Fans To Name Charlotte Team

4/1/11 5:00 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Charlotte MLL Contact
Wade Leaphart
Director of Sales & Marketing
wleaphart@charlotteprolacrosse.com

CHARLOTTE MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE TO BE FOURTH PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN HISTORY TO LET THE FANS NAME THE TEAM

(CHARLOTTE, NC - April 1, 2011) - Charlotte’s new Major League Lacrosse Team is launching their 'Name The Team Campaign', powered by OrthoCarolina, today that will let fans choose the name of the new Team through democratic vote.  In a letter to the Fans, posted earlier this week on the team’s facebook page, Team President Jim McPhilliamy shared his vision for community involvement with the new Major League Lacrosse Team, beginning with the naming and identification of the team.

“We believe sports teams succeed because a community of passionate fans wants to be engaged on an emotional level with the team.  We hope to foster that type of active engagement with our fans from the outset by involving them in the process.” 

The Name The Team Campaign powered by OrthoCarolina will consist of the following stages:

1. DEFINE GEOGRAPHIC AGENDA (April 1 - April 10):  We have fan discussion and voting to define our geographic agenda – who does the team represent?  Who is our primary audience: Charlotte? Or the broader Carolinas?
2. IDENTIFY BRAND ATTRIBUTES (April 11 - April 21):  We will interact with our fans to explore the brand’s emotive characteristics  – what are the team’s attitudes, aspirations and identity.  Are we more identified with Charlotte’s past, present or future?  What is our look and feel? Edgy?  Energetic?  Vibrant?  
3. EXPLORE & VOTE ON PROTOTYPE DESIGN CONCEPTS (May 2 - May 13):  Based on feedback and voting in phases 1 & 2, we will present 8-10 names and logo concepts for additional fan commentary and voting.  
4. NARROW THE FIELD - VOTING & DISCUSSION (June 1 - June 10):  Based on feedback and voting from phase 3, we will revise the top 3-4 vote-getting concepts and represent them to the group for additional fan voting and commentary.  
5. UNVEIL (June 21):  The Final Team Name, Logo and Colors will be presented in a live unveiling ceremony.  

“Naming a team is a complex process that involves a lot of moving parts.  In addition to the fan vote and discussion phases, there will be internal phases that look at things like legal/trademark restrictions (i.e. we won’t be the Hornets because the NBA owns the rights to that name) and that we make sure we don’t infringe upon a local institution’s name (out of deference to local Universities, Colleges and High Schools – we will not use a name associated with one of their teams),” added McPhilliamy.  

“A project like this is expensive to execute for a small franchise like ours,” said McPhilliamy.  “But OrthoCarolina stepped to the plate to help us make this happen because they could see the value in what we were trying to do.”

Stage 1 centers on defining the geographic agenda.  According to McPhilliamy, “It is the most straight forward but arguably, the most important step in naming the team.  It boils to one question: Should the team be representative of the city of Charlotte or the broader Carolinas?  This is a question of maximizing pride in the team – which will maximize our long-term success.  Of primary concern should be how can the team make the most people feel proud of them when they succeed.” 

Stage 1 is officially open for voting!  Fans can submit their votes on the team’s facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/charlottemll) or by visiting http://www.buzzmgr.com/fbtab/charlottemllbetween April 1 and April 10.

About Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.  Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June of 2001 and is comprised of six teams located in Boston, Chesapeake, Denver, Hamilton, Long Island and Rochester.  Expansion markets for 2012 include Charlotte, NC and Columbus, OH.

Major League Lacrosse’s 2011 Sports Authority All Star Game will take place on July 9 at Harvard Stadium in Boston.  The 2011 Sports Authority MLL Championship Weekend Presented by Warrior, is scheduled for August 27 & 28 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD.

About OrthoCarolina

As one of the nation’s leading orthopedic practices with offices across the region, OrthoCarolina is your destination for comprehensive orthopedic care. Leveraging our physicians’ expertise in the areas of foot and ankle, hand, hip and knee, shoulder and elbow, spine, sports medicine and pediatrics; and providing services that include physical therapy, MRI and post-surgical support; we can offer you a continuum of care unmatched in the region. OrthoCarolina. You. Improved.

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