April 9, 2016
New Orleans Zephyrs to Change Name
'Name the Team' contest to be held to solicit ideas
After nearly 25 years in the Crescent City, the
New Orleans Zephyrs are getting a new identity.
The team, who moved from Denver in the wake of the 1993 MLB expansion but kept their old name, will be re-branding for 2017, according to owner Lou Schwechheimer.
"This has been on the cards since I purchased the club, and with the 25th season in New Orleans coming up next year, it seemed like the right time," Schwechheimer said. "We're excited to see what our fans can come up with."
Schwechheimer indicated that his preference would be for tradition, but external factors would prevent that.
"Personally, I would love to re-brand as the Pelicans," he said, referring to the traditional name used by New Orleans baseball teams until 1978. "But obivously, that's not an option since [Tom] Benson has the rights to that name. But the beauty of New Orleans is its rich history, which lends itself to many other possibilities."
Benson, the owner of both the NFL Saints and NBA Pelicans, originally bought the rights to the Pelicans name in 1992 in the hopes that he could land one of the two AAA expansion franchises coming on board the next year. But the National Association decided to move the displaced Denver AAA franchise to the New Orleans market instead. Benson kept the rights to the name, refusing to license them to former Zephyrs owner Rob Couhig, and eventually used it for the NBA team formerly known as the Hornets, which he purchased in 2012.
The Zephyrs were named after the famous Denver Zephyr passenger train. However, when they moved to their new home, a bit of serendipity occurred, as the Zephyr was also the name of a popular roller coaster at New Orleans' Pontchartrain Beach amusement park. However, Schwechheimer said, it's time for the team to cut the final tie to Denver.
"The name Zephyr has long been associated with family-friendly entertainment in New Orleans, and we've been proud to be a part of that tradition," he said. "But at the end of the day, the name comes from a train that never travelled to New Orleans, not the roller coaster. It's time for a New Orleans nickname."
The new team name will make its debut in 2017.