New Orleans ready to pick new team name

For baseball fans in New Orleans, the time has come to set aside the plate of crawfish and vote for the Crawfish.

The city's Triple-A team, currently called the New Orleans Zephyrs, is asking fans to vote on a new name for the club, with "Crawfish" joining six other finalists for the organization's "Name The Team" contest.

New Orleans evokes thoughts of Mardi Gras, legendary night life and regional cuisine, and fans are being asked to pick a name that best suits their team and the region. Those who haven't yet figured out what a Zephyr is won't have to worry too much longer -- the New Orleans club hopes to have the new name announced by the end of the season, ahead of the 2017 campaign.

"We started soliciting names in February and received over 2,000 entries from all over the area," said Zephyrs general manager Cookie Rojas. "They were all very creative with explanations of their connection to the region."

The finalists include the "Baby Cakes," "Crawfish," "King Cakes," "Night Owls," "Po'boys," "Red Eyes" and "Tailgators." Voting runs through July 8 on the team's website.

Rojas, who joined the Z's this January, said the team is eager to head in a new direction.

"We're excited to see the concepts flesh out, get the community on board," he said. "Our goal is to truly reflect our city for generations."

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Vote now for the New Orleans Zephyrs' new team name

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Recent trends in the Minors have leaned toward some unusual names like the Yard Goats, RubberDucks and Chihuahuas. The Binghamton Mets are currently holding their own team name contest with options that include "Rumble Ponies" and "Stud Muffins."

"I love the Flying Squirrels, the evolution of El Paso Chihuahuas, and we want to bring that excitement here," said Rojas. "When teams re-brand, it's human nature to react to change, positively or negatively. It may take some time, even locally, but people will make it part of the area and craft a story that will resonate for generations."

That story is what Rojas and New Orleans owner Lou Schwechheimer hope to write over the next year.

"Lou purchased the team in November 2015 and right away the thought was, 'Let's build something to reflect the region, a city as historical as New Orleans, get engaged with the fans and galvanize the community," Rojas said. 

New Orleans has been known as the Zephyrs since the club moved from Denver in 1993. The name originated from a passenger train in Colorado but remained in New Orleans, partly since the city had a popular roller coaster called the Zephyr at Pontchartrain Beach amusement park. The park closed 10 years earlier, but the team name stuck.

Not for long, though. Rojas said the club -- the Miami Marlins' top affiliate -- is ready to shake things up.

"We want it to be something that sticks out, that's unique," he said. "I'm excited to be a part of it and, with the fans, to help craft the story."

Some of the options seem obvious -- "Night Owls" refers to the party scene Americans often associate with Bourbon Street and the iconic celebrations held in the city. But what about "Baby Cakes"?

"Down here, the shops make pastries filled with all kinds of things -- fruits, cream cheese -- it's a pastry that reflects the region and the whole Mardi Gras season. Every one of them is unique," Rojas said of King Cakes. "Inside these cakes is small statue of a baby, symbolizing luck and prosperity, hence baby cakes. Whoever finds it has to buy the next King Cake."

Po'boys are a sandwich from Louisiana that includes beef or fried seafood on a baguette, commonly ordered with a Louisiana-style hot sauce or Creole mustard.

"The sandwich for the common man," said Rojas, who admitted, "we do not currently carry Po'boys in the ballpark, but that's something we're hoping to change."

Crawfish are probably more familiar to fans in general. The Class A Hickory Crawdads, a Rangers affiliate, have been a crawfish-themed team since 1993.

"For the first time ever we had all-you-can-eat crawfish at the ballpark, and it was very successful," Rojas noted.

The Zephyrs said "Red Eyes" refers to the eyes of local crawfish and "Tailgators" is a nod to both alligators and the tradition of fans tailgating before games.

Either way, Rojas and the Zephyrs want the new name to be fun and emblematic of the region.

"Folks around here are fantastic -- they enjoy life, all the great night life and festivals that New Orleans and the entire region have to offer," he said. "We want the name to be a part of that."