Brian in Boston

A new ownership group - Diamond Dreams, LLC - has purchased the Mankato MoonDogs of the summer collegiate Northwoods League. Along with announcing the status of several upgrades that are being made to the team's home at Franklin Rogers Park, the new owners have also unveiled a new primary logo for the team. Mankato MoonDogs Unveil New Ownership Group, Logo and Major Ballpark Enhancements for 2018

With the exception of those teams operating in the complex-based development leagues in Florida, Arizona and the Dominican Republic, the vast majority of minor league baseball teams are not owned by their parent-clubs. Rather, they're independently - sometimes, locally - owned. As a result, the potential for affiliation changes is all too real. Under your preference, a minor league franchise's identity would be replaced, on a whim, whenever its parent-franchise changed. In my opinion, it is far better when minor league affiliates adopt branding that is tied to local culture and history. Not only are such brands more likely to resonate with local fans, but they need not be changed in the event that a new parent-franchise comes to town.

Except that most NBA G-League teams don't, in fact, share the nicknames of their parent NBA clubs. The majority of NBA G-League franchises - 15 of the circuit's 26 teams... 16 of 27, counting next year's Capital City Go-Go - have unique monikers.

Seattle can begin NHL expansion processIn the wake of the Seattle City Council approving a privately financed $600 million renovation of the Key Arena, Gary Bettman has announced that the ownership group interested in bringing a National Hockey League franchise to Seattle can file an application for an NHL expansion team. The price tag for the potential team will be $650 million and the league is only considering Seattle for expansion.The ownership group - which counts private equity investor David Bonderman and movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer amongst its members - will be permitted to run a season-ticket drive within the next few months in order to gauge interest.

So, if the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and Augusta Green Jackets are any indication, Brandiose has a new staple image in their minor-league design portfolio. In addition to their now well-known "mascot-swinging-an-object-like-a-baseball-bat" design, they've added the "steroid-enhanced-mascot-doing-ab-crunches". I'm surprised they didn't design the "A" with the crossbar stroke and wings going in the opposite direction. That way, it would have looked a bit like a 4, a homonym for "Fore!", which would have tied into the Green Jackets' golf-themed name. That would have been so Brandiose.

The summer collegiate Prospect League's Hannibal, Missouri-based team has unveiled its identity. The team will be known as the Hannibal Hoots. Team colors are black, yellow, grey and white. The club's mascot is an owl. Hoots unveiled as nickname for Hannibal's Prospect League franchise... Hoots bested Huckle-Bears, Hucks, Lumber Barons, and Steamers in the team's "Name the Team" contest.

Fayetteville Baseball Club LLC - operating as the Buies Creek Astros until they move into a new downtown Fayetteville, NC ballpark in 2019 - has submitted applications to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for protection on the names Fayetteville Fatbacks and Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Those were two of the names that - along with Fayetteville Fly Traps, Fayetteville Jumpers, and Fayetteville Wood Dogs - were part of a "Name the Team" contest that the team conducted last year. Team officials have tentative plans to reveal the name during the week of December 4th.http://www.fayobserver.com/news/20171017/fayetteville-fatbacks-woodpeckers-itll-be-one-of-them

Names and logos for two more teams in the summer collegiate Expedition League have been revealed. The team in Spearfish, South Dakota has been named the Spearfish Sasquatch, with the team in Dickinson, North Dakota being dubbed the Badlands Big Sticks. Also, the Hastings, Nebraska-based team has confirmed that it will be be known as the Hastings Sodbusters. Logos for all eight of the Expedition League's teams can be found here. Keith Flynn of Flynnagain Productions is responsible for designing the logos of the Aberdeen Hotshots, Casper Horseheads and the Western Nebraska Pioneers. Ross Johnson of Ross Johnson Design Company has been credited with producing the logo for the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs.

The summer collegiate Northwoods League has awarded an expansion team to Hudson, Wisconsin. The St. Croix River Hounds will begin play in 2019. The team's logo package will be unveiled at a fan event in November.

More branding news is beginning to flow in from the summer collegiate Expedition League. In addition to the Aberdeen, South Dakota-based Hub City Hotshots unveiling their name and logo package, two other expedition league teams have revealed their names and logos, as well: Casper Horseheads (Casper, WY) Western Nebraska Pioneers (Gering, NE) Additionally, the team based in Hastings, Nebraska has announced that it will be known as the Hastings Sodbusters. Logos are forthcoming. Lastly, The Expedition League teams based in Dickinson, North Dakota and Pierre and Spearfish, South Dakota have narrowed their possible team identities down to the following finalists: Dickinson, ND Badlands Big Sticks Dakota Rattlers Queen City Settlers Western Roughnecks Pierre, SD Pierre Trappers Pierre Prairie Dogs Pierre Ranchers Spearfish, SD Spearfish Batz Spearfish Sasquatch Spearfish Stingers Queen City Royals No word, as yet, on what the Expedition League ball clubs in Brandon, Manitoba; Minot, North Dakota; and Rapid City, South Dakota are going to do with regard to names and logos. It does appear that Keith Flynn of Flynnagain Productions will be creating the logo packages for all of the league's teams.

Baseball is returning to Luther Williams Field in Macon, Georgia. Specifically, a summer collegiate outfit in the Coastal Plain League. The team has unveiled the five finalists in its "Name the Team" contest. They are: Macon Bacon Macon Heat Macon Hits Macon Noise Macon Soul Frankly, based upon these candidates, I'm of the mind that they should have simply resurrected the Macon Peaches name sported by teams in the South Atlantic League, Southern Association, Southern League, and Southeastern League for 42-and-a-half seasons. As of now, only the Macon Bacon moniker has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. You can provide the team with feedback about the team name finalists at http://www.maconbaseball2018.com

Correct. The Twins played "footsie" with the Triad, as opposed to the Triangle.

Well, according to the G-Braves' general manager, North Johnson, Gwinnett Buttons, "... was, by far, the most popular submitted name, so it has made our 'Final Six'."

The Gwinnett Braves have unveiled the options in their name-the-team contest, along with their (purported) significance and suitability. They are: Gwinnett Big Mouths - Named after the state fish of Georgia, the Big Mouths are a tribute to bass fishing on Lake Lanier. Gwinnett Buttons - The Buttons honor Gwinnett County’s namesake, Button Gwinnett, signatory of the Declaration of Independence. Gwinnett Gobblers - The Gobblers celebrate the outdoors, hunting and eating all the foods we love in the state of Georgia. Gwinnett Hush Puppies - Our stealthy hunting dog is sneaking through the weeds, about to rustle up some ducks. But don’t think we’re all that serious. You can expect a “corny” fan experience at the “Puppies” game! Gwinnett Lambchops - A chop off the old block, the Lambchops marry the region’s love of home cooking with the Tomahawk Chop of the Atlanta Braves. Gwinnett Sweet Teas - It’s a regional icon “to a tea!” The Sweet Teas celebrate the laid-back lifestyle of Gwinnett County while displaying a real sweet look. Voting is underway through July 24th.

The New Jersey Jackals of the independent Can-Am League have unveiled a new logo package. Jackals Announce New Logo Designs

I didn't make myself clear. I actually like the presence of the mills in the Spinners' primary logo. I simply think that Canaligator should be wearing the simplest of the team's caps - blue with the red L - within the primary logo.

I wonder how the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders' introduction of their "Baby Bombers" alternate logo is sitting with the New Orleans Baby Cakes? http://citizensvoice.com/sports/railriders-team-unveils-baby-bombers-alternate-logo-1.2147909 It's been just 2-1/2 months since Brandiose rolled-out the new Baby Cakes identity for New Orleans. You'd think that they'd have tried a bit harder not to ape another client's newly-unveiled identity package when generating the alternative mark for the RailRiders.

This is the problem that I have with the new logo set. Depict the mascot wearing the simplest of the caps - blue with the red L - and call it a day.

Credit where credit is due: In my opinion, Brandiose created a terrific set of logos for the Wood Ducks. Easily their best work in quite some time.

A franchise in the new independent Southwest League of Professional Baseball has unveiled its identity. The team, which will play in a proposed multi-purpose facility in the Waco, Texas suburb of Bellmead, will be dubbed the Waco BlueCats. The team's name pays homage to the largest species of North American catfish, a favorite of anglers fishing the Brazos River and Lake Waco. BlueCats beat out four other possible team names: Woolies, Mammoths, Peppers, and Grackles. Waco BlueCats Official Name Announcement Waco BlueCats Uniforms and Caps The BlueCats' logo package and uniforms were designed by Alan Beam of Beam Team Design in Mansfield, Texas.

The Lynchburg Hillcats have unveiled their new uniforms. 'Cats Unveil Uniforma and Fan Experience

Not in my family. My five great-aunts, three great-uncles (all born and raised in the Irish Channel), and all of their children and grandchildren call the trinket a "Cake Baby". I've never thought to ask them why that is... beyond sheer linguistic laziness.

Despite the team sporting a solid logo package, I simply can't forgive the strained, convoluted branding gymnastics that had to be undertaken in order to come up with the Baby Cakes moniker. * The pastry is a King Cake. * The trinket baked into the pastry is a King Cake Baby, or Cake Baby. If playing off of the symbolism of the traditional cake and its hidden gift was the route that Brandiose and team management wanted to go, they should have dubbed the team either the New Orleans King Cakes, or the New Orleans Cake Babies. New Orleans Baby Cakes not only sounds asinine, it means absolutely nothing insofar as Greater New Orleans cultural traditions are concerned. Still, that's typical of Brandiose at its most egregious: they make up their minds as to what they're going to name the team, then reverse engineer any and all facets of the branding package necessary to justify - no matter how awkwardly - their choice.

Personally, I'm of the mind that - when done right - unique identities for minor-league franchises are vastly preferable to simply aping the parent-club's name, logos, and uniforms. Off the top of my head, a "Top Ten" of MiLB identity-packages would include: Bradenton Marauders Burlington Bees Clearwater Threshers Daytona Tortugas (I also thought the Daytona Cubs identity - which immediately preceded the change to Tortugas - was outstanding.) Durham Bulls Hillsboro Hops (Easily my favorite current identity package in MiLB.) Idaho Falls Chukars Modesto Nuts Toledo Mud Hens Visalia Rawhide (I loved the Mudville Nine identity even more.) I'm also a fan of the identities sported by the Asheville Tourists, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Lakeland Flying Tigers, Reno Aces, and West Virginia Black Bears.

Given all that has transpired during this year's presidential campaign, every time I look at the secondary mark featuring the State of Florida, I want to call the team the "Trumpo Shrimp". "You know, I'm automatically attracted to battleground states. I just start stumping them. It's like a magnet. Just stump. I don't even wait. And when you're a political outsider , they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the panhandle. You can do anything."