The Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International League) will rebrand for the 2019 season, coinciding with a switch in affiliation to team owner New York Mets.
The Mets purchased the Chiefs prior to the 2018 season, but the team is currently fulfilling the final season of a player development contract with the Washington Nationals. Once that affiliation agreement expires, the Chiefs will become an affiliate of the Mets, a switch that will coincide with a change to a new name.
It was already anticipated that a name change for 2019 and beyond could be in the offing, and the Chiefs have announced that that will be the case. An official announcement on the rebrand is expected to come after the 2018 season concludes. More from Syracuse.com:
The Syracuse Chiefs, in their first year under new ownership by the New York Mets this season, have announced plans to change their name in 2019. That’s when the Mets will first put their Triple-A prospects on NBT Bank Stadium field.
The Chiefs can’t reveal their new name or logo until after the season, but there’s a good chance both will be very Mets-centric.
The Chiefs name has a long history. The name goes back to 1934, with the original Syracuse Chiefs competing in the International League. It was continuously used through 1957 across two franchises, then revived in 1961 when the International League’s Montreal Royals moved to MacArthur Stadium. (A rebranding in 1997 saw the team play as the SkyChiefs through 2006, but the Chiefs name was still used as a secondary mark.)
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