News - 10/12/2002

Northern League (baseball) - Kansas City T-Bones

Kansas City T-Bones Announce Nickname

Minor League Baseball team selects name, seeks slogans from fans

KANSAS CITY, KS Oct. 12, 2002 Kansas City's new minor league baseball club has selected a team name from thousands of suggestions from local fans. The team will begin play in the 2003 season as the Kansas City T-Bones.

"We were bowled over by the fans' response to our Name the Team contest," said Mike Hurd, the T-Bones' executive vice president. "We received nearly 3,000 suggestions in about two weeks. Entries ranged from Aardvarks to Zippers; from Blues to Jazz, from racing terms to river slang, from traditional to wacky."

Hurd estimated that the team received more than 2,200 different names. The remaining entries were duplicates of dozens of popular entries. Fans entered their suggestions on-line through the team's web site at kcnlbaseball.com, through kansascity.com and on paper ballots distributed at the Kansas Speedway and the Renaissance Festival.

"This is testimony to the Kansas City area's excitement over the arrival of Northern League baseball in this community," said John Ehlert, T-Bones' owner. "Everywhere we go in the metropolitan area, we hear from fans and sponsors that they are thrilled to welcome minor league baseball to town."

Ehlert announced on Sept. 4 that he would relocate his Duluth-Superior Dukes franchise in the independent Northern League to a new stadium under construction in Village West, located in the Wyandotte County Tourism District.

The new 4,500-seat stadium, located at 110th and State Ave., will be directly north of the Kansas Speedway. The stadium will join a star-studded neighborhood that is already home to Cabela's, and will soon welcome the opening of Nebraska Furniture Mart, the Great Wolf Lodge Family Resort and the Legends at Village West Shopping Center.

Team officials chose what they thought was the most fitting and creative team name. A panel of team, Northern League, and marketing personnel weighed in on the entries, and selected "T-Bones" Thursday.

"Minor league baseball upholds a proud tradition of creative team names and logos. We raised the bar for ourselves as we sorted through the entries in search of a name that was different, fun and loaded with attitude," Hurd said. "T-Bones was our clear favorite."

Team officials conferred with Kansas Beef Council spokesman Joe Linot regarding their selection. He thought it was a clever choice for both steak and baseball lovers.

Linot reminded baseball officials that the t-bone steak is cut close to the center of the steer. It features cuts of tenderloin and strip sirloin.

"What says 'Kansas City' more than a K.C. strip?" Hurd asked. "The t-bone is a favorite among Kansas City steak lovers. And we expect the Kansas City T-Bones to quickly become a favorite among Kansas City baseball lovers."

Six different fans entered "T-Bones." Team officials drew one of the six Chris Dunn, of Kansas City, Mo. as the winner of a grand prize from the team. Dunn is the winner of a set of four box seats to the team's home opener in June along with an opening day bundle of gifts and gratitude from the ball club. The other five who entered the "T-Bones" idea will receive team hats bearing the new name and logo as soon as they are available around Thanksgiving.

Hurd said the team is working with local graphic designers on a T-Bones logo that will soon adorn the ball club's uniforms and merchandise. The team plans to unveil the new logo before the end of the month.

"We invite the fans to continue submitting their ideas to us," Hurd said. "We are in need of a team slogan, as well as ideas for a club mascot."

Hurd asked fans to mail their ideas to the Kansas City T-Bones, P.O. Box 12305, Kansas City, KS 66112. Those who mail in their slogan or mascot ideas will be eligible to win team prizes.

Construction on the new stadium is under way, and is on schedule for the team's home opener in early June, pending release of the Northern League schedule. Season ticket plans, luxury suite sales, sponsorship and advertising will be featured soon on the team website at kcnlbaseball.com. The team may be contacted on-line at batterup@kcnlbaseball.com or by phone at 913-328-BALL (2255).