Newest Atlantic League member unveils name and logos

Today the newest member of the independent Atlantic League unveiled its name. The city of Gastonia has a history of professional baseball but had a team in the collegiate Coastal Plain League in the past years. But the team did not draw well, partially because of poor management.

But today, a new chapter in Gastonia baseball started as the new club unveiled its name.
In the past months, the fans could choose from a list with the following names: Gastonia Fire Ants, Gastonia Hogzillas, Gastonia Honey Hunters, Gastonia Hotshots, and Gastonia Uppercuts. Eventually the name Honey Hunters was chosen.

With the unveiling of the name, the logos of the team were presented. The main logo and mascot of the team is a honey badger, said to be representing the spirit of the people of Gastonia: fearless, determined, and resilient. The designer of the logos is Brandiose, the San Diego based design company that is responsible for many minor league logos.

In a tweet, the name was also presented:

According to team owner Brandon Bellamy, “Honey Hunters was chosen to reflect the shared traits between the City of Gastonia and those of the most fearless animal in the world: fearless, determined, and resilient. From Day One, I was inspired by Gastonia’s embodiment of these attributes, particularly as they relate to their unwavering commitment to ‘continuous improvement,’ or as we like to say, the ‘hunt for honey,’ which is something we can all relate to.”

The name Honey Hunter pays homage to the original Honey Hunter, Ransom Hunter – Gaston County’s first freed slave and African American land owner.

Official Honey Hunters merchandise and season tickets are available now on the club’s newly launched website, www.GoHoneyHunters.com. Fans can also follow team announcements and updates on its new social media platforms under the handle, @GoHoneyHunters on Instagram and Twitter, and Facebook.com/GoHoneyHunters.

The Honey Hunters will start playing in a new 5,000+ seat downtown, multi-use sports and entertainment facility which was constructed for $26 million.