With the Colorado Springs SkySox moving to San Antonio and the Helena Brewers filling the void in 2019, the owner of both teams, the Elmore Sports Group, has organized a name-the-team contest for the new Colorado Springs team. There is only one catch; to participate you have to be a Colorado citizen.
So with a new team in Colorado Springs in 2019, a new name will be on tap. This whole
thing is the result of a three-team move by the Elmore Sports Group. The Sky Sox (AAA, Pacific Coast League) will move to San Antonio, the San Antonio Missions (AA, Texas League) will move to Amarillo and the Helena Brewers (Advanced Rookie, Pioneer League) will move to Colorado Springs to fill the void the Sky Sox are leaving.
One can wonder how a rookie ball team that only plays 76 games per season fill a (former) AAA stadium that has a capacity of 8,500. One doesn’t have to be an economic expert to realize that operating a stadium like that in a short season league like the Pioneer League likely will end up in red figures. As the stadium is owned by the ESG itself, perhaps the group may decide to demolish parts of it or even build a new ballpark.
But regarding the name-the-team contest, Chris Phillips, Sky Sox General Manager. states: “There is no better way to welcome in a new era of Colorado Springs Professional Baseball than by having our fan’s help name and brand this team. As baseball continues to evolve and advance, Colorado Springs deserves a team and brand that is representative of this city and our community. We need your stories to develop an identity that will be true to the heart of Colorado Springs and want everyone to be a part of Colorado Springs professional baseball history by embracing this rare opportunity to help tell the story.”
The sweepstakes will run until June 27. Fans can enter the contest by going to the team’s website at SkySox.com and clicking on the can’t miss “Name The Team” Sweepstakes graphic. Fans are encouraged to suggest their idea for a team name along with an explanation of why that name is significant to Colorado Springs. Judging will be based on five criteria: originality, creativity, uniqueness, regional relevance, and appropriateness for the audience.
The fan whose submission leads to the team’s new name will receive a VIP Baseball Package – Four field-level season tickets for the 2019 season, an authentic, personalized team jersey, and an on-field introduction on Opening Night 2019 with the opportunity to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Following two weeks of name entries, the top five to seven names selected will be listed on the website (SkySox.com) for fan voting, which will take place in mid-July. The winning name will be revealed at a press conference this fall. All finalists will also be invited to the unveiling event.
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