Atlanta Braves AAA Team Seeking a Name Change

With the exception of one minor league team, each squad in the Atlanta Braves farm system shares the Braves name. That may be set to change soon.

If one is a fan of the Atlanta Braves, there is not a lot of memorization needed when it comes to knowing the farm system. Aside from the Florida Fire Frogs, the Braves organization owns all of their affiliates, and have made sure that the name brand is there for each team.

However, that may come to an end soon. The Gwinnett Braves, the AAA affiliate for Atlanta, is seeking a name change. As has been the case with seemingly every other name change that has happened in the minors in the past few years, this will be a fan vote. Submissions will be accepted beginning on June 2, with whoever enters the winning submission earning season tickets for the 2018 season. Four runners up will earn merchandise with the new name.

In theory, this decision makes a degree of sense. Prior to the move to Gwinnett approximately a decade ago, minor league ball did not exist in that part of the country. While it was considered vital to retain the Braves name, so as to ensure that fans knew which team Gwinnett was an affiliate of, times have changed. And, that name has led to confusion, with fans showing up in Atlanta with Gwinnett Braves tickets.

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The problem is, this is going to involve the internet. As has been the case with virtually every other naming contest, there will be quite a few ridiculous submissions. It would not be a surprise to see that someone out there requests for the Braves to be renamed Teamy McTeamFace or something along those lines.

Fortunately, the voting process will only be a part of the finals. Those five to eight best names will be selected by a committee, which should keep those attempts at humor away. Then, those names selected as the best of the bunch will be put up for vote. In theory, this will not go awry.

It is also important to note that, just because the Gwinnett Braves are looking to change their name, that does not mean it will happen. The Staten Island Yankees faced fan backlash over their attempt, and changed their mind. If none of the options grab the fanbase, the same result could happen.

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The Atlanta Braves have had the same name for virtually all of its affiliates. That may change in 2018.