NBA says it won't allow corporate nickname for Memphis team
<br>MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) _ The NBA may not let the Vancouver Grizzlies become the Memphis Express if the basketball team moves to town. <br><br>FedEx Corp. wants to buy naming rights to the team and a new
Tuesday, May 22nd 2001, 12:00 am
By: News On 6
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) _ The NBA may not let the Vancouver Grizzlies become the Memphis Express if the basketball team moves to town.
FedEx Corp. wants to buy naming rights to the team and a new arena if the NBA grants permission for the Grizzlies to move to Memphis, the overnight shipping company's headquarters. FedEx discussed the possibility of Memphis Express as a team name in its approximately $100 million offer.
However, Joel Litvin, NBA executive vice president of legal and business affairs, said the league forbids corporate nicknames. ``That's not territory that we're prepared to enter,'' Litvin told The Commercial Appeal on Monday.
FedEx spokeswoman Shirley Clark said team and arena names have not been settled.
``I don't know what other names may have been suggested, so there's nothing to indicate we would not still be interested at this point,'' she said Tuesday.
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