NBA Could Share Team's Thunder

Reports suggest the OKC NBA franchise has chosen Thunder as its new nickname. Another Sooner State sports team has already staked claim to the name.

Sunday, July 20th 2008, 2:00 pm

By: News On 6

The shirts are selling, but Oklahoma's new black and white NBA t-shirts have left some gray area on what the franchise, formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics, will be called next season.

Reports are saying the OKC franchise has chosen Thunder as its new nickname. The only problem is another Sooner State sports team has already staked claim to the name, the World Football League's Oklahoma Thunder.

"It's a little bit awkward to have two teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Thunder," said Oklahoma Thunder Owner, James Ashford, "but maybe they like the color scheme too."

The Oklahoma Thunder is undefeated and the number one team in the World Football League. The team stealing their thunder has made a pretty big impact being the state's first permanent pro sports team.

"We've created some notoriety with the name. We appreciate the sentiment that they thought enough of the name that we've kind of patented to copy it," said Oklahoma Thunder Linebacker, Chris Chappell. "They're a different venue. They're in Oklahoma City. We're in Tulsa. So, maybe we can play that off each other a little bit."

Although nothing's official, reports suggest the NBA franchise will be called the Oklahoma City Thunder, which wouldn't be a copyright infringement on the Oklahoma Thunder football team.

"We hope that they will come up with something different, but if they don't, it's not something you'll see a big fight over," said Ashford.

The football Thunder is willing to co-exist with its new basketball brethren.

"It's an NBA team. It's a much bigger venue. It's going to be a draw for the both of us. It's going to be, Ã¢â‚¬Ëœwhich team is it, the football team or the basketball team?' It's going to have fans doing their research and finding out what's going on," said Chappell.

By Kyle Dierking, Video Journalist.