300 Ideas for Expansion Team Names

If you are anything like me and are fascinated by the possibilities of new sports franchises and the possible names for said teams. Then you have no doubt tried to come up with them yourself. However, everyone runs into a wall creatively and needs some inspiration now and then. Think of this as a guide for anyone who is looking for an idea of an expansion team in an NBA, NHL, NFL, or MLB franchise mode. The names will be listed in order of Metro population, as that tends to be where sports leagues will expand first. I have attempted to remove any team names of former sports franchises in those cities from the list. As always, take these with a pinch of salt, as I am just one man from the Midwest. 

New York/New Jersey: New York Empire, New York Freedom, New York Sentinels, New York Skyliners, New York Union, New Jersey Blue Coats, New Jersey Gamblers, New Jersey Knights

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Lights, Los Angeles Invasion, Los Angeles Riot, Los Angeles Saints, Los Angeles Stars

Chicago: Chicago Express, Chicago Machine, Chicago Navy, Chicago Stars

Dallas: Dallas Desperados, Dallas Dust Devils, Dallas Marshalls, Dallas Mustangs, Dallas Stampede

Houston: Houston Apollos, Houston Command, Houston Freedom, Houston Vigilantes, Houston Voyagers

Miami: Florida Flamingos, Florida Riptide, Miami Manta Rays, Miami Vice

Washington DC: Washington Federals, Washington Red Hawks, Washington Red Wolves, Washington Sentinels, Washington Valor 

Atlanta: Atlanta Blaze, Atlanta Heat, Atlanta Sound, Atlanta Peach

Philadelphia: Philadelphia Freedom, Philadelphia Liberty, Philadelphia Mutiny, Philadelphia Phantoms

Phoenix: Arizona Desert Dogs, Arizona Jaguars, Arizona Lobos, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Ring Tails

Boston: Boston Battalion, Boston Minutemen, Boston Regulars, Boston Revolution, Boston Riders, Boston Seadogs

Riverside/San Bernardino/Ontario: California Wildcats, Inland Hombres, Southern California Avengers 

Bay Area: Oakland Blast, Oakland Oaks, San Francisco Sabre Cats, San Francisco Surge, San Fransico Seals, San Fransico Serpents, San Fransico Trailblazers

Detroit: Detroit Drive, Detroit Demolition, Detroit Nitro

Seattle: Seattle Orcas, Seattle Sailors, Seattle Sea Lions, Seattle Shock

Minnesota: Minnesota Blizzard, Minnesota Lumberjacks, Minnesota Stars

Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay Cyclones, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Tampa Bay Tiger Sharks

San Diego: San Diego Armada, San Diego Fleet, San Diego Hammerheads, San Diego Riptide, San Diego Sentinels

Denver: Colorado Gold, Colorado Miners, Denver Dynamite, Denver Elk, Denver Rapids, Denver Storm 

Orlando: Orlando Dreamers, Orlando Hurricanes, Orlando Manatees, Orlando Orbit, Orlando Pirates, Orlando Rockets

Charlotte: Carolina Flyers, Carolina Triumph, Charlotte Horsemen, Charlotte Monarchs

Baltimore: Baltimore Barrage, Baltimore Battery, Baltimore Crabs

Saint Louis: Saint Louis Renegades, Saint Louis River Kings, Saint Louis Stallions, Saint Louis Steamers

San Antonio: San Antonio Bandits, San Antonio Desperados, San Antonio Rangers, San Antonio Rough Riders, San Antonio Vaqueros, Texas Wildcatters

Austin: Austin Armadillos, Austin Freedom, Central Texas Cavalry, Texas Revolution, Texas Tornadoes, Texas Twisters, Texas Wranglers

Portland: Portland Beavers, Portland Lumberjacks, Portland Navigators, Portland Rose, Portland Thunder, Portland Thunderbirds

Sacramento: Sacramento Condors, Sacramento Dragons, Sacramento Rush, Sacramento Surge

Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Iron, Pittsburgh Phantoms, Pittsburgh Steel

Las Vegas: Las Vegas Gamblers, Las Vegas Rollers, Vegas Venom, Vegas Vipers

Cincinnati: Cincinnati Battalion, Cincinnati Knights, Cincinnati Pride, Cincinnati Rivermen

Kansas City: Kansas City Bandits, Kansas City Express, Kansas City Phantoms, Kansas City Rush, Kansas City Stampede, Kansas City Stealth, Kansas City Steamers

Columbus: Columbus Calvary, Columbus Glory, Columbus Legends, Columbus Red Dogs

Indianapolis: Indianapolis Express, Indianapolis Fire, Indianapolis Nitro, Indianapolis Thunderbolts

Cleveland: Cleveland Rockers, Cleveland Sentinels, Cleveland Skippers, Cleveland Spiders

Nashville: Nashville Fire, Nashville Legion, Nashville Smokies, Nashville Spartans, Nashville Stars

Virginia: Virginia Breakers, Virginia Neptunes, Virginia Storm, Virginia Tides

Jacksonville: Jacksonville Armada, Jacksonville Fleet, Jacksonville Gators, Jacksonville Justice

Providence: Providence Centurions, Providence Power, Providence Riptides, Providence Steam Rollers, Rhode Island Clams

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Iron, Milwaukee Knights, Milwaukee Mustangs, Milwaukee North Stars, Milwaukee Otters

Raleigh: Raleigh Bombers, Raleigh Navigators, Raleigh Sky Hawks, Raleigh Triangles

Oklahoma City: Oklahoma City Armadillos, Oklahoma City Outlaws, Oklahoma City Pioneers, Oklahoma City Tornadoes, Oklahoma City Trail Blazers

Louisville: Kentucky Golden, Louisville Legends, Louisville Racers, Louisville Red Birds, Louisville Thoroughbreds

Richmond: Richmond Defenders, Richmond Generals, Richmond Revolution

Salt Lake City: Salt Lake Blaze, Salt Lake Elk, Salt Lake Mavericks, Salt Lake Mustangs, Utah Blazers, Utah Rattlers

Birmingham: Birmingham Justice, Birmingham Legion, Birmingham Yellowhammers

Fresno: Fresno Firebirds, Fresno Vipers

Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids Rampage, Grand Rapids Stampede

Hartford: Hartford Captains, Hartford Federals, Hartford Machine

Buffalo: Buffalo Blizzard, Buffalo Brave, Buffalo Bulldogs, Buffalo Huskies

Tucson: Tucson Jaguars, Tucson Ring Tails

Tulsa: Oklahoma Outlaws, Tulsa Bandits, Tulsa Express, Tulsa Tornadoes, Tulsa Twisters

Rochester: Rochester Knights, Rochester Lancers, Rochester Rams

Omaha: Omaha Cyclones, Omaha Diesel, Omaha Express, Omaha Marauders, Omaha Nighthawks, Omaha Onslaught, Omaha Storm, Omaha Twisters, Omaha Wranglers, Omaha Zephyrs

Hawaii: Hawaii Eruption, Hawaii Honu, Hawaii Islanders

South Carolina: Charleston Havoc, Columbia Cannons, Greensville Fleet, South Carolina Roosters

New Orleans: New Orleans Brass, New Orleans Corsairs, New Orleans Gold

Memphis: Memphis Blues, Memphis Hound Dogs, Memphis Mayhem, Memphis Venom

Arkansas: Arkansas Copperheads, Arkansas Diamonds, Arkansas Miners, Arkansas Rattlers

Misc: Alaska Thunderbirds, Albany Riders, Atlantic City Slashers, Bakerfield Blitz, Baton Rouge Battalion, Boise Burn, Bridgeport Sound, Chattanooga Wild, Colorado Springs Blizzard, Corpus Christi Sharks, Dayton Bulldogs, Dayton Demolition, El Paso Toros, Greensboro Gremlins, Greensboro Prowlers, Iowa Defenders, Iowa Reapers, Jackson Devils, Knoxville Bears, Louisiana Rage, Missouri Mules, Mobile Tarpons, Montgomery Justice, New England Rampage, New Mexico Stars, Reno Bombers, Reno Renegades, Rio Grand Rattlers, San Jose Gorillas, Sarasota Vipers, Savannah Corsairs, Shreveport Captains, Shreveport Pelicans, Spokane Shock, Spokane Surge, Stockton Blast, Syracuse Siege, Tacoma Thunder, Tallahassee Tiger Sharks, Tennessee Fire, Tennessee Thunder, Toledo Spiders, West Virgina Black Bears, West Virginia Miners, Wheeling Catamounts, Wheeling Ironmen, Wichita Cyclones, Wichita Pronghorns, Wichita Warriors, Wichita Whiplash, Wichita Wild

So, there you have it, if you ever are feeling stuck, here are about 300 team names to use for any thought experiment or even expansion plans for a franchise mode. Obviously, I put work into more cities than others, but it’s the thought that counts. Have any team ideas? Let me know on Twitter. I can be found @BrockGorton99