[go_leafs_go02]

Well, the Frontier League is returning to London, after a long absense after the Werewolves left town in 2001 after 3 seasons, including their inagural season in London where they actually won the league championship.

Now, the new team has come in, and their team name has created alot of controversy with their name - London Rippers.

Take a look at these articles to see what the response from some groups have been....

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/11/16/london-rippers-baseball-team-denies-reference-to-serial-killer-even-with-mascot-named-jack/

http://www.lfpress.com/sports/baseball/2011/11/15/18974501.html

Either way - thoughts on this? It appears the media is upset, but from what I seen, your typical sports fan doesn't care, nor does the name offend really anyone. It's a unique name, and c'mon, imagine the outburst if teams like the Cleveland Indians or Chicago Blackhawks began today...

[haljackey]

Stupid name, they should change it.

While you make a good point of worse names like Cleveland Indians or Chicago Blackhawks, those are now well respected franchises. When you start fresh you need a name that appeals to people. Rippers obviously doesn't.

[flar]

Terrible name, I thought this might have been some kind of professional stripping league, or the Lingerie Football League or something. Not a baseball team.

I remember the Werewolves. The Frontier League is kind of weak, bring back some AA or AAA ball, remember the London Tigers?

[Pimpmasterdac]

I concur with flar, frontier league is real nothingburger baseball, guys that aren't good enough to be at the end of MLB teams depth charts.

The name was meant to create a stir and get media attention to otherwise low key baseball, which it clearly has done. If they hadn;t would we eve be talking about the team right now in this thread?

I personally could care less about the name of the team, if anything I'd now get a jersey just for a good laugh when the team folds.

Now they have ultra left-wing feminists like Megan Walker, trying to make the name fit her sexist, anti-male, PC agenda that turns me to actually support the name :D. People like that don't even watch baseball or care, they just want to crucify this team over the name somehow offending them(?) If they're on the political correct bandwagon, as mentioned why not stop all the Indians, Braves, Blackhawks, Redskins, Eskimos other native based names?

[That_Chris]

My wife and I were really looking forward to going to some games and supporting the home team. We've decided to pass on that now. This name decision has seriously hurt their chances of survival. And the owners insistence that they hadn't even seen the connection is just plain insulting.

[Wharn]

I actually find the shitstorm this is causing to be nothing short of hilarious. Normally I don't really form opinions on stupid PC bickering like this, but if anything, we ought to retain the name. Just to annoy the academic feminists, who will no doubt protest it 'till they're blue in the face.

[manny_santos]

Looks like it was all a clever buzz marketing ploy...

http://www.ctvlondon.ca/2011/11/publicity-ploy/

[sparky212]

man my mother even said its just a name and that people just need something to bitch about lol

[MolsonExport]

Well, Tim Best is known for ripping off the poor (cheque cashing) and the legal system ("Call Murray!"...."This is the worst thing that could ever happen to London", only a week in jail). I hear he has a lengthy history in baseball. But then, perhaps the London Poodles would be even more appropriate.

[Snark]

All I want to know if is the new team will be playing against the Milwaukee Dahmers, the L.A. Mansons, the Florida Bundys, or the Vancouver Picktons.

Yes, there has been something of an over reaction to this (although still in very bad taste IMO), but it is interesting how the passage of time makes bad things seem not so bad through depersonalization. No one would name a team (or anything else) such as the fictional names shown above. Why? because those people and their actions are all too real. Not enough time has passed to be able to view the individuals and their actions from a passionless, purely academic perspective. Perhaps in 200 more years, there will be a team who's logo includes wide-eyed Charlie swinging a bat - complete with the swastika carved into his forehead.

[Simpseatles]

Well I ate at "Jack the Ribber" during Ribfest, and no one seemed upset about that name!

[Wharn]

Well I ate at "Jack the Ribber" during Ribfest, and no one seemed upset about that name!

That's because all the front-page activists didn't see anything about it in their morning Free Press.

[drjohnnyfever]

And... we're done with the Rippers.

--------------------
Rippers Strike Out in London
AM980
7/25/2012

The Rippers have become the latest ball club to strike out in London.

At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the London Rippers "ceased operations" with just over a month left on their schedule.

More information... (http://www.am980.ca/channels/news/local/Story.aspx?ID=1744530)
--------------------

[haljackey]

Ha! Good riddance!

Their manager was an arse. Brining that odd name to town got them bad publicity, failure to secure a liquor license was another thing.

[MolsonExport]

unlike the recent spate of layoffs, I am happy to hear of this shutdown.

I am sure that all 6 of their fans are devastated.

This woman's crystal ball was correct: http://metronews.ca/news/london/32868/london-rippers-owner-will-fail-miserably-womens-centre/

[MolsonExport]

After 23 home games, the Rippers total attendance is 20,272, an average of 881 per game.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1259297-london-rippers-attendance-woes-not-a-secret

[drjohnnyfever]

After 23 home games, the Rippers total attendance is 20,272, an average of 881 per game.

I had 3 tickets for August 17... so, you know, their attendance would have been 20,275.

[Pimpmasterdac]

The London Rippers we hardly knew ye!

Really though who cares!? All do respect, but the Frontier league is nothingburger baseball. I could go to any ball diamond in London and probably see the same type of stuff without paying, and bring my own beers :cheers:

Owner was a moron too, I could care less about their "logo controversy", who brings a team to a place that clearly doesn't have a liquor licence then expects one to be granted asap without any qualms or work on his end. Without beer that type of baseball is more boring than paint drying.

Goodbye, good riddance!

[That_Chris]

I never saw this coming *looks slightly up the page* oh... yes I did.

Family: You purposefully named your team after a serial killer and then insulted our intelligence with a lame non-sensical back story about "Diamond Jack"? yeah... I'll go watch the Majors.

Badass Londener: Dude, like the name, don't get what everybody is getting their panties in a bunch for. I'll definitely come out to see some games! wait what no beer!? yeah... I'll go watch the Majors