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Strategy March 20, 2019

MiLB Teams Rebrand Names, Logos For Select Games to Celebrate Latino Communities

The nicknames take inspiration from culture, and many of the logos are wonderfully imagined and executed.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Minor League Baseball is celebrating Hispanic/Latino heritage and cultures with the Copa de la Diversión – or “Fun Cup”. The initiative includes a reimagining of MiLB team logos that we thought branding-obsessed promotional products pros might enjoy.

This year, the Copa de la Diversión will have 72 MiLB teams participating. When the Fun Cup comes to town, the fan experience takes inspiration from Latino communities, with culturally relevant food and entertainment – and a change in team logo and nickname to something inspired by the culture being embraced, according to MiLB.

One of our favorite logo/name changes was for the Philadelphia Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs, which will temporarily become the Coquís de Lehigh Valley. Coquís are tree frogs, and they hold a special place in Puerto Rican culture. Allentown – the Pennsylvania city that hosts the IronPigs – has a significantly-sized Puerto Rican community.

Another logo change-up we loved came from the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A affiliate Louisville Bats, which rebranded as the Murciélagos de Louisville. It’s a play on words: Murciélagos means bats (as in the animal), and the team is particularly referencing Cuban greater funnel-earned bats. The colors, letter styling on the jersey, and Mesoamerican-inspired embroidered design on the cap are deftly stylish and sharp in our opinion.

Meanwhile, we appreciated the inspiration that went into the Las Vegas Aviators nickname and logo change to Reyes de Plata de Las Vegas. “The Aviators' alternative persona, ‘Reyes de Plata,’ or ‘Silver Kings,’ pays homage to the migrant workers that helped shape the rich mining history of Nevada, and gave the state its ‘Silver State’ nickname,” says the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

Still, probably our personal favorite alternative team name/logo concept goes to the Albuquerque Isotopes, which will transform into the Mariachis de Nuevo México, just as they did last season. “Mariachi bands, like baseball, provide the colorful soundtrack of people's lives,” said the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. “Mariachis represent celebrations and shared experiences for family and friends -- the very fabric of Minor League Baseball. By re-branding to the ‘Mariachis,’ the team honors the function of these musicians, celebrates their heritage, and provides a communal bonding experience over dance, attire and music.” Plus, the logo is pretty kick-butt, to use the highbrow term:

Overall, kudos to MiLB on the Copa de la Diversión. It’s an entertaining adventure in culture and creative alternative branding, all focused on better connecting with and uniting its audiences. Gran trabajo!! Apparently, we’re not the only ones to think so:

See all 72 teams’ logos here.