photo: Jamie Santner/The Cardinal Nation
The Springfield Cardinals are no more. St. Louis’ Double-A affiliate announced Tuesday evening, October 6th, that it will now go by the name “Ozarks Springbirds.”
It’s the second major rebrand to occur with the minor league club this year. In May, the ballpark where Springfield plays changed names from Hammons Field to Route 66 Stadium.
“We are extremely excited to launch our new brand identity today,” Springbirds General Manager Dan Reiter said on Tuesday. “Our new name and logos were created with three things in mind: our city, our region and our birds, to create something we can all be proud to call our own. We can’t wait to see the Springbirds take the field in 2027.”
The name “Springbirds” has been the team’s unofficial nickname for the last couple of decades, popularized by Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Broadcaster Ned Reynolds. Reynolds provided play-by-play for the club on local KY3 telecasts, from the inaugural game in 2005 until 2026. The “Springbirds” moniker has long been used by fans and media members alike in the 22 years of the Springfield Cardinals. Notably, various writers at The Cardinal Nation have also used the name over the years.
Reiter also said the name was chosen to “start this new chapter with an identity that was uniquely ours while knowing how important it was to our fanbase to keep the connection with Cardinals Nation.”
“St. Louis has their Cardinals, Memphis has their Redbirds and now the Ozarks have their Springbirds,” Reiter stated.
The new primary logo for the Springbirds features the new team name on a brand-new, Cardinals-inspired bird to continue the Ozarks’ relationship with the parent club. It also features three components of the Springfield, MO, flag: the top of the compass crown, the three stars and the light blue background.
The crown references Springfield’s nickname: the Queen City of the Ozarks. The three four-pointed stars represent three elements of the city: innovative spirit, connection with nature and Ozarks culture. A light blue background represents tranquil Ozarks waterways.
The moniker “Ozarks” was chosen as the new geographic identifier to unify the fanbase, which supports the team not just in Springfield, but in towns across the region. The primary logo also features a beautiful green landscape, vibrant waterways and tree branches outlining the shield to showcase the beauty of Southwest Missouri.
The secondary logos include an all-new Springbird Feather S, Ozarks O-Bird and Batbird. Three new jerseys will be in use for 2027: a home white, victory blue and alternate/road red will be in rotation for the Springbirds’ inaugural season. Louie and Fetch, the two Springfield mascots, will remain with the Ozarks Springbirds as part of the rebrand.
The team will play under the brand-new Ozarks Springbirds name for the first time on Friday, April 2, 2027, at Route 66 Stadium in Springfield, MO.
Our City. Our Region. Our Birds.https://t.co/jzLf2zrFAP pic.twitter.com/yz3g4oG8Mk
— Ozarks Springbirds (@ozkspringbirds) October 6, 2026
What’s Next
The 2026 Springfield Cardinals Season Review will be published on Wednesday, October 7th.
The full schedule for The Cardinal Nation’s annual article series highlighting team results and top hitters and pitchers across the St. Louis Cardinals system can be found in the following article. After our free Team Recaps across affiliates, we will recognize individual player leaders through the current month and into November.
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Contact Jamie Santner at jdsantner@gmail.com.
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