At Monday’s news conference where D.C. United officials announced their commitment to moving to Maryland, Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson started off by saying “welcome home” to the team’s president.

To which Kevin Payne later responded: “Mr. County Executive, we’re happy to be home.”

But when officials were asked whether the team would be changing its name after the move to Maryland — well, that was another story.

“Our name is D.C. United, that’s no disrespect to Prince George’s County,” Owner Victor MacFarlane said. “We’re a powerful brand in the sports business so I don’t see us changing the name.”

So for now it seems United will go the way of the Redskins (who play at FedEx Field in Landover) and keep its allegiance to D.C. while Maryland gets the stadium tax revenues. Maryland would certainly not be the loser in that scenario, and a team playing just outside its affiliated city is not unusual. (The New York Jets and Giants, who play in New Jersey, come to mind.)

But on the other hand, those NFL squads are decades older than United and had a history built with their cities. It could be easier to reestablish United — a 13-year-old team — as a Maryland squad and begin building a history in its new stadium.

Plus there’s that cache and identity that goes with the team name — for all the floundering District officials did in the team’s process of finding a new stadium site, why should D.C. stay in the name? If MacFarlane gets his shopping and residential community built around the new stadium in Prince George’s County, wouldn’t then the team be more identified with Maryland than D.C.?

What do you think? If the team moves, should Maryland or Prince George’s County get the name?

LIZ FARMER, Business Writer

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Sen. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s County) proposed a bill today that would add a $20 tax to “tobacco paraphernalia” such as bongs and water pipes.

“Bongs are not used for cigarette smoking,” Muse said. “They’re used for illegal drugs. I think people recognize immediately what they’re used for.”

The law would require people to be at least 18 before buying a bong and would apply a $20 tax to their purchase.

Apparently, Muse feels an extra $20 would act as a deterrent for young people who smoke pot.

Here’s the bill.

(Wonder what effect, if any, this could have on hookah bars?)

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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