Imagine changing the name NY Yankees to the Bronx Bombers or NY Highlanders..now,how much value would that franchise immediately lose? 50-60%? probably a lot more than that!
That estimate is so far beyond the realms of credibility that it almost doesn't even bear rebutting. Basically, a team's only source of revenue is its fan base- tickets sold to fans, tv rights to broadcast to fans, merchandise marketed to fans, etc. If we assume that the amount fans spend is based on how much the team wins (a reasonable assumption), and the amount a team wins is unrelated to what it's called (also a reasonable assumption: see Lakers), then the only way a team loses 50% of its value is if it loses 50% of its fan base. And to be perfectly honest, I'd be surprised if a team lost FIVE percent of its fan base over a name change.
Honest question: is there a single Redskins fan in this thread that would stop supporting their team if they changed their name to, say, the Washington Hogs?
You're wrong on this one.I'm a huge Redskins fan. I wouldn't stop being a huge fan. I WOULD stop buying jerseys, hats, and would have less interest in buying tickets to see the Washington Hogs. I'd actually be a little ashamed to tell people I'm a hogs fan. The entire team itself would hold less appeal in my opinion. There's an aspect about tradition and feeling like you're watching the same team you've been watching your entire life. Making a drastic name change, logo change, etc. removes a lot of that nostalgia.
Agreed that it's not 50%, but it's not 5% either, especially for the Yankees.
It's not 5% because it's less. A lot less.It's easy to talk this game now, but I find it VERY hard to believe that a name change- even a "traditional" "longstanding" name, would have a significant negative impact on a team's bottom line. Mostly because I'm not aware of a single example where it has, and plenty of examples where it hasn't (Wizards, Titans, Angels changing their geographic description without changing location, and so on). Check the attendance numbers, or the franchise valuations. You won't see any negative impact. If you can find the merch sales numbers, check those too. I couldn't find them but I bet the impact was minimal.
And no offense, but if you think your fandom would be affected by a mascot change, I wonder about the depth of your fandom to begin with. Your mileage may vary- and I guess yours would- but to me, mascot preference is WAY down the list of reasons I'd like a team. Certainly a review of the most popular sports franchises confirms my suspicions. There's some exceedingly stupid nicknames and mascots out there if you stop and think about it. Nobody cares.