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C

CRUMMY TEAMS WILL

do anything to get better—

including getting worse.

And though tanking has

become popular, there are

other options. An owner with

deep pockets can try to spend

their team out of obscurity. Or

an executive might target their

organization’s culture. Really,

fixing a team is no different

than fixing any other kind of

business. So why don’t owners

use one of the classic strategies

for growing a company:

buying another? Why don’t

franchises ever merge?

Believe it or not: It has happened

before. During World War II,

when players left to fight overseas,

NFL teams merged as a matter

of survival. In 1943, the Eagles

and Steelers combined to form

the “Steagles” (not their official

name). Then, in ’44, the Steelers

teamed up with the Cardinals as

the “Carpets” (Card-Pitt...get it?).

Two struggling NHL franchises, the

Cleveland Barons and Minnesota

North Stars, merged before the

1978–79 season. Two seasons later,

the Frankenteam would reach the

Stanley Cup finals, and lives on

today as the Dallas Stars.