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1. Charlotte Kings - With two NCAA powerhouses - Duke and UNC - in state, adding an MLL team is a no brainer. Even though the college teams are in the eastern part of the state, Charlotte was chosen because of its sports history. With teams in the NFL and NBA, Charlotte seems to be a better suited for lax than the Raleigh-Durham area, despite their NHL presence. Its location is fairly central to the region which makes it a great destination city for sports fans.
The male royalty is applied even though Charlotte is the "Queen City." The name is simple and easily cheered. Vegas gold will be a highly used secondary on the team's purple uniforms. Carolina blue will be used sparingly as an accent color.
The Kings will play in the main stadium located at the Matthews Sports Complex which will not only be completed, but also expanded at that time. Currently slated to seat around 2700, it is foreseeable that the capacity will be around 8,000 or more within the next decade. With soccer and lacrosse figuring heavily into the stadium's design, MSC will be a great venue.
2. (Portland) Oregon Killer Whales - Although they lost the Lumberjax, the people of Portland are into lax. Had the economy not turned sour, the plaid jerseys of the Jax would still fill the Rose Garden Arena. Overall, the city is very passionate about its sports which led to an MLS expansion franchise over much larger contenders like St. Louis, Altanta, and Miami. Another Major League team would benefit from the under served metro.
Like the Timbers, the Whales would play in the renovated PGE Park. Once completed, the renovated former baseball stadium will be a 17,000 soccer stadium. It is in a great location and will lead to a great lax atmosphere.
Also like the Timbers, the Whales will have an instant rival in Seattle. This rivalry partially inspired the team's nickname. As seas lions are favorite prey of the Killer Whale, fans in Portland will have an easy time rallying behind the team. Granted, Portland is not on the coast, but its location in the Pacific Northwest should be sufficient to make the connection. The Killer Whales will wear Black and white as a primary colors. Accent colors include yellow and red.
The biggest danger with this name is the logo design. It is far too easy to come across as either cartoonish or gruesome. Finding the balance between family-friendly and fierce will be tricky. It is also possible that the "Killer" could be dropped or that the team would choose "Portland Orcas" instead.
The league now has two divisions with ten teams each.
- Western Division: Oregon, Minnesota, St. Louis, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, LA, Seattle, San Jose, and Denver
- Eastern Division: Charlotte, Detroit, New York, Long Island, Boston, Rochester, Toronto, Washington, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh
