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Picking XFL Team Names For All Eight Cities


The AAF folded last week, ending in the middle of their inaugural season, but spring football will be back next year with the XFL. Led by deep-pocketed billionaire Vince McMahon and with more time to plan compared to the AAF’s rush to launch, the XFL figures to be much more successful than the AAF. The eight cities for the next startup football league are known, but they do not yet have team names, so we’ve come up with XFL team names for each city.

 

Dallas Drifters

Back in 2001 when the XFL was first in existence, the names were pretty edgy (the New York/New Jersey team was called the “Hitmen”), and while they’ll probably be tamer for 2020, there should be good names to play with. For many people, the Dallas Drifters would probably bring up thoughts of a gun-slinging killer that comes and goes as he pleases, but the name itself isn’t at all controversial. The XFL might feel Drifters is too similar of a name to Cowboys, but a drifter arguably sounds cooler than a cowboy. The logo could be a black-hatted gentleman that lets you know what the team is about.

 

Houston Space

Houston is known as the world capital of space exploration, so a simple name like the Houston Space (or maybe Spacemen) for an XFL team would work. This would fall in line with two major professional sports teams in Houston—the NBA’s Rockets and the MLB’s Astros—which is a plus as the team looks to get a foothold in the area.

 

Los Angeles Vipers

Ideally, the animals associated with team names will be relevant to the area, and southern California has an abundance of snakes, including vipers. The Arizona Diamondbacks of the MLB are the only other major professional sports team names after a snake, viper is arguably one of the better animal names to use for a team name, and the Los Angeles Vipers sounds original. Desperados, Runners, and Stars were three other potential names in consideration for the Los Angeles XFL team.

 

New York Knights

This might be the best potential XFL team name on the list, as New York Knights just flows very nicely, and “Knights” is an imposing and dignified name that’s been underutilized in professional sports (the Golden Knights of the NHL made a great choice for their expansion team name). A knight mascot—whether a dude dressed as a knight or a cartoonish knight like UCF uses—would probably be the best in the league. It’s easy to picture the New York Knights becoming the XFL’s most popular team.

 

Seattle Sea Lions

Sea lions are amusing creatures, the fact that “lion” is in the name makes them more imposing, and there are a lot of them around Seattle. The SEA-SEA to start the city name and mascot name might be ripping off the Seahawks a bit, but the XFL probably doesn’t care if the NFL is mad about that. Considering all the rain in Seattle, the Sun Dodgers might also be a pretty good original name. (Seattle Rain might’ve been the choice if not for the NWSL’s Seattle Reign FC women’s soccer team.)

 

St. Louis Steel

Incorporating something about St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch seems like a good idea to get people understandable upset about the NFL taking away their franchise to rally around a new football team that takes pride in the city. The Gateway Arch consists of steel, so the St. Louis Steel would be a tough name that can incorporate the arch into the team logo. A primary gray steel color scheme—perhaps for alternate uniform at least—would be something different.

 

Tampa Bay Bull Sharks

Tampa Bay was the most difficult city to come up with an XFL team name, but the alliteration between Bay and Bull makes “Tampa Bay Bull Sharks” sound smooth. And bull sharks are among the most dangerous sharks, making the team name more daunting. The Gators might be a better option, but it’s unclear if the University of Florida’s Gator name would be a positive or negative for the XFL—the league probably has the research to determine that if Gators is under consideration.

 

Washington Commanders

The Washington Generals might work better if not for the basketball team of the same name (the one that the Globetrotters beat up on), but the Washington Commanders is a similar name that projects power and solidity. There shouldn’t be much concern about “stealing” the name of an AAF team (the San Antonio Commanders), as the AAF will be far in the rear-view when the XFL takes the field next spring. The Washington Americans and Washington Wardens are two other options for the XFL team in the nation’s capital.

41 Comments

  • Jeff Polizzi

    You know what? That’s clever. STL Steel. Not to be confused by the NFL PIT Steelers, but STL’s XFL team can easily reference the STL Gateway Arch.

  • Samuel Smith

    As a kid, I had a bunch of imaginary teams, that played an imaginary game called crocketball. One of my imaginary teams became real, when the Minnesota Northstars moved to Dallas and became the DALLAS STARS. Another imaginary team was known as the NEW YORK KNIGHTS. True story.

      • Alan Coles

        Don’t mind Dwayne, Samuel. He’s actually just a keyboard tough-guy still living with his mommy (in her basement). Makes him feel tough to troll. Pretty sure he and his boyfriend were fighting at the time of his comment too. Anyway, pay this tiny man no attention.

  • D. Hughes

    How about the St. Louis Rhythm. We would then have the Rhythm and Blues in our Town. Or how about the St. Louis Rowdies.

  • Jim Gee

    NY Knights were once an Arena FB League team, NY/NJ Knights, were in the World League of American Football. Both teams failed.

  • Jim

    Washington Stars N Stripes. go patriotic. Sorry but the Commanders name resembles the Commandos (the old Arena team)

  • Timmy

    Dallas Tornadoes
    Houston Astronauts
    St Louis Strong Fighters
    Los Angeles Waves
    New York Towers
    Seattle Orcas
    Tampa Bay Sand Dollars
    Washington Statesmen

  • Jarrod

    Houston wranglers ,NYC knights, st.louis archers , Seattle sea dogs , la gladiators, Washington soldiers, Dallas sundowners,tampa bay pythons

  • Iron Hand

    This is one of the best articles that I’ve read on this subject, but here is my two cents…

    Dallas Outlaws – Edgier than Drifters and it makes the Cowboys look like the Brokeback Mountaineers.

    Houston Drillers – Tougher than Oilers and NASA can’t find the moon these days.

    Seattle Rainmakers – A cross between a rain dance and those who make things happen. A tribute to the Natives.

    Tampa Bay Swashbucklers – Don’t have to take down the pirate ship at the stadium.

    St. Louis Spirit – Team spirit, the plane, etc.

    Washington Generals – General George Washington. Screw the Globetrotters on this one.

    New York Empire – It’s the Empire State and that is what the XFL will try to build in the Big Apple.

    Los Angeles Lancers – Nice alliteration and beat the NFL’s Chargers to a knight type theme.

    Your thoughts?

  • Clint Edges

    Tampa Bay Storm
    New York Hawks
    Washington Warriors
    St Louis Knights
    Seattle sharks
    Los Angeles Avengers
    Dallas outlaws
    Houston mustangs

  • DCFanMan66

    How about this?
    Dallas Calvary
    Houston Galaxy
    Las Vegas Gamblers
    New York Empire
    Seattle Lumberjacks
    St. Louis Spiders
    Tampa Bay Barracudas
    Washington Armada
    Los Angeles Devastation

  • DCFanMan66

    How about these names?
    Dallas Calvary
    Houston Galaxy
    Las Vegas Gamblers
    New York Empire
    Seattle Lumberjacks
    St. Louis Spiders
    Tampa Bay Barracudas
    Washington Armada
    Los Angeles Devastation

  • Ray Nagel

    How about these names?
    Dallas Dominoes
    Houston Gauchos
    Las Vegas Vice
    New York Neutrons
    Seattle Sorcerers
    St. Louis Ratrods
    Tampa Bay Amberjacks
    Washington Corruption
    Los Angeles Quakes

  • Tommy

    Las Vegas BlackJacks
    Houston Riggers
    New York Finest
    Washington Rebels
    St. Louis Steel
    Tampa Bay RoadWarriors
    Los Angeles Stars
    Seattle Scavengers

  • polly

    new york scrapers, seattle whales,tampa bay skeeters,houston drillers,st louis flood,,dallas steers,los angeles locomotives, washington crowns

  • Tad Ripken

    How about the St. Louis Murder. With the logo being a crow and the alternate being a body lined in chalk. We are the murder capital of the US and a group of crows is called a murder. Might be a little dark but I can’t think of anything more extreme then that.

  • Buster Douglas

    Seattle Sea Nouns
    Los Angeles Noshows
    Dallas Malice
    Houston Louisianans
    New York Yo’s
    St. Louis Sin
    Tampa Bay Bees
    Washington Scandals

  • Kim Tannon

    I saw a couple of great ones for St. Louis elsewhere. The St. Louis Gatekeepers was one. St. Louis Blue Jays was another. A Blue Jays mascot could be a blue colored Fred Bird but called Lou Bird.

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