After receiving over 1,000 submissions for the "Name our Team" contest, Columbia Pro Ball hosted a forum to discuss the name gracing the front of the team's jersey in 2016.
The team's owners, Hardball Capital, announced last week that they will select a name for the team based on submissions from the community.
“We’ve loved the names and ideas submitted just one week into the contest,” Abby Naas, team Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations said in a press release. “We are spending some time this week reaching out directly to the community for a more face-to-face approach. The approach is a thorough one, so interacting with the community directly is an important step in the naming and identity building process.”
The team has already conducted visits with elementary schools, college marketing classes and with leaders of local businesses. The team hosted the forum last night to inform the public more about the naming process as well as contribute ideas face-to-face with the team's ownership.
The team will be combing over the submissions throughout the process and hopes to make a decision and announce the winner by the spring of 2015.
The winner will receive a prize pack from the team and will be honored and throw out the first pitch at the team's opening game.
Columbia's first professional baseball team since 2004 will take the field in the spring of 2016, about a year after the mascot is announced.