The Connecticut Tigers (Short Season A; NY-Penn League) are planning to rebrand ahead of the 2020 season, as the team has started accepting fan input for a new moniker.
The Tigers have played at Norwich’s Dodd Stadium since 2010, their first season in Connecticut after relocating from Oneonta, NY. The franchise has been known as the Connecticut Tigers since arriving in Norwich, carrying over the Tigers name from Oneonta, but that will soon change with plans to rebrand taking shape.
Submissions from fans on a new name are being accepted now, as the Tigers announced the launch of the process this week. How the rebranding takes shape remains to be seen, but it is known that the club is planning to include Norwich in its new name. More from The Day:
In anticipation of an upcoming vote as early as next week by the Norwich City Council to approve a new lease to keep the team in Norwich for at least another decade, the Tigers on Thursday announced an online “Name the Team” contest.
“As we head towards the 25th season of Minor League Baseball here in Norwich, we want the fans to help decide what the future will look like at Dodd Stadium,” Tigers General Manager Dave Schermerhorn said in a news release Thursday. “What better way to kick off a new era of Minor League Baseball in Norwich than by having our fans help determine a name that will be representative of them and our community?”
Fans can submit their team name suggestions at www.cttigers.com, along with an explanation of why they feel their suggestion perfectly embodies the community. The online contest runs through April 25. The top choices will be released this summer for community input and voting, and the winning name will be announced later this year.
Individuals can submit multiple suggestions, Schermerhorn said. “We’re looking for as many good suggestions as we can get,” he said.
The Tigers will work with Brandiose on the rebranding process.
Dodd Stadium originally hosted the Norwich Navigators (Class AA; Eastern League) starting in 1995, with the team later rebranding as the Connecticut Defenders before relocating to Richmond, VA prior to the 2010 season. The Tigers then moved to Norwich and Dodd Stadium, and have played there since 2010.