Fort Wayne TinCaps Unveiled
October 2, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
Fort Wayne, IN - When Parkview Field opens next season, Fort Wayne and the surrounding communities in Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan will be cheering on the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Hardball Capital CEO Jason Freier, and team general manager Mike Nutter, unveiled the team's new identity and logo at a press conference at the Grand Wayne Center this morning.
The "TinCaps" moniker is a reference to the beloved pioneer Johnny Appleseed, who was known for wearing his tin cooking pot upon his head. The primary logo will be an apple wearing Johnny's trademark "Tin Cap." Two alternate logos will incorporate the City's initials, "FW" with each a "Tin Cap" and an apple stem and leaf. The team's primary color scheme will consist of organic colors -- green, red and brown. This color scheme is consistent with both the Johnny Appleseed theme and the project goal of creating Parkview Field as a true park and gathering place within the center of downtown Fort Wayne.
"In Minor League Baseball you have the opportunity to create a brand that with a true regional flavor," stated General Manager, Mike Nutter. "Johnny Appleseed, while known nationally, is a regional pioneer and folk hero. His story, and the history of this area, gives us an identity that is distinctively Fort Wayne. Johnny was a pioneer of the Midwest frontier in a time with seemingly endless opportunity. We feel a part of a new frontier in Fort Wayne's growing downtown with the continued development of the Harrison Square project."
Although the name and identity were arrived at (and were working their way through Minor League Baseball's processes) prior to the time that the agreement was reached with Parkview Health to be the naming rights partner at Parkview Field, the confluence of the apple theme's classic symbol of health and well-being, and the partnership with Parkview is viewed by both the team and Parkview as fortuitous.
The creation of a new identity for the team began with a community-wide "Re-Name the Team" contest that drew over 2,500 suggestions over the course of the two week entry period. Further input was collected from the community regarding some of the more prevalent categories identified as a result of the contest entries. At the close of the process all of the suggestions and input were considered by local and national marketing experts along with the team's staff and ownership. The team sought a new identity that had its roots in the Fort Wayne community, would appeal to a wide audience and was unique in the crowded national sports landscape.
The TinCaps will begin play at Parkview Field on Thursday, April 16th at 7:00pm when they take on the Dayton Dragons on Opening Day of the new ballpark.
For more information on TinCaps season tickets, group outings or corporate partnerships for the 2009 season at Parkview Field contact the team at (260) 482-6400.
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