There was a time when minor league sports franchises embraced the weirdness of their small cities. But that is no longer the case, and unfortunately, we've witnessed this corporatized phenomenon first-hand in New England.
First, the Paw Sox moved into a nearly $160 million ballpark, and became the Woo Sox. Now, the Maine Red Claws have been rebranded as … the Maine Celtics.
How many high-priced consultants do you think it took to come up with that?
The rebranding of the Celtics' feeder team falls in line with the trend across the G League. Sixteen of the 24 clubs bear the same name as their professional affiliate.
But until Monday, the Red Claws were a beautiful outlier. Though they're only 11 years old, the "Red Claws" name became synonymous with the Northern New England sports scene, and the Red Claws were popular. They enjoyed a 48-game sellout streak from 2009-12.
Most importantly, the moniker was gimmicky and fun — as minor league team names should be. There is no originality with the "Maine Celtics."
Fortunately, the lobster stays, and this menacing beast is sporting a perfect six-pack. But homogeny is generally bad. Minor league clubs have traditionally relied on charm to bring people in. But now, that's being taken away, name change by name change.
