Coleen Canty of NESN posted a story last week kicking around the idea of the Rays leaving the Florida market and moving somewhere in the NY metropolitan area. She writes:
While the Rays have enjoyed success against big-market teams such as New York (Yankees), Philadelphia and Boston, their on-field success has not translated into revenue.
“There are smart people in the Major League Baseball offices wondering if there’s hope of even discussing a potential move of the Rays to New Jersey or Southern Connecticut over certain protests from the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Phillies,” writes Gammons on MLB.com.
Prior to the 2008 season, the Rays were ranked last or close to last in MLB attendance every year since 2000. The 2008 AL pennant only produced an average of 6,000 more fans per game at Tropicana Field. The less-than-stellar increase still tethers Tampa Bay to the bottom of the MLB attendance report.
First things first. If the Rays move to New Jersey, they’ll have to change their name. Last time I checked, there are no Devil Rays swimming the channels of Perth Amboy. They would need to change it to something synonymous with New Jersey, something that reflects the state and the people who live there.
Any ideas?
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20 Responses to The New Jersey _____?
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TIQ IQ
To get you folks started, here’s some ideas from when I posed this question last night:
-New Jersey Toll Collectors
-The New Jersey Bears
-New Jersey Hindenburgs
-The New Jersey Shores
Could be funny or serious, I’ll take either.
Swamp Rats?
I like it !!
It would need to be something representing smelling poorly, as Jersey is known as the “Armpit of America.” Perhaps the New Jersey Skunks.
I would love for them to move to Stamford.
How about Barons if they end up in the Pine Barrens or Larks, short for Meadowlarks, if they’re in the Meadowlands.
I like the Barons !!
New Jersey Devils.
Forget it. The franchise would have to pay a couple hundred million dollars to at least three major league teams. Plus building a new Stadium. Plus undoubtfully a few broken contracts in Tampa. No way.
Good point. Based on what the Nationals had to pay, I can’t see the Rays fitting in.
Based on the MTV show “The Jersey Shore”, how about The New Jersey Guidos ??…the New Jersey Fuhgediboutits ??
Referring to the Sopranos, how about the New Jersey Crew ??…
Oh, and I’m on board for just making them the Newark Bears.
The New Jersey Snookis
The New Jersey Waste Managers
Seriously, I think the Newark Bears is the best choice. If they don’t end up in Newark then anything generic will do.
The New Jersey Gas Pumpers.
This is the dumbest idea ever. As EJ said, “Forget it. The franchise would have to pay a couple hundred million dollars to at least three major league teams. Plus building a new Stadium. Plus undoubtfully a few broken contracts in Tampa. No way.” this move would cost them a lot of money they don’t have. Also, what people in New Jersey are gonna switch their favorite team from the Yankees, Mets, or Phillies to the Tampa Bay Rays, just because they’re now located in their home state?
I don’t think you’d need to get rid of the “Rays” if they moved to Jersey– just add a couple of modifiers.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2015 New Jersey Hey OOOOOH Fuckin’ Rays!
New Jersey Dumpster Divers (this could certainly engender the creation of multiple additional [and perjorative] nicknames). And for individual cities…
The Camden Car Thieves
The Princeton Patricians
The Jersey City Jerks (or Jerkoffs)
The Edison Light Bulbs
Ya got me started, dammit!
“If the Rays move to New Jersey, they’ll have to change their name. Last time I checked, there are no Devil Rays swimming the channels of Perth Amboy”
Thought you should know that there haven’t been any Devil Rays playing in St. Petersburg for a time. The team dropped the word Devil from their name over 2 years ago.
NJ Corrupt Politicians..
The New Jersey Nets.