River Bandits unveil new logos

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- While the Quad Cities River Bandits franchise and Modern Woodmen Park expand their array of entertainment, the team is growing its logo mark lineup, as General Manager Andrew Chesser revealed new logos at a press conference in the sports lounge of Modern Woodmen Park Monday afternoon.

The updated primary logo, largely similar to the team's leading mark of the past six years, now has two arches of the iconic Centennial Bridge that is a signature of the ballpark's backdrop and synonymous with the Quad Cities. The team and Main Street Amusements also unveiled a new logo for the amusements that began arriving at Modern Woodmen Park last season and will continue into next season. The team's raccoon mascot, Rascal the River Bandit, is carrying a baseball while riding in a gondola of the Ferris wheel set to open next spring.

"The new logos tell more of the story of the Quad Cities and the River Bandits, while building upon the marks that make the River Bandits brand so popular," said River Bandits co-owner Dave Heller. "We are incorporating the natural setting by the Mississippi and newest developments with amusements to highlight what makes Modern Woodmen Park unique and the country's Best Minor League Ballpark."

One of the new alternate logos has a baseball with bandana -- a continuing theme from the original River Bandits logo of 1992-2003 -- splashing into the water of the Mississippi River. It is the first River Bandits logo to signify the river itself. Another alternate logo has the clawed hand of the team's raccoon mascot catching a baseball. In the third alternate logo that will go on batting practice caps, the raccoon is swinging a bat.

"These logos are a fresh look at the River Bandits, incorporating both our community and history as an organization, as well as the growth still ahead," Chesser said. "We are excited to see these new logos around the ballpark and the community as we approach next season."

One Step Printing in Davenport provided displays of the new team logo at Monday's press conference. Team merchandise items with the new logos were also on display.

Merchandise items with the new logos are now available in the River Bandits team store -- open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday at Modern Woodmen Park -- as well as the online team store at www.riverbandits.com.