Part III – A New Name for a New Era
In 2004, involving the community in our team’s rebranding was important to us, but we had limited tools at our disposal. Social media didn’t exist, and websites weren’t as dynamic as they are today. So, we went old school—we asked the community to email their suggestions to a dedicated address. Within 48 hours, we received hundreds of submissions.
We had only one prerequisite: the name had to represent our community well, both locally and nationally.
As we sifted through the suggestions, we saw the full spectrum: creative, funny, bland, and even a few inappropriate names. Some were brilliant; others, not so much. I gathered a small group to narrow the list down to four finalists. This group included myself, the team president, the owner, our designer Dan Simon of Studio Simon, and a local marketing specialist. It was a balanced mix—two locals and three out of towners—to ensure we chose something that resonated on both a local and national level.
Graffiti Dreams and Legal Hurdles
Modesto’s history is deeply intertwined with filmmaker George Lucas, and his legacy was evident in the number of submissions referencing American Graffiti. Names like "Cruisers," "Pharoahs," and "Graffiti" came in by the dozens. Of those, "Cruisers" was the most seriously considered. But two issues held us back. First, a local semi-pro soccer team had recently folded under that same name, leaving behind a cloud of negative associations. Second, we were doubtful about securing the trademark. Lucas may have sold millions of movie tickets, but his real fortune came from merchandise and intellectual property. Given our short timeline, we had to move on from anything tied to American Graffiti or Star Wars. (Years later, we did get approval to do theme nights and jerseys around American Graffiti and Star Wars.)
Other names, like "Modesto Fog" and "Modesto Rockies," were submitted. "Modesto Fog" referenced the fog that blanketed the valley in the fall, but it didn’t quite feel strong enough. And while "Modesto Rockies" was suggested many times, I never seriously considered it. We wanted something that could stand independently, regardless of our Major League affiliate. We needed a name that was uniquely ours.
One submission caught me by surprise: "Modesto Americans," allowing us to keep the "A's" moniker with a different color scheme. It was clever, but I wanted a clean break from the past.
The Announcement Fiasco
In the end, our group settled on four finalists. We planned to unveil the names to our most loyal fans at our annual World Series Party, hosted at a local sports bar and longtime sponsor. I was nervous. No logos, no colors, no branding—just four words on a piece of paper. A few hours before the event, I turned to the team president and said, “I’m going to get booed off the stage tonight.”
Turns out, I wasn’t far off.
As the 4th inning came to a close, I went to the stage to make the announcement. The microphone didn’t work—the batteries were dead, and the bar had no backups. Improvising, I climbed onto a table in the middle of a crowded bar, yelling the four finalist names to patrons enjoying an open bar. It was a disaster.
As I stepped down, a line of season ticket holders formed, eager to tell me to my face just how terrible the names were. Fans who had been with us for years swore they wouldn’t come back, and some actually kept their word. I’ve always believed that passion is better than indifference, but this was a trial by fire. At the end of the evening, I told the staff to rest up—once the names hit the local paper, we’d be flooded with calls. I was right.
We all have bad days!
Community Feedback
The phone calls and emails were non-stop. We set up a poll on our website as the fan vote would determine the next name of the team. The local newspaper ran its own poll with a fifth option: "None of the above." Unsurprisingly, "None of the above" received 75% of the vote.
During the brainstorming process, we were researching Modesto’s history, looking for stories that reflected the community’s strengths. Two themes stood out: railroads and agriculture.
The Finalists
Modesto was founded as a railroad stop between Los Angeles and Sacramento, and the connection to the railways was strong. We loved the name "Express," but unfortunately, Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan had beaten us to it. He’d named his minor league team the Round Rock Express, his signature nickname during his Hall of Fame career.
Ultimately, we narrowed it down to two railroad-themed names:
Modesto Strike: This conjured the image of a hulking railway worker, laying down tracks with grit and determination—qualities we associated with our community and our baseball team.
Modesto Steel: Tied to the rail theme as well, but a local business called Modesto Steel already held the name, posing more trademark problems.
On the agricultural side, we considered:
Modesto Dusters: Originally "Crop Dusters," this name evoked the Central Valley’s deep agricultural roots. The idea of an airplane flying overhead was exciting, but it felt too similar to the Lancaster JetHawks, another California League team.
Modesto Nuts: This became the most obvious choice, but also the most polarizing. The Central Valley produces more than 80% of the world’s almonds, with walnuts also being a major commodity in the area. We envisioned anthropomorphized almonds and walnuts, perhaps in the vein of the California Raisins or M&M’s characters, each with their own personality. But without a visual representation, fans had no idea what we had in mind.
A Name Fueled by Passion
From the moment we included "Nuts" as an option, we knew it would generate the most… passion. Some fans loved it. Others? Not so much. But at the very least, it had people talking, and that kind of attention was priceless.
In the end, the passion and controversy surrounding the name would become its greatest asset. We didn’t realize it at the time, but the Modesto Nuts would go on to become one of the most recognized brands in Minor League Baseball. But at that moment, all we could do was wait and see how the fans—and the world—would react.
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