Minor League Baseball has a long history of wild nicknames and strategic promotions to gain attention and put local fans in seats. Case in point: The Augusta GreenJackets have announced that on the weekend of August 2nd the GreenJackets will take the field as the Augusta Pimento Cheese.
It makes sense. While a silly name can generate national headlines, attention and perhaps on-line merch sales, there has to be something about the team that allows the local fans to feel a connection. They are the ones attending games and spending money at SRP Park.
“We knew that if we wanted to represent the CSRA in a food related promotion that pimento cheese was the only way to go. Everyone in the country ties pimento cheese to this area” said Greenjackets General Manager, Brandon Greene.
Minor League Baseball teams have almost total control over the direction they go with nicknames and logos, and, therefore, sink or swim largely on their own.
The GreenJackets sought a new team name to highlight a signature staple piece of the CSRA, the Pimento Cheese. The sharable nature of social media has played a huge role in spreading these new, quirky names and sometimes the national reaction can make an impact at home. It will be interesting to see if the Pimento Cheese goes viral. The team collaborated with the same company that created the GreenJackets logo to come up with the re-brand. The uniforms will feature new merchandise both online and in-store at the Hive Pro Shop, including New Era baseball caps, t-shirts and more.
To purchase merchandise, visit www.pimentocheesebaseball.com.
