LAWRENCEVILLE — In an effort to establish a new identity for the team, officials on Friday announced the rebranding of the Braves' AAA affiliate in Gwinnett, unveiling the logos and colors for the new Gwinnett Stripers.
The colors include a "Striper Green," paired with the classic red and blue shades associated with the Braves, according to a statement.
"I love the name. I think it says a lot to create a name, or come up with a name, that the area can relate to, with the stripers in Lake Lanier," said OF Xavier Avery, a Georgia native who graduated from Cedar Grove High School.
Avery, like the audience of media members and invited guests, said he wasn't made aware of the new name until Friday morning, thinking — based on a not-so-subtle social media post made by the G-Braves' Twitter official account — the team would be called the Sweet Teas.
That particular name was one of six selected as "finalists" in a naming contest that drew both praise and eye rolls on social media. None of the finalists (Sweet Teas, Big Mouths, Buttons, Gobblers, Hush Puppies and Lambchops) were ultimately selected, though officials indicated at Friday's unveiling event that "Big Mouths" ultimately formed the inspiration for the Stripers.
"It's cool. The pinstripes, the colors, the logos — I think it's kind of unique. I think it gives people a reason to be excited," said Pitcher Lucas Sims, a Brookwood High School graduate.
"I think it's good to have (the Stripers' name) distinguished. With it being just down the road from Atlanta, I understand that this is Braves family, and Braves players, but having its own logo will hopefully get people excited and bring people to the games."
During the team's naming contest, fans submitted more than 900 different names in 4,024 entries.
