photo: Route 66 Stadium (Springfield Cardinals)
On Tuesday, August 25th, Springfield General Manager Dan Reiter announced at a press conference that the team is leaving the Cardinals moniker behind at the end of this season. Springfield will continue to use the name throughout the rest of the current Minor League Baseball season.
Reiter mentioned the history of baseball in the Ozarks, dating back to 1905, and said that they will “always cherish the Springfield Cardinals era and we are excited to open this next chapter.”
The Double-A team has carried the Cardinals name since moving to the Queen City in 2005, but its St. Louis parent no longer owns it. Diamond Baseball Holdings has been the team owner since May of 2023. Springfield will remain an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, despite the rebrand, and has no plans to leave the 417.
“We will remain a St. Louis affiliate for years to come and will continue to play right here in Springfield,” Reiter announced.
Both the Springfield Cashew Chickens and Ozarks Snipe Hunters names will still be used as alternate identities but neither will be the new name for the Springfield ball club.
“This rebrand is about becoming uniquely us and representing Southwest Missouri with pride and joy,” Reiter said.
In an FAQ released by the team after the announcement, the reasoning behind the rebrand is that teams across the country have “found it more important to connect with their community instead of using their MLB affiliate’s marks.”
It also said that back in 2005, 22 teams shared the same name as their parent ballclub. Only eight will remain as of 2027, with four of the teams being owned by their MLB affiliates.
This isn’t the first time Springfield has made a major branding change. Before this season, the ballpark was renamed from Hammons Field to Route 66 Stadium, in honor of the city being marked as the birthplace of the Mother Road.
The team has honored the Springfield Cardinal name since Tuesday night and will continue to do so throughout the final nine regular-season home games. Special in-game programming, fan opportunities and giveaways will be included in the celebration, including fans adding names onto a large sign that will be hung at the stadium and special giveaways given throughout the final two home stands.
“We want to honor our roots and offer fans an opportunity to celebrate the end of this chapter with us,” Reiter declared. “Just like the retirement tours for Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina, we felt it was important to let fans know ahead of time and give them the chance to celebrate 22 wonderful years with us. At the same time, we’re incredibly excited about what comes next and the opportunity to build something that feels distinctly unique to our community.”
A new name, logo and uniform will be released on Tuesday, October 6th at a free party in Route 66 Stadium in Springfield, MO. Timing and more information will be released in the coming weeks.
“Our franchise is committed to providing fun and affordability for everyone. And while the name of our team is changing, our dedication to our fans and our community is not,” Reiter said. “Excitement in Cardinals Nation continues to rise. We know that having a new identity for our team will build on that excitement too and give us all something to be proud of.”
What is next?
Catch Jamie Santner’s Springfield Cardinals Notebook, direct from Route 66 Stadium each Thursday for subscribers to The Cardinal Nation.
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