SPRINGFIELD — It was hardly an easy process for general manager Dan Reiter.
“It was an extremely difficult decision. It was a very drawn-out decision,” Reiter told the News-Leader. “Any decision that I’ve had to make in my career, this was the longest and most I’ve worked on because it needed a lot of due diligence.”
The Springfield Cardinals announced on Tuesday, Aug. 26, that it would be rebranding its longtime logo.
The Cardinals have existed for the past 22 years, and losing an iconic name has not been met with positivity on social media. But Reiter is confident that when the new name is released on Oct. 6, fans will enjoy it.
A new chapter is on the horizon.
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“The dialogue that our
staff had with our fans last night and the fans today is very different than the dialogue that we are seeing online,” Reiter said. “I think they are going to love our new brand.”
There are two reasons for the Cardinals' name change. According to Reiter, the first reason to change the name was to ‘better connect with the community.’
In 2023, the Springfield Cardinals were sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings. It’s a company that owns 49 minor league baseball teams across the country.
With Springfield no longer directly owned by St. Louis, trademark laws have been coming into question.
“It’s legal and trademarks,” Reiter said. “In the world that we live in, it’s become increasingly more and more difficult to be able to provide some quality items that we want for our fans. It’s been the reality that we’ve had to deal with.”
Reiter explained that the name change isn’t because of Diamond Baseball Holdings, but because of the ‘governance in Minor League Baseball.’
Reiter made it clear that the relationship with the St. Louis organization has not faltered. Springfield will not be looking to a different organization because of the name change.
“We are still a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate and will continue to be a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate. That relationship is very important and critical to what we do here,” Reiter said. “We are also not leaving.”
Reiter shared that he won’t be getting rid of his Springfield Cardinals gear. The new logo will be something that resonates with the community, just like the Cardinals. But it may not be an extravagant name like many are used to across Minor League Baseball.
“If we change to something that makes national news for being wacky, that’s where we would fail,” Reiter said. “That’s not our intention. If people are expecting to see something insanely crazy, they are going to be very disappointed.”
A wall with the Springfield Cardinals logo will be available to sign in the final days of the season. The 12-foot-by-8-foot wall will be housed in the concourse of Route 66 Stadium for years to come.
It’s been a season of change for the Cardinals. Hammons Field turned into Route 66 Stadium this spring. Reiter said the team name and stadium name changes have nothing to do with each other.
“The timing of this is completely coincidental,” Reiter said.
The beloved Springfield Cardinals name will be changing soon. It’s not easy for many, especially for those close to the team.
“We all went through these emotions. I went through them personally,” Reiter said. “I believe that everyone is allowed to feel this way. It took me a long time to come to terms with it.”
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Why the Springfield Cardinals decided to rebrand | Exclusive
