Hi, I'm new, this is my first post, ergo my first stupid question

[austinsportsguy]

Is it Gators basketball begin new season or Gators basketball begins new season?

Or ...

Is it Gator basketball begins new season ...

I'm 52. A 29-year-old asked me and I said it's Gators basketball begin new season, because teams are inherently plural.

That said, my background was collegiate wrestling, which really isn't a team sport so much.

Cheers and thanks,

Jasper

 

[Starman]

I'd say "Gators begin new basketball season."

Of the remaining choices I'd say "Gator basketball begins new season" is the least awkward.

 

[da man]

Neither. "Gators begin new basketball season."

I'm assuming this is a headline.

 

[JohnHammond]

I'd scrap that headline and come up with something that would catch a reader's eye.

 

[da man]

Also, not that I have any authority around here, but this would probably be a better fit for the Journalism Topics board.

 

[austinsportsguy]

Thanks. It was a skybox. A teaser, not a hed.

 

[Chef2]

forking beej.

 

[Moderator1]

The suggestions are good about alternatives but to answer your question: Gators basketball is singular.

 

[ringer]

While we're at it... you can delete the word new. It's implied with "begin"

Um, unless they're beginning their old season. (?!)

Another tip about redundancies (for future use): if you ever write about someone breaking a world record - do NOT say the athlete set a NEW world record. It's a world record. Period. There can only be one, unless the athlete just tied the world record. But even then, it's not a new mark, just a tie. Fwiw

 

[TwoGloves]

Gators not Gator for SEO purposes. People will search Gators not Gator.

 

[MNgremlin]

This is something I struggle with often as well, going back and forth.

Mustang basketball team or Mustangs basketball team?

 

[HandsomeHarley]

I have a huge pet peeve with headlines that turn a sport into an object. It's just poor writing.

Your hed makes me think of a basketball with a Gators logo, sitting there with eyes, a nose and a mouth, living, breathing.

And Gremlin, it's "Mustangs basketball team," assuming there's more than one Mustang. Otherwise, it's not a team -- it's an individual.