why do American Football teams always change their name? Oilers? Texans? Whats going on here?

Answer 1

It's actually pretty rare that an American-rules Football franchise will change their name without an accompanying change of city.
The Houston Texans are, in fact, an expansion team; formed after the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville in 1997. The Oilers kept their name for two years before becoming the Tennessee Titans in 99. The Texans didn't exist before 2002.

The Texans, surprisingly enough, is a throwback name. The original NFL Texans moved from Dallas to Baltimore - becoming the Colts - in the 1950s. A second Dallas Texans (in the AFL, then a separate league) was later moved to Kansas City to become the Chiefs.

Though many teams have changed locations in recent years (St Louis Cardnials to Arizona; Los Angeles Rams to St. Louis; LA Raiders back to Oakland); only one team in recent memory actually changed names. The Baltimore Ravens situation was pretty convoluted. Team owner Art Modell disbanded the Cleveland Browns (leaving the name for a future Cleveland franchise) and reformed as an expansion team in 95 - with its former roster mostly intact. It took a while for national announcers to adapt, alternately calling them the Browns (because of the players) and the Colts (the last NFL team to play in Baltimore).

Answer 2

Well, case in point with the Oilers, the franchise moved to Tennesee, and the Tennesee Oilers just sounded silly so they changed it to the Titans which annoys me because the New York Jets used to be the New York Titans at one time so it's stolen. Then the Texans are an expansion franchise so they've technically never changed their name. You may have heard of an old franchise called the Dallas Texans. They were basically the flagship of the AFL, and ended up moving to Kansas City. The Kansas City Texans was totally dumb sounding so they changed to the Chiefs. Typically teams do not change their names when they move. The Arizona Cardinals formerly the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cardinals before that. The St. Louis Rams formerly the L.A. Rams and if you go way back, the Cleveland Rams. The New England Patriots were the Boston Patriots at one time. The Indianapolis Colts were the Baltimore Colts. Oakland Raiders/L.A. Raiders. The San Diego Chargers started out in L.A. in 1960. Boston Redskins/Washington Redskins (waaaaay back in 32-36. The only team to ever move and have to leave behind all it's franchise records, name, colors and everything were the Cleveland Browns when Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore, Cleveland sued to keep all the team colors, name, records etc. in Cleveland for a future expansion franchise. So was the birth of the Baltimore Ravens in 1996. And in 2000 the expansion Browns came to Cleveland with all the records and history and colors and name waiting for them.

Answer 3

Well, the "Oilers" name was a reference to the oil industry in Texas and with the team based in Houston, that made sense.
There really isn't any kind of an oil industry in Tennessee so it wouldn't make sense to keep the name.
As far as the Texans, I can see that someone doesn't know the NFL or didn't do their research. I'm sure that most of the posters before me told you that the Texans are an expansion franchise that has had that name since their inception almost a decade ago.
I'd also like to know the basis for your statement that the NFL teams "always" change their names. The Browns changed their name when they moved to Baltimore as part of their deal with the NFL, which wanted to start a new Cleveland Browns franchise (and eventually did). Other than that and the Oilers/Titans, who else changed their name recently to back up your "always" assertion?

Answer 4

They don't always change their name. The oilers changed their name to the Titans because the moved from Houston to Nashville, which has considerably less oil drilling...and didn't fit the area in which they resided.

The Texans were an expansion team (brand spanking new club) which brough football back to Houston.

The same is said of the Colts. They were originally the Baltimore Colts and moved to Indianapolis and stayed the Colts. The Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. An expansion team (new club) started and took the name of the Cleveland Browns because the city wanted their football club back.

Other than that, there's been little change except expansion.

Football club owners are always looking for things that make the most profit. If a city will offer more tax dollars for a stadium that is more profitable, owners may choose to move the club...obviously against the wishes of the city citizens. It has happened with the the Raiders (Oakland, LA), the Rams (LA, St. Louis), and the Cardinals (St. Louis, Arizona). Teams move at the wim of the owner who desires bigger profits and it's controversial.

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And some of the below mentioned changes that I was unaware of. Even the answerers learn. Who'd a thunk.

Answer 5

I'm a little fuzzy on the definition of always, since in recent memory, there have been two tems that changed their names. The Cleveland Browns changed to the Baltimore Ravens because the city of Cleveland owned the rights to the Browns name and when the team moved, they had to be called something else. Then, once the expansion team was awarded to the city of Cleveland, they were named the Browns. The Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee and since there isn't any oil in Tennessee (I'm sure there is oil, but it isn't something the state is known for) they changed their name to the Titans. The Houstan Texans are an expansion team, and have been known as the Houston Texans since they became a francise. So, in the SuperBowl era of football, two teams out of 32 have changed their names. Again, I'm a little fuzzy on the definition of always, but I don't think that fits.

Answer 6

Those teams didn't change their name. The Houston Oilers went defunct then ressurected in Tennessee to become the Titans. The Houston Texans have no affliation with the Oilers. Kind of like how the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Ravens. They don't just change their name, but literally relocated and begin a whole new franchise somewhere else. Many don't look at the Ravens and think about the old Browns days nor do they look at the Titans and ponder back into old Oilers history.

Answer 7

The Oilers and the Texans are two different franchises. The original Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1998 and were renamed the Titans. The Texans are an expansion franchise granted to Houston and started play in 2002.

Answer 8

The Oilers aren't the Texans. The team that used to be the Houston Oilers is now the Tennessee Titans, because the team moved. And once the team moved, it changed its name.

The Houston Texans is a new team.

Not that it makes it any less confusing, but still...

Answer 9

Tennessee Oilers just doesn't work. The Texans were an expansion team.

Answer 10

What about the Raiders? They were still the Raiders when they moved from Oakland to Los Angeles.....and stayed the Raiders when they moved back..

Then there are the Rams...the were the Rams when they were in Los Angeles.....What about the Arizona Cardinals...they were the Cardinals when they moved from St Louis....

What about the Colts? They remained the Colts even after they moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis....

Tennesse were the Houston Oilers before they were the Titans....and the Ravens began existence as the Cleveland Browns before finding their home in Baltimore....they HAD to come up with a new name....The Colts still existed....