The word on the street for all of you
That's because, as KOCO-5 in Oklahoma City is reporting, it appears as if the NBA's newest franchise name will be the "Oklahoma City Thunder."
The registrar for all of the NBA's Internet domain names reserved okcthunderbasketball.com and okcthunderbasketball.net on July 10, according to information gleaned from whois.net.Now, the first thing that came to my mind when I heard "Oklahoma City Thunder" was "Oooooo ... incredibly loud and completely harmless noises created by nature! I'm terrified!" (At least the Sonics were fast.)
CSC Corporate Domains describes itself as a domain name management company for corporations, law firms and intellectual property professionals. It is the registrar of record for nba.com and all other domains managed by NBA Media Ventures, LLC.
Then I realized that by naming their team the "Thunder", Clay Bennett was going for an all-out barrage of AC/DC at home basketball games. ("Thunderstruck", obv.) Which I totally back.
And, potentially more practically is the fact that the NBA prefers names like "Bobcats.com" and "Hornets.com" for obvious marketing purposes. "Thunder.com" redirects to "Thunder.net", which appears to be a Silicon Valley communications company.
Now, if I'm the owner of Thunder.net, I'm probably willing to take a couple thousand bucks off David Stern's hands so fans don't have to type okcthunderbasketball.com every single time they want to check out their favorite team.
So: decent enough name? Check. Rockin' theme music potential? Double check. Readily available WNBA nickname (Lightning!)? Triple check. Looks good to me. Plus, I hear thunder is technically soulless, so this kind of works well.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-19-2008 @ 12:18PM
leslie shepherd's flock said...
nothing I hate more than sports team w/ singular names
Reply
7-20-2008 @ 2:18AM
anon said...
Too bad Bennet sold the Storm back to a group in Seattle. The OKC Storm would've paired fine with the OKC Thunder. Both names are terrible, though. And the Storm's official themesong is Thunderstruck.
Reply
7-20-2008 @ 10:38AM
JB said...
I totally back the OKC Robber Barons.
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7-20-2008 @ 1:40PM
Josh said...
Every other NBA team is in plural. Forget the thunder/lightning connection.. thunder is a WNBA team name.
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8-07-2008 @ 3:24PM
Jon said...
Hey maybe you should actually learn a little about the NBA before you make stupid comments like that. The Thunder is definitely not the only NBA team that isn't plural. How about the Orlando MAGIC, the Utah JAZZ, and the Miami HEAT???? Mmmm those all sound strangely NOT PLURAL. Nice try moron. The OKC Thunder will be a force in 3 years. Just wait.
7-20-2008 @ 4:03PM
Jason S. said...
"Josh said...
Every other NBA team is in plural..."
Heat and Magic aren't plural
Reply
7-20-2008 @ 9:20PM
Blazer Fan said...
I am from Portland. We had a football team in the short lived World Football League in the 70's called the Thunder. It's as bush league as a name can possibly be. I'll Bet there are at least a dozen minor league teams in hockey, baseball, lacrosse etc. that have "THUNDER" screen printed across their jerseys. This is the NBA, not Roller Derby. As much as I hated the SONICS, I loved the rivalry between my Blazers and what was that team three hours up Interstate 5. Here are my suggestions:
Seattle Supersonics
OKC Rustlers
Steal-ers
Backstabbers
Children O' the Corn
Hicks
Longhorns
Inbreeders
I have more names that are quite distasteful, but because I am
a gentleman, I won't go there.
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7-21-2008 @ 12:16AM
Anonymous said...
The Oklahoma City Building Blower-Uppers
Reply
7-22-2008 @ 7:03PM
George said...
Whom ever this maybe, you are a miserable human being. You know what you wrote was wrong, or you would have showed your name. That was and still is a hard time in Oklahoma history. Your post was not funny or cute, I think you owe the people of Oklahoma an apology, and I will look for it on further post.
7-21-2008 @ 12:23AM
Anonymous said...
The Okalahoma City Team-Stealers
Reply
7-21-2008 @ 1:44AM
Stephen said...
Sounds like an Arena Football team.
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7-21-2008 @ 10:42AM
TJ said...
What a lame name. It sounds like a CBA squad. I can just hear the PA announcer, barely audible over the predictable AC/DC Thunderstruck playing during the player intros:
"Now starting at power forward, number 33, Jackie Moon!"
Of course, if you look at the current roster, the Thundah aren't that far off from a CBA squad. An offer sheet to CJ Miles? All you 16,000 fans who signed up for season tickets, get ready for amateur basketball at its best.
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7-21-2008 @ 7:57PM
Chris said...
A minor/little league name. Nice. I'm cringing at thought of potentially ridiculous logos and mascots. Definitely NOT a classy, old-school name. Certainly a crappy, 90s-esque tragedy -- the intersection of money and a poverty of imagination and style.
If there was one thing that the ownership should've let the fans do it's pick the colors/mascot/logo. Because WE are the ones that are going to be buying the merchandise. Or in this case, personally, not buying. What a marketing/PR blunder.
Reply
7-21-2008 @ 9:28PM
Buvi Duvi said...
Ugliest City in the NBA, Ugliest fanbase in the NBA, Ugliest game in the NBA, and now the Ugliest name. But to be fair any team name that starts with OKC is pretty damn ugly.
Reply
7-22-2008 @ 7:58AM
Vinny The Shark said...
Ugliest fanbase in the NBA? LOL. As opposed to the "beautiful women" of Washington? Comparing the women of Oklahoma to the women of Washington is like comparing Jessica Alba to Whoopi Goldberg.
7-21-2008 @ 10:52PM
Ike said...
Actually, NBA in OKC is a dream! I can break out all my Okie jokes and alter them for NBA games now. Like, what do you call a swimming pool full of OKC Thunder cheerleaders? Bay of Pigs. And....would the lady who left her 5 grade school kids at the Ford Center please come pick them up.....they're beating the Thunder 92-44 at halftime!
Reply
7-21-2008 @ 11:06PM
Bentley Boy said...
How about "Clay's Crap"? Has a nice ring to it...
Who the HELL decided that an NBA team should be in Oklahoma?!?!
Go Lakers (yes, LA deserves the NBA...unlike OKC(rap!)
Reply
7-22-2008 @ 7:44AM
Vinny The Shark said...
When's that big earthquake that's supposed to destroy the West Coast supposed to happen? Can't happen anytime too soon. You flaming liberals are pathetic. Seattle had their chance and failed, miserably. Bennett's lawyers took your asses to the cleaners. Shut the hell up already. NBA in OKC is alot better off than up there in that NW corner where their sports teams suck balls.
Reply
7-22-2008 @ 10:59AM
gleason said...
you go vinny, nothing is more pathetic than a flaming liberal who just got their balls handed to them in court and they still can't decide if they will miss them or not. all they can do is blame everyone else because, as usual, they can not own up to the fact that they didn't act when they had the chance. do you kind and good hearted seattle folks still sit around holding hands while humming bobby sherman songs?
8-14-2008 @ 3:30AM
Greg said...
just wait till Shultz wins his lawsuit and your crappy little hick town will be without the NBA once again!