How is this thread still a thing? The Oilers were an embarrassment and that's why the city told them to get lost....it's honestly time to move on kids. Anyone old enough to actually remember the Oilers knows better than to try and glamorize that franchise.
Having only 8 home games throughout a season, makes regular season football games more of an event than any other sport.
I'm not a millennial and I was a huge Oilers fan. They left. They left the city with a massive debt on changes they wanted to the Dome. They left just as they had a Super Bowl run with a team built in Houston. Earl Campbell is a Houston Oiler. Warren Moon is a Houston Oiler. Run-N-Shoot didn't happen in Tennessee. I don't need the museum. I know what happened and the history is here as much as it needs to be. They left and they can go f*** themselves. I don't want it back.
Pretty sure you know the answer to your question. The point is that even though Texas is first and foremost a football state, the other pro sports teams do just fine when they put a decent product on the field/court. If the Texans played 40 or 80 home games their attendance would decline tremendously on a per game average. It would take some really weird happening for the Texans not to approach a sellout every game for the foreseeable future.
Actually, I think it would do the opposite. He didn't want Houston to retain or acquire the history, colors, name, logo, etc. The only reason it's even being discussed here is because he's dead. It's not going to happen, though.
The point I was making wasn't the other sports weren't doing fine but that inspite of not winning a championship, the local football team gets more support. Some of it is because the NFL is the most popular sport in the country, some of it is because this is Houston where football is more popular, and some of it may be because of less games a year. All this with a football team that hasn't won a major championship at the highest level yet. Hopefully that changes soon. I understand why the Yankees rule New York, Patriots rule Boston, and the Lakers rule LA. They have all won multiple champions. Texans/Oilers, not so much. Astros are going through a resurgence though. Who would we say is the most popular athlete in Houston, outside of JJ Watt? Harden? Altuve? Deshaun? Hopkins? Keuchel? Verlander?
Top 3 are probably the first 3 you mention - Watt more for his humanitarian efforts rather than his play (at least over the last 2 years). Then probably a mixture of Watson, Hopkins, Paul, Verlander, Correa, Springer, Bregman in no particular order.
Altuve should be #1 if we based it on play. Plus I don't think we've seen a "Trade Altuve" thread... yet. Amazing that I know some hardcore football fans in Houston who don't know what Altuve looks like. Deshaun could crack the top tier if he has a remarkable season.
Right on both counts. The name and colors and team identity belonged to *him*, not the city or the fans or anyone else. And it's not going to happen (one reason being the McNairs don't want it to).
This is how I feel about it. The "Houston Oilers" were a part of AFL/NFL history. A true part of football history. But, like you said, as others have said...it was Bud's team, not the city of Houston. It taken to Nashville, and later renamed the "Titans." "Ewwww...." I wish they could be renamed the Oilers to redeem themselves from the debacle in 1992. Things don't work out, like that especially since we had one of those "petty, loathsome, and egomaniacal millionaire/billionaire types with no class...unlike Tom Benson/Benson Family of the Saints and Pelicans who are level-headed people." Pretty much made sure that Houston could not inherit its own history and accolades for whatever personal stakes were involving that person's ego and way of conducting business. But, anyway, the City of Houston has to embrace the Texans, because they are right now. They need your support, the team has alot of potential and budding superstars (like JJ Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and DeAndre Hopkins). A potential superstar QB in Watson. It's alot to look forward to.
Some people think if the city gets the "Oilers" name, colors, and history back that there would be some kind of success that would come with that. Problem is, the Oilers weren't that successful....as I stated in earlier post. Nostalgia is a powerful drug and clouds memories.
I want to respectfully disagree with you. I do agree, sometimes nostalgia is a powerful drug and clouds the memories of people, irrationally. It is a part of the city's history, even for miserable franchises, like the Lions, Saints, and Cardinals. No matter how you feel about pro sports, football, or sports in general wouldn't it leave big whole in those cities, if they lost their franchises. Look what it did to Cleveland (Browns and even the Cavs, after Lebron left). I can say there's research out there that says that sports team can effect a cities economy. Why did the city of Charlotte try so hard to get the "Hornets" name back. It means something to people, and the Hornets when the team was in its awful expansion years, were one of the most watched teams in the league. https://www.boston.com/sports/nba/2...economic-impact-on-local-bars-and-restaurants https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/07/what-cleveland-lost-when-it-lost-lebron/59480/ The city's team is tied to its superstars/players and its namesake. We know the name of a product can be make or break for alot of products/company. If https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/does-a-sports-team-s-name-really-matter-1.1328868 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237643
Not about success at all. Just about connection and fit in the market. It's all personal preference. I don't think it's going to move mountains or make them Super Bowl winners. I don't really like the Texans branding...would prefer the Oilers name/logo/colors. I get that it won't happen. But it's just a subjective opinion. In no way does it make me right. The name that matters most to me in pro sports branding is the city name. Specifically, Houston. If you play for Houston, I'm rooting for you...even if I think the franchise's branding is boring.
Branding. Lakers don't fit LA, Jazz doesn't fit Utah. It is more about team performance than anything. Oilers name fit the market.....but it is gone. However, other names fit too.......like the Texans (especially the logo). As much as I like the Oilers' logo, I like the Texans' logo maybe a little more. The Texans' colors are fine, and yes the uniforms themselves could be spruced up. At some point, there will be a uniform upgrade. People have selective memories. Many HATED the Astros' rainbow uniforms and the orange color. That is why they were changed over the years. However, Time brings Nostalgia and low and behold, throwbacks become the rage and everyone NOW LOVES the Rainbows. Voted the best throws backs by many and the new Astros' owner brings band the orange color with the modified original logo. People want to go back to the bland Rockets' logo and uniforms because it is the championship uniforms. There was a reason the Rockets changed in the first place; they weren't selling a lot of their merchandise. New uniforms after the championships were a way to stay with the times. The mistake was what they chose (pajamas). So they changed again to the current iteration. The Rockets will go back to the original colors with updated uniforms (like the Astros did) and make everyone happy (for the most part). Again, nostalgia is a powerful thing......but don't let it make you forget the reasons the city really didn't care when the Oilers left in the first place (wasn't lack of fans support either).
Lakers and Jazz were relocated....a little different than getting to start afresh with an expansion team. I can't imagine that had Utah gotten an expansion team they would have ever called them the Jazz. This is the subjective part. It's why I qualified my post with a lot of, "I think..." or "I don't like..." I'm glad you like their colors and their logo. I THINK they look and sound like a Dallas area sports team. I THINK their color and logo choices are bland. But I don't get to make the decisions. And I'm honestly happy that they've been embraced so well by this city that was so kicked in the nuts after the Oilers left town. I love that they get the support they get. They're my team regardless...so Go Texans!