The NHL hasn’t even decided on whether or not a team will be calling Las Vegas home, but that hasn’t stopped one prospective owner from thinking about team names. William Foley, the man linked to a Vegas club, had an interview with Elliotte Friedman and he revealed what he had in mind as far as team names go.
Foley personally likes Black Knights, but he admits that a Vegas team under his ownership would be named by a “Name the Team” contest.
Potential Las Vegas owner William Foley tells @FriedgeHNIC on #HNIC that he likes the name "Black Knights" for a franchise there.
— Cody Nickolet (@DubFromAbove) December 14, 2014
About "Black Knights" — there will be a name the team contest. Foley went to Army, and is starting a charity for spouses of soldiers…
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 14, 2014
killed in action, so he likes the name. But, if he gets the team, there will be a contest.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 14, 2014
Long story short, a Vegas team under Foley will be named by fans. Of course, that’s a dangerous proposition considering the voting would likely be held online and we’ve all seen what groups of people can do when they’re motivated. Did anyone expect Latvia to propel Zemgus Girgensons up through the All-Star voting? Probably not.
Should a team land in Vegas with Foley at the helm, the club would have to structure any kind of naming contest. It’d be fascinating to see what the fans would come up with and what would win in an open free for all, but the league probably wouldn’t be too happy with a team named “Gary Bettman Sucks” or a club named after a strip joint.