The Heat is off, or “What’s in a name?”

(With apologies to Glenn Frey)

As soon as Tampa Bay Rays dropped the “Devil” from their name, they won the American League pennant. It was the first time in their brief history they had even finished above the .500 mark. Coincidence? Hmmm.

Perhaps that’s what the Maccabi Haifa professional basketball team have in mind. The Israeli Premier League runner-up will drop the team name “Heat” for the 2009-10 season.

A lot has changed with the presentation and marketing of the club since we came in, and this is another step towards establishing a clear identity and better connecting with our fans,” said Jeffrey Rosen, who bought the team in July 2007.

While the National Basketball Association did not make a formal request for a name change, “some private discussions with NBA officials concerned possible confusion in the marketplace, since the NBA markets internationally, and the Miami Heat is one of its franchises.  Coincidentally, Rosen’s home base is Miami where he is regularly exposed to Miami Heat logos and marketing from his offices as chairman of Triangle Financial Services.

“They didn’t formally request the name change, but they do wonderful international marketing and we didn’t want to compete in any way, or confuse the marketplace with a second ‘Heat,’ he said.  The NBA is not a rival -– their success around the world is a model of good business, and whatever popularity they attain in the Middle East helps to promote the game of basketball.  We want to make sure we make our own mark with our fan base.

“The change also brings even greater attention to the city of Haifa and helps further establish our bond and identity.”

A new team logo will be unveiled shortly.

Maccabi Haifa begins practice for its new season in September, under head coach Avi Ashkenazi and assistants Elad Hasin and Mickey Gorke.

In other Israeli basketball news, Triangle, which also owns the Hapoel Kiryat Tivon in the Israeli second division, signed former University of Miami forward Brian Asbury, with an option to be called up to Maccabi Haifa during the season.

Asbury, a Miami native, played for his hometown school UM for four-years from 2005-09.  The 6-foot-7-inch, 221-pound forward averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds last season with the Hurricanes, scoring in double figures in 12 of his 32 games played last season.

“We are proud to sign a local Miami player like Brian out of our U.S. tryout,” said Maccabi Haifa owner Jeffrey Rosen.  “Since the team’s parent company, Triangle, is based in South Florida we are always scouting for local talent.   We look forward to Brian gaining experience in the Second Division with Tivon in hopes to help Haifa down the stretch.“

Asbury will begin the season in the Second Division on the Tivon roster, but will practice with the Maccabi Haifa team during the season.

Triangle held a two-day U.S. tryout at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in July for both Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Kiryat Tivon. Asbury impressed the Triangle management during the two-day tryout, in which 48 players were competing for a chance to play in Israel.

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Kaplan’s Korner on Jews and Sports © 2009 New Jersey Jewish News

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