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Rating: 5 (Very Good)
Today while continuing our long look into the MLS expansion name game, particularly Seattle's name, MLSR has learned that the Seattle expansion club name will be one of the following: Seattle FC, Seattle Alliance or Seattle Republic.
In an investigation exclusive to MLS Rumors we uncovered these three names in the US Government trademark database as having been registered by MLS with the US Trademark and Patent Office.
This would seem to indicate that an announcement is imminent.
Filing three different applications for three different names indicates to us that there is still a debate within the ownership group over which name they will settle on.
Alliance? Republic?
We can not help but think that years from now people will look at those names and remark: "Yes we can tell they were in a Presidential election year when they thought those up."
Oh well. We guess they're better than Emerald City Greens FC.
But our advise to MLS: Go with Seattle FC. It just makes sense. For now and 100 years from now.
Here are the records from the government, for your perusal before they pop up on other blogs/message boards:
Word Mark SEATTLE FC Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Cellular phone covers; computer and video game software; magnets; computer video game programs; pre-recorded DVDs and pre-recorded video tapes in the field of soccer; portable radios IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: posters; decals; trading cards; stickers; bumper stickers; paper flags; paper banners; printed paper signs; media guides; souvenir programs; yearbooks; event admission tickets; photo prints; magazines
IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: t-shirts; fleece tops; jerseys; hats; caps; visors; beanies; shorts; sweat suits; jackets; hooded sweatshirts; scarves
IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: bendable toy figurines; soccer ball bags; soccer balls; plush toy animals; hand-held unit for playing video games; die cast scale model trucks; scale model trucks; puzzles
IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment services, namely, soccer exhibitions rendered live in a stadium, and through the media of television and radio and via the internet; provision of entertainment in the nature of clips from soccer games via mobile devices; provision of information in the field of soccer via the internet and mobile devices
Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 77422681 Filing Date March 14, 2008 Current Filing Basis 1B Original Filing Basis 1B Owner (APPLICANT) Major League Soccer, LLC LTD LIAB CO DELAWARE 420 Fifth Avenue New York NEW YORK 10018 Attorney of Record Alan Blum Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE 
Word Mark SEATTLE REPUBLIC Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Cellular phone covers; computer and video game software; magnets; computer video game programs; pre-recorded DVDs and pre-recorded video tapes in the field of soccer; portable radios IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: posters; decals; trading cards; stickers; bumper stickers; paper flags; paper banners; printed paper signs; media guides; souvenir programs; yearbooks; event admission tickets; photo prints; magazines
IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: t-shirts; fleece tops; jerseys; hats; caps; visors; beanies; shorts; sweat suits; jackets; hooded sweatshirts; scarves
IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: bendable toy figurines; soccer ball bags; soccer balls; plush toy animals; hand-held unit for playing video games; die cast scale model trucks; scale model trucks; puzzles
IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment services, namely, soccer exhibitions rendered live in a stadium, and through the media of television and radio and via the internet; provision of entertainment in the nature of clips from soccer games via mobile devices; provision of information in the field of soccer via the internet and mobile devices
Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 77422684 Filing Date March 14, 2008 Current Filing Basis 1B Original Filing Basis 1B Owner (APPLICANT) Major League Soccer, LLC LTD LIAB CO DELAWARE 420 Fifth Avenue New York NEW YORK 10018 Attorney of Record Alan Blum Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE 
Word Mark SEATTLE ALLIANCE Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Cellular phone covers; computer and video game software; magnets; computer video game programs; pre-recorded DVDs and pre-recorded video tapes in the field of soccer; portable radios IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: posters; decals; trading cards; stickers; bumper stickers; paper flags; paper banners; printed paper signs; media guides; souvenir programs; yearbooks; event admission tickets; photo prints; magazines
IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: t-shirts; fleece tops; jerseys; hats; caps; visors; beanies; shorts; sweat suits; jackets; hooded sweatshirts; scarves
IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: bendable toy figurines; soccer ball bags; soccer balls; plush toy animals; hand-held unit for playing video games; die cast scale model trucks; scale model trucks; puzzles
IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment services, namely, soccer exhibitions rendered live in a stadium, and through the media of television and radio and via the internet; provision of entertainment in the nature of clips from soccer games via mobile devices; provision of information in the field of soccer via the internet and mobile devices
Standard Characters Claimed Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK Serial Number 77422689 Filing Date March 14, 2008 Current Filing Basis 1B Original Filing Basis 1B Owner (APPLICANT) Major League Soccer, LLC LTD LIAB CO DELAWARE 420 Fifth Avenue New York NEW YORK 10018 Attorney of Record Alan Blum Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK Register PRINCIPAL Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
So long Emerald City Greens? Oh well always thought that was a longshot anyhow.
Ugh, PLEASE let it be Seattle FC. the other two sound like clothing stores.
Agreed Kevin. If not FC then it ought to be Sounders.
At least FC would allow people to still call them the "Sounders" unofficially. Those others are just obtuse. One sounds like a political campaign the other like a clothing store.
The sound of Seattle Alliance doesn't sound all that bad.
I was hoping for the name of "Cascadia ..." in there.
Oh. Well.
At least they have a team.
Seattle Sounders have existed without any trademark on the name for a number of years, so the team could still retain our historical and proper name. If they change the name, they will be creating a foundation for fan unrest and apathy that will never leave this team.
Here's a little tidbit I got in the inbox vis-a-vis the Seattle team
"Before we can wave the scarves and sing the songs and wear the kit and protest the yellow cards
and win the MLS Cup...
Seattle's Major League Soccer Team needs a name.
Vote online March 27 - 31 at MLSinSeattle.com."
So there will be a vote, presumably between those three names.
All 3 suck. Screw calling teams "City name" FC.
seattle alliance sounds like all some sort of gay and lesbian rights coalition.
republic? what is the city of seattle seceding?
Mike said:
"All 3 suck. Screw calling teams "City name" FC."
So what name would you suggest? We could take the words from Don Garber about being "future thinking" and come up with Seattle Sholfins.
What's a Sholfin you ask?
Well it's a genetically engineered cross of a Dolphin and a Shark. They're all the rage in the year 2086, many people have them in their swimming pools for fun.
See also: San Jose CyberRays
Hey, they can always just call the team the Wildcats. There are never enough Wildcats and MLS doesn't have one yet.
Yes we are being sarcastic.
-City- FC
Is the true democratization of sports in this country as it allows the FANS and community to CREATE (or more importantly, in the case of Seattle, RETAIN) their tradition.
[Steps off soapbox]
"republic? what is the city of seattle seceding?"
Garber did say names should be "future thinking".....Maybe Seattle secedes along with the rest of Cascadia....
What is funny about the name of Republic is the political connotation.
I mean it will be really funny to see Seattle supporters referred to as Republicans in a 90% Democratic city.
All these names are god aweful! I wouldn't buy any gear with that crap on it. Alliance? Republic? Didn't we learn our lessongs from the "Clash" and the "Burn" and the "Wiz"? Just dumb. Why couldn't they just use Puget Sound FC, so that way the fans can still lovingly refer to them as the "Sounders." Ugh, I was excited for this team and now I'm depressed.
I would have like Seattle Pacific FC
In reading other sites, the outlook is grim for one of these three stink bombs of a name. I saw we boycott the vote...do you think they'd choose a team name if only a couple hundred people submit their choice? Honestly, i'm still dumbfounded as to where/why/how they got these options. GOD, i'm pissed!
"In reading other sites, the outlook is grim for one of these three stink bombs of a name. I saw we boycott the vote...do you think they'd choose a team name if only a couple hundred people submit their choice?"
In a word: Yes. See the article above this one at the bottom and you will see the links to rumors about the Seattle name going back a year. Seattle FC was always in the mix so it must be assumed that that is the clear choice unless people overwhelmingly got behind Alliance or Republic.
Really, if you want to keep your Sounders stuff, FC ain't that bad. They'll always be the Sounders just like FC Dallas are the Hoops, Toronto FC the Reds etc.
We don't have to keep the Sounders name, but in relation to the new most-likely 3 choices, I'd much rather have Sounders, but oh well, let's move on from that.
However, I'm still amazed at the choices of names. If FC is the frontrunner, why did the ownership keep saying they were going to choose a unique name that the world would recognize as being "Seattle." FC? Hell, why don't we just call them "United?" What I want to know is what was the make-up of the focus groups they used? From the results, I would be hard pressed to believe they even asked people who already put down season ticket deposits. I would love to see their data, because having been born and raised in Seattle, this makes absolutely no sense. Even Seattle SC (for soccer, since we already have a "football" team) would have at least been unique.
Does anyone know Drew Carrey's phone number?
They're playing in the Seattle Sounders stadium (i know it's Quest field, not "their" stadium) and the Seattle Sounders squad is the building block for the new MLS team...There's already a huge fan base and tradition around the Sounders. WHY CHANGE THE NAME?
How is FC an improvement over Sounders.
"Coming up next on ESPN 2, Seattle FC, fresh off their defeat of Dallas FC, take on FC New York, who won a tough road match against FC Toronto..." AWESOME!
Even if Seattle FC is a cookie cutter name, I hope it wins over the other two. Republic and Alliance sound like something out of Starwars. However, I am interested to see what mascot we get to accompany the name. Maybe we'll get to keep our little Sammy Sounder.
What they should have done to make everyone happy (well, other than asking Seattle soccer fans how they feel about the name, which i think is pretty obvious)...name the team Puget Sound FC. That way, the team can still be lovingly, although unofficially, referred to as the "Sounders." Like Arsenal are the "Gunners." Plus, by using the Sound instead of Seattle, i think it would appeal to the entire region (a.k.a. their fanbase), rather than another city-named team.
It's really bad when I heartily prefer all the sarcastic joke names people have posted over the ones that the team is actualy suggesting. I'm kinda warming to "Sholfins" much to my own surprise...
Yes, FC is the least objectionable but FC this and FC that is pretty doggoned dull. I dread the inevitable arguments between the "FC Seattle and Seattle FC factions. How much was this marketing firm paid? And this is the best they can do? Cancel payment on that check please...
Anyway, I'm all for a meaningless name so that we can just call them Sounders (like we Seattle fans already are, and will continue doing anyway) but just for a touch of originality, how about "Seattle SC"
Yeah, that's right. SC. As in, "Hey we live in F-ing America and have called the game soccer for 50 years now and I think the term is sticking."
And us fans could unofficially think it stands for "Seattle Sounders Cascadia"
Thoughts?
see: www.stlouisunitedsc.com
Damn those jersey's look sharp. Just make it Seattle FC. Those jersies with XBOX 360 look sharp.
THE NAMES WE HAVE GOT (ALLIANCE , REPUBLIC, FC) SUCK!! DONT THEY HAVE IMAGINATION? ARENT THEY CREATIVE? DAMN .. FINALLY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MLS TEAM AND WE SHOULD CHOOSE A GOOD NAME AT LEAST ONE THAT SCARES THE OTHERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.. IF I HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE OF THESE, THAT WOULD BE "SEATTLE FC" COZ THE OTHERS SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING FROM "STARWARS" IM AGREE WITH THE ONE WHO SAID THAT (FUNNY BUT TRUE).. BUT I WOULD CALL THEM "THUNDERHAWKS" IT GOES WITH SEAHAWKS I KNOW THAT BUT ANYWAY, THE NAMES ARE THERE AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY CAN RETHINK ABOUT CHANGE THEM.. AND PLEASE "WE WANT A NICE UNIFORM" DONT COME OUT WITH STUPID COLORS PLEASE. WE WANT STARS IN THE TEAM, WE WANT TO BE CHAMPIONS... BUT DONT FORGET "WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM"!!!!
THANK U (I HOPE U LIKE THIS MEXICAN COMMENT YEAHH)