At about 12pm EST today, Vince McMahon was present at a media event to announce the official names and locations of the XFL teams. Here we go:
1: Seattle Dragons 
This is a fun name that plays on the local heritage around Seattle, on both history and current culture. There are many inceptions of dragons in the names of sports teams in Seattle already, and this just adds to it. Seattle is a huge Northwest fishing port City, with a rich heritage in the sea. Based on the picture, they are basing the name on sea dragons, NOT flying dragons.
2: St. Louis BattleHawks
For those asking what exactly is a BattleHawk, there are a few answers. However, there is only one that pertains to this name. BattleHawk is the name of a drone that is capable of being carried in a backpack, directed at targets, and delivering a payload of explosives to the enemy. Once you know that, the name just fits right in with the XFL theme.
3: Tampa Bay Vipers 
This team gets it’s name from the many species of venomous vipers that reside in the Tampa Bay Area, NOT because of Randy Orton (Sorry WWE fans!). The most common of the viper species in Tampa Bay are the Copperhead and Eastern Diamondback, aka a rattlesnake or “rattler.”
4: Houston Roughnecks 
The name for the Roughnecks comes from those that work on an oil rig. Oil rigs and refineries are quite common around Houston, so this name fits in with the local scenery and history.
5: Dallas Renegades 
This name just completely writes itself. Anyone that knows about the history of Dallas, it was the Central US’s version of the Wild West. Many settlers traveled through Dallas on their way to the west, and many folklore and history comes from this area.
6: New York Guardians 
The only main thing about Guardians in the history of New York is from 1979, when Guardian Angels were founded. This is a non-profit organization that helps prevent crime through unarmed means. Playing into the XFL theme, I guess that means that New York is the Guardian of the XFL.
7: DC Defenders 
While many are currently blasting this name due to “laziness”, it fits in with the XFL theme perfectly. Washington DC is the home of the place that defends our rights as United States Citizens, both through the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. Looking back at the previous 6 team names, they are all based on history and culture in the area, and this name is no different.
8: Los Angeles Wildcats 
Once again, believe it or not, this name plays on the history of Los Angeles. In 1926, the American Football League (AFL) was founded and began, and later folded the same year. One of the very first teams to be part of that venture? The Los Angeles Wildcats! They got their name not from the animal, but rather from their star player, George “Wildcat” Wilson.
And there you have it! You’re first 8 teams of the “Inaugural” XFL season! You can watch the entire press conference at the top of the article if you like as well!
Jason’s Take: I quite like the names. There are many right now saying that the names are lazy writing, but they failed to look at the history and why they were chosen for those cities. I really hope this incarnation of the XFL stays around longer than 1 season and can grow larger!
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