In a league where branding means a lot to a team, it makes sense for one to make sure that the team’s name sounds good. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with the Dallas Mavericks.
As gallant-sounding as their name is, the opposite thing happens when they’re called out by China. The term “Mavericks” is an American way of referring to a free-spirited individual.
But in China, the Mavericks are called “Xiao Niu,” which means little cow. Because of this, the Mavericks management underwent a global rebranding campaign in the last five months. And on Wednesday, it will unveil its new name.
Article Continues BelowIt's official: in China, the Dallas Mavericks are no longer the "Dallas Little Cows;" they're the "Dallas Lone Ranger Heroes."
Which is…better? https://t.co/rDVUM7quy6— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 4, 2018
This won’t affect how they’re recognized in English or other countries. Instead, it will just serve as a correction for the Chinese misinterpretation of the term “Mavericks.” Marc Cuban says in an interview with ESPN last year that he wasn’t happy with how the Mavericks are called in China.
The Mavericks owner then adds that he doesn’t want his team to be called a little cow, that’s why he’s happy that they had the chance to change their Chinese team name. The campaign was a tedious process due to the many legal hurdles and to the Chinese’s language complexity.
In fact, there were 60,000-plus name submissions proposed. It’s now down to three: Mad Horses, Lone Rangers, and Wild Horses.