Auckland ABL franchise presents name and colours

This morning, the new Australian Baseball League team from Auckland, New Zealand, has presented its name and colours. The team will be named after a New Zealand native reptile.

The New Zealand expansion team announced it will adopt the name Tuatara and the colors teal and navy blue, which have a strong link to the region’s marine heritage, as its colours.

Auckland Tuatara Board member Brett O’Riley stated: “The Tuatara was an iconic reptile, unique to New Zealand. It is part of the Hauraki Gulf Islands conservation programme in Auckland. We are celebrating the resilience of the Tuatara as our oldest surviving species. We want the team to mirror those qualities on the diamond. We intend to make an annual contribution towards Tuatara conservation through Auckland Zoo and global coverage of the team will raise awareness of New Zealand’s commitment to species protection.”

Next to the presentation of their name and colours, the Tuatara announced their 12 home games during their inaugural season will be played at McLeod Park in Te Atatu. Auckland’s home opener is against Brisbane on November 22. The Tuatara will move into their long-term home at QBE Stadium, Albany, for the 2019/2020 season.

There have been talks to get an ABL franchise for almost a decade before the city finally was awarded a spot in late 2017. It normally takes two years for preparations to establish a new team. In the case of the Tuatara, it all had to be done in less than a year.