KALISPELL — The Flathead Valley's Pioneer League baseball team announced its team name and logo Wednesday morning as the Glacier Range Riders.
According to a media release from Ridge Run Baseball, the Range Riders organization, this team name and logo was inspired by the local history, scenery and culture of the Flathead Valley. The media release also says that the inspiration came from the 20th century outdoorsmen who patrolled what is now Glacier National Park, who were wilderness defenders and protected and preserved the land against poachers, wildfires and timber thieves during Theodore Roosevelt's presidency.
The mascot is a mountain goat who has not been named yet.
The team has made local history a priority as well as the community of the Flathead Valley. Last time MTN spoke with general manager Erik Moore, he said he wants guys on his roster who "know how to blend into this community and how this community operates, we are a tight-knit community."
Marketing partner Jason Klein with Brandeis Marketing said it was about bringing that local flair to their new baseball team when designing the brand.
"We knew early on that we wanted to celebrate Glacier," Klein told MTN Sports. "The vision was we wanted to celebrate all things Glacier National Park, we want you to step into the national park, everything from our red buses to the goat as our mascot. We have not come up with a name for our goat (yet). It is an exciting time for your community and to use the national park service for our brand.
"This is the very first sports team in history, to use this color green as their colors and it was inspired by the national park uniforms. Still have to unveil the uniforms and excited to be working at it behind the scenes."
The Glacier Range Riders' first game will be May 23 in Colorado Springs and the home opener will be June 14. The Range Riders make it four Pioneer League teams in Montana as they join the Missoula Paddleheads, the Billings Mustangs and Great Falls Voyagers.
