Devil Rays name change

John F · 11-24-2006, 08:13 PM

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are poised announce a name change by May of 2007 -- that is, if Stuart Sternberg and company have come to a final decision on a new team name.

The "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" moniker -- while unique -- has often been chastied and criticized in pro sports circles along with local fans. While the loyalist to the team will not mash the franchise name, others have had problems with the team moniker since the team was incepted in 1995. A Devil Ray is not found in the Gulf of Mexico or in Tampa Bay waters (meaning a non-native animal). The name is bulky and of course there is that religious-wacko contingent that finds the DEVIL in the name to be bad too. I look at the name and find it minor league at best... which doesn't reflect well on the region (especially because the team has played minor league at best during it's existence in MLB).

Flash forward to today where things could get better or could get worse. While there is wide speculation the Rays will just formally drop the DEVIL from the team name, there is also talk that the franchise will be totally renamed. While I'd love to see the team renamed the Tampa Bay Thunder -- an intimidating name IMHO -- there has been talk of the team being named for an old Minor League franchise from Tampa: The Tarpons.

The Tampa Bay Tarpons? If that were to happen, there would be a field day of late night hosts giving monologues about how we've become home to feminine hygiene as the name similarities between Tarpons and Tampons is obvious, childish and just too horrid to pass up in comedy.

So what's the thought on this? Just drop the Devil and call the team the Rays? "Devil Rays" would continue to haunt the franchise for a while to come yet. Rename the team entirely and hope that further states the case that new ownership is serious about re-staking the identity of the franchise? I'm for that but if they went with Tarpons or another fish, or another docile animal such as a pelican or flamingo, I'd cringe.

Dan · 11-25-2006, 01:01 AM

Well, that is what the ownership is looking toward doing, John. That is changing their namesake from the Devil Rays to the "Rays". If you have noticed, which I'm sure you have, the Devil Rays no longer use the term "Devil Rays" on any of their products, including their uniforms. They instead choose the moniker, "Rays". That is why the commonly held thought is that the ownership will simply change the team name officially to the "Rays".

Ninersrule · 11-25-2006, 01:18 AM

I am kinda partial to Manatees myself

Dan is right though the thinking has been to keep Rays and
drop devil from the moniker. I have heard they are also looking
at a color change(again) as well.

Dan · 11-25-2006, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninersrule

I am kinda partial to Manatees myself

Dan is right though the thinking has been to keep Rays and
drop devil from the moniker. I have heard they are also looking
at a color change(again) as well.

Manatees, interesting choice.

Of course I'm right. I'm always right.

Like I said, the Yankees would sweep the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS...(that sucked)

I digress. Haven't heard about the color change. Would make some sense from a marketing standpoint. Changing the jerseys makes all the people with old ones go out and get the new updated ones, providing them with a way to make a cheap buck. Arizona recently changed theirs and it looks pretty good in my opinion, but I am far from a fashion stylist.

Yankee1012 · 11-25-2006, 02:10 AM

Wow this would change everything. I hope they keep the same name other wise its not the same

. Hey maybe this would be good for them cause then they could start winning

.

John F · 11-25-2006, 02:12 PM

Yeah, the Rays attempted to drop the Devil when they changed the uniform but Vince Naimoli was still in charge of the franchise at the time and he did everything half-assed. Therefore Devil Rays stuck. Devil Rays will still stick, imho, among the faithful as well as critics if the team officially becomes the Tampa Bay Rays.

There's one more thing I should discuss with the name change and that is the rampant insecurity of some of the locals in St. Petersburg (where Tropicana Field is). They hate the concept of regionalism and tend to hate Tampa as well (calling the regional moniker "Tampa Bay" offensive). They want any name change to also formally name the team St. Petersburg or St. Pete mostly because the news people mistakenly say that the Rays play in Tampa while the team plays in St. Pete.

It's an insecurity issue -- Tampa always one-upping St. Pete. Childish and stupid if you ask me.

DRaze2011 · 11-26-2006, 11:32 AM

At least keep the "Rays". Plenty of teams have been terrible for long stretches, but they stuck by their names. They can change it to manta ray or sting ray or just plain ray, but anything else is just a gimmick that does nothing for the image of this team.

John F · 11-26-2006, 01:53 PM

An argument can be made how "gimmick" a name change, DRaze.

The Devil Ray team colors at inception were entirely "gimmicky" -- incorporating every popular color in pro-sports (black, purple, white, green, etc). The name and the logo were attempts to capitalize on merchandising and failed.

The Tampa Bay franchise cannot be named the Sting Rays. The Sting Rays are a minor league team that wants to keep their name. I don'tknow the direct circumstances but I do know Sting Rays was out of the question a long time ago.

Manta Rays is just as bad as Devil Rays. It makes the name top heavy and bulky. Plus calling the team the M-Rays for short sounds odd at best.

Timmer · 11-26-2006, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

Arizona recently changed theirs and it looks pretty good in my opinion, but I am far from a fashion stylist.

The new Arizona jerseys look like a ripoff of the Nationals. Maybe they're trying to make Livan Hernandez feel at home.

Dan · 11-27-2006, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timmer

The new Arizona jerseys look like a ripoff of the Nationals. Maybe they're trying to make Livan Hernandez feel at home.

The only thing I know with Hernandez is that they're going to need a lot of fabric to put him in a jersey!

CTDucksFan · 11-27-2006, 06:14 PM

I kinda dig the name Tampa Bay Thunder. Goes well with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I'm sure they'll just go with Rays...but my vote would be for Thunder.

John F · 11-27-2006, 06:17 PM

There is also the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football league, CT...

John F · 02-09-2007, 02:19 PM

an article in the St. Pete Times yesterday stated that the Rays are likely to just drop the Devil (which they already tried to do under Naimoli's watch as owner) officially. New colors and a new logo will come from it:

Rays: Rays seem ready to dump Devil

bedir than average · 02-09-2007, 02:21 PM

A generic "Rays" is more likley to be successful, one would expect the color change to include a bright yellow.

nanwynnfan · 03-06-2007, 01:25 AM

On the old boards about two + years ago, there was a contest to select a new franchise name; and voters were encouraged to submit more than one if a newer/better idea came to mind.

I've forgotten my other inputs; but one was just "Rays," whic all by itself can connote pretty cool things: the Sun/Moon, lasers, "the Force," brilliance and power, etc. It's an ultra simple suggestion of light. force and power.

11-24-2006, 08:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,497	Devil Rays name change The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are poised announce a name change by May of 2007 -- that is, if Stuart Sternberg and company have come to a final decision on a new team name. The "Tampa Bay Devil Rays" moniker -- while unique -- has often been chastied and criticized in pro sports circles along with local fans. While the loyalist to the team will not mash the franchise name, others have had problems with the team moniker since the team was incepted in 1995. A Devil Ray is not found in the Gulf of Mexico or in Tampa Bay waters (meaning a non-native animal). The name is bulky and of course there is that religious-wacko contingent that finds the DEVIL in the name to be bad too. I look at the name and find it minor league at best... which doesn't reflect well on the region (especially because the team has played minor league at best during it's existence in MLB). Flash forward to today where things could get better or could get worse. While there is wide speculation the Rays will just formally drop the DEVIL from the team name, there is also talk that the franchise will be totally renamed. While I'd love to see the team renamed the Tampa Bay Thunder -- an intimidating name IMHO -- there has been talk of the team being named for an old Minor League franchise from Tampa: The Tarpons. The Tampa Bay Tarpons? If that were to happen, there would be a field day of late night hosts giving monologues about how we've become home to feminine hygiene as the name similarities between Tarpons and Tampons is obvious, childish and just too horrid to pass up in comedy. So what's the thought on this? Just drop the Devil and call the team the Rays? "Devil Rays" would continue to haunt the franchise for a while to come yet. Rename the team entirely and hope that further states the case that new ownership is serious about re-staking the identity of the franchise? I'm for that but if they went with Tarpons or another fish, or another docile animal such as a pelican or flamingo, I'd cringe. __________________ The more they over think the plumbing, the easier to stop up the drain.

11-25-2006, 01:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ninersrule Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: C-Bus/Buckeye Country Posts: 120	I am kinda partial to Manatees myself Dan is right though the thinking has been to keep Rays and drop devil from the moniker. I have heard they are also looking at a color change(again) as well. __________________ "You may find that having, is not so pleasing a thing as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true." -Spock from "Amok Time"

11-25-2006, 02:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
Yankee1012 Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 554	Wow this would change everything. I hope they keep the same name other wise its not the same . Hey maybe this would be good for them cause then they could start winning . __________________ Jets-Yankees-Knicks-Cowboys-GA Tech-Rangers

11-25-2006, 02:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,497	Yeah, the Rays attempted to drop the Devil when they changed the uniform but Vince Naimoli was still in charge of the franchise at the time and he did everything half-assed. Therefore Devil Rays stuck. Devil Rays will still stick, imho, among the faithful as well as critics if the team officially becomes the Tampa Bay Rays. There's one more thing I should discuss with the name change and that is the rampant insecurity of some of the locals in St. Petersburg (where Tropicana Field is). They hate the concept of regionalism and tend to hate Tampa as well (calling the regional moniker "Tampa Bay" offensive). They want any name change to also formally name the team St. Petersburg or St. Pete mostly because the news people mistakenly say that the Rays play in Tampa while the team plays in St. Pete. It's an insecurity issue -- Tampa always one-upping St. Pete. Childish and stupid if you ask me. __________________ The more they over think the plumbing, the easier to stop up the drain.

11-26-2006, 01:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,497	An argument can be made how "gimmick" a name change, DRaze. The Devil Ray team colors at inception were entirely "gimmicky" -- incorporating every popular color in pro-sports (black, purple, white, green, etc). The name and the logo were attempts to capitalize on merchandising and failed. The Tampa Bay franchise cannot be named the Sting Rays. The Sting Rays are a minor league team that wants to keep their name. I don'tknow the direct circumstances but I do know Sting Rays was out of the question a long time ago. Manta Rays is just as bad as Devil Rays. It makes the name top heavy and bulky. Plus calling the team the M-Rays for short sounds odd at best. __________________ The more they over think the plumbing, the easier to stop up the drain.

11-25-2006, 01:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dan Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 256	Well, that is what the ownership is looking toward doing, John. That is changing their namesake from the Devil Rays to the "Rays". If you have noticed, which I'm sure you have, the Devil Rays no longer use the term "Devil Rays" on any of their products, including their uniforms. They instead choose the moniker, "Rays". That is why the commonly held thought is that the ownership will simply change the team name officially to the "Rays".

11-26-2006, 11:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
DRaze2011 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 14	At least keep the "Rays". Plenty of teams have been terrible for long stretches, but they stuck by their names. They can change it to manta ray or sting ray or just plain ray, but anything else is just a gimmick that does nothing for the image of this team.

11-27-2006, 06:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
CTDucksFan Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 194	I kinda dig the name Tampa Bay Thunder. Goes well with the Tampa Bay Lightning. I'm sure they'll just go with Rays...but my vote would be for Thunder.

11-27-2006, 06:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,497	There is also the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football league, CT... __________________ The more they over think the plumbing, the easier to stop up the drain.

02-09-2007, 02:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,497	an article in the St. Pete Times yesterday stated that the Rays are likely to just drop the Devil (which they already tried to do under Naimoli's watch as owner) officially. New colors and a new logo will come from it: Rays: Rays seem ready to dump Devil

02-09-2007, 02:21 PM	#14 (permalink)
bedir than average Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Starbucks Posts: 8,256	A generic "Rays" is more likley to be successful, one would expect the color change to include a bright yellow. __________________ US Men's National Team World Cup Qualifying \| Democracy in Sports Meets My First Campaign "You're only so sure you're right because they're so sure you're wrong." Orson Scott Card in Xenocide

03-06-2007, 01:25 AM	#15 (permalink)
nanwynnfan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,579	On the old boards about two + years ago, there was a contest to select a new franchise name; and voters were encouraged to submit more than one if a newer/better idea came to mind. I've forgotten my other inputs; but one was just "Rays," whic all by itself can connote pretty cool things: the Sun/Moon, lasers, "the Force," brilliance and power, etc. It's an ultra simple suggestion of light. force and power.