National Basketball Association

Warriors president hints Golden State won't become the 'San Francisco Warriors'

Published Jan. 6, 2017 10:49 a.m. ET

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Andrew Lynch

The Golden State Warriors are preparing to break ground on their new arena in San Francisco later this month, but that doesn't necessarily mean the team is anticipating a name change when it leaves Oakland in 2019.

Warriors team president/COO Rick Welts told the Warriors Insider Podcast this week that Golden State's recent ascent to annual championship contender has the front office rethinking any potential change.

Via CSN Bay Area:

“The team’s success has caused us to really rethink whether or not that’s something we should or want to do,” Welts said on the Warriors Insider Podcast. “I guess it’s fair to say there’s been no final decision made.

“But if you were a betting man, I think you would probably want to wager that the name might remain the same.”

 

The Warriors originally played in Philadelphia from 1946 through 1961 before relocating to San Francisco in 1962. The Warriors then became the "Golden State Warriors" after moving to Oakland in 1971.

The Warriors chose the "Golden State" nickname in an attempt to suggest they represent the state of California, and in fact, they played six home games in San Diego during their first season in Oakland. The travel and scheduling became too burdensome during the 1971-72 season, however, and the Warriors settled on Oakland as their permanent, 41-game home for the 1972-73 season.

Of course, Golden State still plays in the same Oakland Arena (now Oracle Arena) they called home starting in 1972. That arena is the oldest in the NBA — until the Warriors move across the bay, anyway.

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