Let’s help the new Savannah summer league team pick a name
Baseball fans unite. The new summer league team based out of Savannah, GA. needs help picking a name and they’ve called upon us for assistance.
One can’t blame them, either. On the heels of the New Britain Rock Cats relocating to Hartford and rebranding as the Yard Goats with help from the Internet, the new Savannah squad is hoping we’ll again have the long-term answers to all of their branding and marketing questions as well.
After all, not only did the Internet help name Hartford’s team the Yard Goats, it motivated them to create this incredible jingle that has been stuck in our head for a week straight.
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The Yard Goats are up and running with a head of marketing steam. Now Savannah looks to follow suit as they prepare to debut in the Coastal Plain League — a summer wooden-bat league aimed at helping college ballplayers keep their skills sharp between seasons. The process began with an online vote over the winter, which actually allowed fans to write in their choices. After careful consideration, they’ve narrowed it down to the five best — and possibly cleanest — choices.
They are as follows:
— Savannah Anchors
— Savannah Seagulls
— Savannah Ports
— Savannah Party Animals
— Savannah Bananas
The first three all play off Savannah’s location. The city lies on the Savannah River, about 20 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean. It was a key city in the American Revolution and during the American Civil War, so if you’re a history buff or even a Savannah resident, the Ports would probably be the most appealing and meaningful choice.
Anchors could be a sneaky good name too and lead to some unusual marketing opportunities. How about a giant anchor beyond the outfield fence that rises and lowers on every home run like the Big Apple at Citi Field? The logo would be an original too and could be used as a nod to the United States Naval Academy.
Seagulls is another fitting name, but feels like the least exciting or creative name of the group. You could say it’s the safest choice, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but we’d prefer something with a little more meaning and buzz.
Moving along, the Party Animals would definitely get some attention. Especially from the college crowd, which fits well with a collegiate based team. Perhaps it doesn’t portray an image some people would want to associate with their local team, but it made their list. If the team is comfortable with it, we should be too.
Last and not least there’s the Bananas. That name would seem to be indicative of very little, other than the fact that it rhymes with Savannah. Rhyming names can be fun when they make sense, like the Tampa Bay Rays, but there are more sensible choices here with long-lasting potential. Then again, this name seems to have the best jingle potential, so maybe we shouldn’t count it out so quickly.
[Elsewhere: Tim Flannery is fed up with Padres fans, writes lengthy statement]
Those are the choices. On a personal level, I feel like the Anchors would be the best all-around decision, but perhaps you feel differently. Feel free to “a-weigh” in here and vote on the Savannah baseball website.
The winning name will be announced on Feb. 25.
BLS H/N: Cut 4
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
