Should Pigeons Be The Official Mascot?

Should The Pigeon Become Official NYCFC Mascot?

  • Yes

    Votes: 24 35.8%
  • No

    Votes: 19 28.4%
  • Keep it unofficial

    Votes: 24 35.8%

  • Total voters
    67
I like Pigeons okay... I like Bluebirds okay... I'd prob prefer something else officially or unofficially... but I do know I'd much prefer something. Some sort of identity other than the bland FC. I honestly think the branding of the club is pretty awful and if fixed could result in a lot more casual fan attention/recognition. In any case, another poll option could be helpful: D) Regardless of specific nickname/mascot eventually selected, I'd want one to be identified and used (I'd prefer almost anything over FC).

My point exactly. While FC might be traditional I don't think it's identifiable. When I tell people I follow and have season tickets to NYCFC they're like, "What's that?" I then I have to explain that there's an MLS team that plays at Yankee Stadium. Usually the follow us question is, "How many people go? A few thousand?"
 
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I would vote Yes and unofficial
My point exactly. While FC might be traditional I don't think it's identifiable. When I tell people I follow and have season tickets to NYCFC they're like, "What's that?" I then I have to explain that there's an MLS team that plays at Yankee Stadium. Usually the follow us question is, "How many people go? A few thousand?"

I wouldn't change a thing. Once we become New York City Pigeons or Blues or whatever you have a mouthful of a 4 word team name. As it stands our shortened name is New York "City" clearly defining where we are and who we represent. I think we should celebrate the difference in our name since it stands out among the crowd of New York *mascot* teams.

I do like Pigeons as an unofficial nickname but in addition to the reason above, any time the club picks something up officially it's going to become part of the manufactured fun city beats/dj mode/orange lady experience and I'd rather not see it go that route.
 
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I would vote Yes and unofficial


I wouldn't change a thing. Once we become New York City Pigeons or Blues or whatever you have a mouthful of a 4 word team name. As it stands our shortened name is New York "City" clearly defining where we are and who we represent. I think we should celebrate the difference in our name since it stands out among the crowd of New York *mascot* teams.

I do like Pigeons as an unofficial nickname but in addition to the reason above, any time the club picks something up officially it's going to become part of the manufactured fun city beats/dj mode/orange lady experience and I'd rather not see it go that route.

Because NCYFC or New York City FC isn't a mouthful already?

I'm not claiming I have an answer but when most people I talk to don't even know the team exists then "City" has a major issue.
 
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But, if we don't become the pigeons we won't be able to get these bomb ass pigeon heels for our ladies!?!
japan-pigeon-shoes-2.jpg

pigeon-shoes-3.jpg


Or should I have posted this in the "New Merchandise" forum??
 
Nothing will ever be "cool" enough for new york. We're cynics. No name will ever be tough enough to satisfy us northeasterners. Pigeons took hold because it resonates on some level. No sense fighting it boys. Everyone wanted an organic name to coalesce, when it does, people complain.

The way it is, you can use it if you want, or ignore it. That's a perfect balance.
 
I'm not claiming I have an answer but when most people I talk to don't even know the team exists then "City" has a major issue.
I just don't think that having a mascot moniker would have any effect on whether others know that the team exists. That's a marketing issue, popularity issue, and a sports/city saturation issue, not a team name issue. I don't think that officially changing our name to the New York City King Kong Pigeons or whatever you may choose would save you from having to explain to outsiders who or what the team is if the other issues are preventing the exposure. With that said, having an unofficial mascot, like the pigeons or the tokens (I like it Ulrich Ulrich) becomes a fun and convenient (and easier) reference for the insiders, and provides some additional branding variety to market to the insiders. I don't think that anything official gets you much more than that.
 
I just don't think that having a mascot moniker would have any effect on whether others know that the team exists. That's a marketing issue, popularity issue, and a sports/city saturation issue, not a team name issue. I don't think that officially changing our name to the New York City King Kong Pigeons or whatever you may choose would save you from having to explain to outsiders who or what the team is if the other issues are preventing the exposure. With that said, having an unofficial mascot, like the pigeons or the tokens (I like it Ulrich Ulrich) becomes a fun and convenient (and easier) reference for the insiders, and provides some additional branding variety to market to the insiders. I don't think that anything official gets you much more than that.

Agree.

The team does have a name problem. NYCFC hardly rolls of the tongue with all those syllables, and it doesn't clearly identify anything to the casual sports fan. I usually go with "I went to see NYCFC at Yankee Stadium" or "NYCFC, the soccer team at Yankee Stadium." With people who know the team, we can use shorthand, but with others, there just isn't a term that works.

Having good nicknames can help with all of that, although I am not sure we are there yet. I really like "Pigeons", but it doesn't provide an improvement in recognition. If I tell someone "I went to see the Pigeons at Yankee Stadium," that only makes me sound more like a lunatic than telling the average Joe I went to watch a soccer match.

Ultimately, it's going to take time for the team's name and existence to seep into the casual sports consciousness the way the Red Bulls have been able to do over 20 years. The Club's advertising around town can help, as can our wearing gear and bringing up the team in conversation. Having a good shorthand for the team's convoluted name will help too.

By the way, how many of you have started a conversation with someone using some lengthy explanation of what NYCFC is, only to have them cut you off and explain that they're actually a big fan too? Really nice when that happens.
 
Pigeons are possibly the single least unique feature of NYC. They are literally in every city in the world. Might as well call us the streetlights or the manhole covers.
 
Pigeons are possibly the single least unique feature of NYC. They are literally in every city in the world. Might as well call us the streetlights or the manhole covers.
I'm not disagreeing with your statement, because I loathe the idea of the pigeon, but if we want to stick with stuff tied to NYC, then we have a bunch of items invented in NYC to choose from:

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/25-things-that-were-invented-in-nyc-022616

I'm partial to:
#6 NYC Tom Collins: we talk shit about every other team.
#13 NYC Bloody Marys - we'd be Sunday hip and also fierce at the same time. Of course it doesn't suit our colors, but we could claim it was born from the Red Bull Wedding.
#20 NYC Potato Heads - in the land of dry, Seinfeldian humor, who wouldn't want to be self-deprecating by calling themselves a Potato Head?!? The rest of the league would bandwagon the shit out of it too!
 
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Pigeons are possibly the single least unique feature of NYC. They are literally in every city in the world. Might as well call us the streetlights or the manhole covers.
You have made this criticism multiple times previously, and I don't get it at all. I understand that an opinion about nicknames don't have to make sense, but you are very specific about this and keep repeating it so it seems like it has meaning to you and I can't figure it out at all.

Almost no team nicknames are "unique" to their city or state. I suppose Baltimore Oriole is one, because it's the name of an actual specific bird named after the same family as the city. And NY is the only state in the country with Dutch history so I suppose the Knickerbockers qualifies as unique. The Texans makes no sense outside of Texas but don't have to be in Houston. After that uniqueness doesn't really exist in team nicknames, official or organic. Even where there are strong associations it is not unique. The 76ers could be in Boston; the Pacers could be in Charlotte; the Fire could be in San Francisco. You could do that with basically every other US or Canadian sports team. If they even have a connection (and many don't, or only made sense in a prior location) it's not unique.

Coming at it in the other direction, what are some "unique" features of NYC that would work as a nickname? Credit to Ulrich Ulrich for creative research and a bit of fun, but those ideas are patently ridiculous. The "Liberty" is already taken, and as a concept is hardly unique to NYC anyway. What? The Emperors? The Broadways? The Tanmany Hall boys?

Look. You don't like "pigeons" and you don't have to justify it. This is just a mental itch and if you want to help scratch it for me with a bit more explanation go ahead, or not.
 
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You have made this criticism multiple times previously, and I don't get it at all. I understand that an opinion about nicknames don't have to make sense, but you are very specific about this and keep repeating it so it seems like it has meaning to you and I can't figure it out at all.

Almost no team nicknames are "unique" to their city or state. I suppose Baltimore Oriole is one, because it's the name of an actual specific bird named after the same family as the city. And NY is the only state in the country with Dutch history so I suppose the Knickerbockers qualifies as unique. The Texans makes no sense outside of Texas but don't have to be in Houston. After that uniqueness doesn't really exist in team nicknames, official or organic. Even where there are strong associations it is not unique. The 76ers could be in Boston; the Pacers could be in Charlotte; the Fire could be in San Francisco. You could do that with basically every other US or Canadian sports team. If they even have a connection (and many don't, or only made sense in a prior location) it's not unique.

Coming at it in the other direction, what are some "unique" features of NYC that would work as a nickname? Credit to Ulrich Ulrich for creative research and a bit of fun, but those ideas are patently ridiculous. The "Liberty" is already taken, and as a concept is hardly unique to NYC anyway. What? The Emperors? The Broadways? The Tanmany Hall boys?

Look. You don't like "pigeons" and you don't have to justify it. This is just a mental itch and if you want to help scratch it for me with a bit more explanation go ahead, or not.
Patently ridiculous???

I may just have to think of you as Mr Potato Head from now on.....
 
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You have made this criticism multiple times previously, and I don't get it at all. I understand that an opinion about nicknames don't have to make sense, but you are very specific about this and keep repeating it so it seems like it has meaning to you and I can't figure it out at all.

Almost no team nicknames are "unique" to their city or state. I suppose Baltimore Oriole is one, because it's the name of an actual specific bird named after the same family as the city. And NY is the only state in the country with Dutch history so I suppose the Knickerbockers qualifies as unique. The Texans makes no sense outside of Texas but don't have to be in Houston. After that uniqueness doesn't really exist in team nicknames, official or organic. Even where there are strong associations it is not unique. The 76ers could be in Boston; the Pacers could be in Charlotte; the Fire could be in San Francisco. You could do that with basically every other US or Canadian sports team. If they even have a connection (and many don't, or only made sense in a prior location) it's not unique.

Coming at it in the other direction, what are some "unique" features of NYC that would work as a nickname? Credit to Ulrich Ulrich for creative research and a bit of fun, but those ideas are patently ridiculous. The "Liberty" is already taken, and as a concept is hardly unique to NYC anyway. What? The Emperors? The Broadways? The Tanmany Hall boys?

Look. You don't like "pigeons" and you don't have to justify it. This is just a mental itch and if you want to help scratch it for me with a bit more explanation go ahead, or not.

Well hell let's call ourselves the Renters because we don't own a stadium and the city's home ownership rate is less than half of the rest of the US. The Bronx is the second lowest by county in the country, it fits!
 
Well hell let's call ourselves the Renters because we don't own a stadium and the city's home ownership rate is less than half of the rest of the US. The Bronx is the second lowest by county in the country, it fits!
Soccer already has something in that realm of thought with the Wanderers. We have a semi-permanent home at YS, but we hosted a Cup match at Jack Coffey Field. The team practices in Westchester, the academy in Queens. The team FO is in Manhattan.
 
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