The new Las Vegas NHL team is closing in on an official name, but recent reports about what that name might be apparently aren’t entirely accurate. Owner Bill Foley has publicly stated that Red Hawks and Desert Hawks are no longer options, but he confirmed Nighthawks is still on the table along with two other names.
Previous reports suggested that the Vegas team had narrowed their name options down to four or five options, including the Red Hawks, Desert Hawks and Nighthawks. The Las Vegas Review-Journal spoke with Foley and he denied those claims.
Foley:
“Not true. Nighthawks is still a name we’re considering, though we are probably not going to go with the others (Red Hawks and Desert Hawks).
Somebody will eventually figure it out, but I want to wait for the paperwork to be processed. I hope we’ll have that paperwork done fairly quickly. I want to spend my money on hockey players, not on team names.”
Foley stated there are a couple other potential names which haven’t been reported yet, but he didn’t want to reveal those.
The recent report spawned a flurry of criticism as the rumored names seemed to be a bit too similar to the Blackhawks. Foley refuted the critics, saying that Nighthawks and Blackhawks have nothing in common.
“It’s two completely separate things. The Blackhawks are about a Native American tribe. Nighthawks honors a bird that is in Las Vegas and a fighter aircraft from an Air Force base in Las Vegas (Nellis). I think Nighthawks is a beautiful name.
I haven’t heard from the Chicago Blackhawks, but I’m sure we can work with them if they have any objections.”
Foley is correct that the Blackhawks and Nighthawks represent two very different things, but they still sound awfully similar. It’s not a Red Sox – White Sox situation, but it could still lend itself to confusion considering both teams would probably be referred to as simply the ‘Hawks on occasion.
The new Vegas team should have a unique identity and brand. It shouldn’t copy a name from Foley’s past (thankfully the rumored Black Knights option appears to have been) nor should it evoke comparisons to other more established NHL franchises. It’s an opportunity to start something new.
