge
Washington Power
Washington Fury

Tampa Bay Power
Tampa Bay Force

I just don't get it.

It’s a good point. Does the league go out of it’s way to follow the pattern of what other teams are named in a market, or is it more open ended.

Right or wrong. The XFL may be trying to set their own path, rather than follow everyone else.

Some of these names are open ended. Like Surge itself can equate to so many things. Same thing with Fury and Force.

For better or for worse, a lot of these markets get tagged with stereotypes. In Seattle, it’s all about the sea, the rain, how loud and passionate their fan bases are, at least when they are winning. In Dallas, everybody wants the old west. Cowboys or Wranglers or Desperados or Bulls or Horses.

Surge, Fury, Force and Wild are all kind of related to one another, in a strange roundabout way, if you look at the definitions and synonyms for each word. They all describe a movement or a way of doing things.

The Dragons name is totally separate from the other 4. Not that Dragons don’t possess the qualities of those other names. It seems like the league is following a particular theme here.

Personally, I would have gone away from the sea or any rain monikers. So it’s boring but I would have gone with Lumberjacks or Skyliners. Probably using the latter for Seattle’s needle point and aviation base. A combination of those two.

[johnnyangryfuzzball]

I'm still not that thrilled with these names. But Seattle Fury is beginning to grow on me. There are just issues of connecting the name with the city. What's the connection with any of these names? They seem interchangeable. (...) Put any city in front of these names. (...)

I just don't get it.

That might be well by design: team names that emphasize a brand associated with the league, rather than the city—just like McMahon did with the 2001 XFL.