Queens councilman Peter Vallone isn’t super sold on Major League Soccer’s plan to put a team in his borough (especially if they have to build a new stadium to do it), but if it does happen, he has one demand: The team must be named for Queens. And, just in case no one else has any good suggestions, Vallone has one of his own. Start cringing now and get a head start.
“Whatever happens, if we bring a soccer team to Queens, whether it be at Citi Field or a new stadium, that soccer team must be called ‘the Queens’ whatever,” said Peter Vallone Jr., a Democrat from Astoria. “Like there’s the Brooklyn Nets. I want a ‘Queens’ team.”
Fair enough. Vallone is sticking up for his district, and I can dig that. There might even be a few decent names if MLS decides to go the “Queens whatever” route, though they seem pretty sold on “New York” being involved. Here are just a few possibilities:
@davisjsn the Kings of Queens FC.
— Travis Clark (@travismclark) January 8, 2013
@njemurray @davisjsn The Queens English. You’ll lock up the Anglophile market.
— Shawn Francis (@TheOffsideRules) January 8, 2013
@davisjsn The Queens Pajamas #NY2TeamNames
— Carlos Chavez (@DjOsoFresh) January 8, 2013
I kid. Here are some somewhat serious suggestions:
@mlsrumors @davisjsn @poppas2cents Queensborough would be one word then. Like the Queensborough bridge.
— Carlos Chavez (@DjOsoFresh) January 8, 2013
@davisjsn What about Queens Royals FC?
— Eric Perreault (@RickyPowers29) January 8, 2013
@davisjsn “Borough of Queens FC,” then let the nickname develop organically. Don’t just plop something on them.
— Jason R Riley (@jasonrriley) January 8, 2013
Yes, it’s a lot of “meh.” But it’s better than Vallone’s own suggestion, which he threw out via his Facebook page (thanks to @gothamistdan for the tip).
Which makes me want to die. Although there is this, which is amazing:
@davisjsn just think of the reality show “Real Queens of New York”. Perfect.
— Richard Seiger (@frisbee_rich) January 8, 2013
It remains to be seen if Vallone has the kind of weight to force MLS to use “Queens” in the name. They’ve already shot down his suggestion that the team share Citi Field with the Mets (thank God). For the record, MLS has already filed trademarks on “New York City FC” and “Empire FC.”