24 / SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS GETTY ELIOT JI.M SCAGEHECS (BUTTERFLY); HTER/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (RATS);
LAYNE MURDOCH JR./NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (WILLIAMSON AND BALL)
There are impediments to the
modern merger. Rival pro leagues
with easily acquired teams are less
common (though the USFL and
XFL plan to return soon). And even
if two organizations were daring
enough to try it, there would sure
to be objections from fans and
rival owners. Instead of fixating on
why it won’t happen, however, let’s
imagine if it could. Which teams
would benefit from a mash-up? And
could anyone ever top the name
“Steagles”?
The London Jungle Cats
The idea of moving the Jaguars to
London has been kicked around for
years. Every season, Jacksonville
plays a game at Wembley Stadium,
as if to prepare the British fans
for the possibility. But after eight
games in the U.K., the Jags remain
in Florida, where attendance
figures are poor. The Lions have
similar issues drawing fans.
And the problem may become
permanent: Detroit is one of the
fastest-shrinking cities in the
United States.
The fit makes sense on the field.
The Lions have some exciting
young weapons on offense in
Amon-Ra St. Brown, T.J. Hockenson,
and D’Andre Swift, but no franchise
quarterback to get them the ball.
They won’t find a better passer in
the draft than Trevor Lawrence.
The plan is simple: The Jaguars
contribute Lawrence and a map of
London. The Lions bring everything
else, including their classic
silhouette logo. The teams combine
their gold-and-silver color schemes
Rats at Bat
The Rays/Mets can
copy the Florida
Panthers’ unofficial
rodent mascot.to commemorate the serious coin—
or quid, as the Brits say—they’ll be
making soon.The New York Rats
Is it ironic that the Rays have a
reputation as one best run teams
in baseball, despite their lack of
resources? Or was it inevitable?
Maybe spending less forced
them to create a great front office
because they have no margin forerror. Either way, their success is
undeniable. From 2008–’21, Tampa
Bay had a .545 winning percentage.
In that same span, the Mets’ record
was just .487. But new owner Steve
Cohen has spared no expense in
remaking his team into a true
crosstown rival for the Yankees.
You see where I’m going with this.
Why spend a quarter billion
dollars on player payroll trying to
copy Tampa when the entire RaysWhat If...