Say goodbye to the Fayetteville Marksmen, and say hello to the Carolina Reapers. Well, for one night anyway.
Fayetteville’s Southern Professional Hockey League team is taking on a new identity for their March 19 game against Birmingham.
“This rebrand was originally the idea of former play-by-play voice Shawn Bednard in conjunction with Chuck Norris the team’s owner,” the team said in a release.
The team says they are tracing the name back to the Reaper Pepper, which was invented in Fort Mill, S.C. by the Puckerbutt Pepper Company.
The Carolina Reaper is said to be the hottest pepper in the world, according to ChiliPepperMadness. “As the hottest chili pepper in the world currently, the heat range is listed from 1,400,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale to a blazing 2,200,000. Compared to your average jalapeno pepper, it measures 175 to 880 times hotter. Compare that to a typical jalapeno pepper, which averages about 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, and the hottest Carolina Reaper is up to 440 times hotter. That is crazy hot!”
The Carolina Reapers merchandise will be available online at www.marksmenhockey.com soon, the team said.
“Reapers colors will be sky blue, cherry red, electric yelllow, and a yellow and gold gradient. These colors evoke images of a burning flame and the heat of the reaper as well as having ties to local universities in the area as well.”
One-night rebranding has become incredibly popular in minor league sports in recent years, particularly in Minor League Baseball.
With the Carolina Reapers now in place, let’s take a look at few more of our favorite rebrands in sports.
Guerreros de Fayetteville
We’ll start right here in Fayetteville, as the Fayetteville Woodpeckers take on the temporary name “Guerreros de Fayetteville” a few times each year. It’s part of Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversion program, honoring Hispanic and Latino communities. You’ll see a few more amazing Copa teams on this list.
Corpus Christi Raspas
The Corpus Christi Hooks team in South Texas changes to the “Raspas de Corpus Christi” as part of their Copa rebrand. The popular Mexican ice treat is well known in South Texas.
Avocados Luchadores de Down East
Our friends over in Kinston, the Down East Wood Ducks, have an amazing Copa rebrand.
Medusas de Lakewood
Lakewood, New Jersey’s Jersey Shore Blueclaws take on a squid-like identity for Copa.
Flying Chanclas de San Antonio
The description from the team is amazing here: “San Antonio’s “Flying Chanclas” moniker honors the abuelita, a matriarchical figure of discipline and love in Latino families, who also boasts notable throwing accuracy with her chancla. The logo’s vibrant colors capture the team and community’s fun and lively personality.”
Maine Wild Blueberries
The Maine Mariners of the ECHL have a special Maine Wild Blueberries hockey night every year.
Northern Arizona Rodeo Clowns
The Northern Arizona Suns of the NBA’s GLeague pay special tribute to the rodeo roots in their community.
Introducing a new identity. pic.twitter.com/rDepJAjzEc
— NAZ Suns (@nazsuns) December 3, 2018Tulsa Noodlers
The Tulsa Drillers pay tribute to the hand-fishing popular in their area.
