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Team and Fans React to Mets Name Change Team and Fans React to Mets Name Change

By Calvin Dudley

© 2018 (c) Calvin Dudley

By Calvin Dudley SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS)-  Professional baseball team’s in Syracuse have been called the Chiefs, or SkyChiefs, since 1934. This long standing-tradition ended Tuesday as Syracuse’s minor league team officially changed their name to the Mets, the same name as the Major League Baseball (MLB) team that owns them.

The New York Mets purchased the Syracuse Chiefs this Spring from the Washington Nationals. The Mets announced they would change the name to Mets, but wanted to wait until the end of the season to make the change as to avoid having the awkward situation of having future Nationals players wearing Mets jerseys.After the Chiefs changed to the Mets on Tuesday, many fans had mixed reactions.

Michael Tricarico, the Assistant Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Mets, said he understands that some people are upset that the team dropped their 84 year-old name. However, Tricarico also thinks that with time, fans will learn to love the the new name.

“If you’re not excited right now that it’s ‘Mets’. Give it some time. Take a look at the merchandise. And, while it might feel uncomfortable to say the Syracuse ‘Mets’ right now just because this team has been the Chiefs for so long, give it some time,” said Tricarico.

While the team seems optimistic of the name, local resident, Christopher Seeberger, says he’s not thrilled.

“The fact that they have to make the name Mets… feels like a power move. I like that a lot of other minor league teams…use more colloquial names,” said Seeberger.

Seeberger is a life-long Mets fan. He said he likes that the team is now owned by the Mets because now he gets to see his team’s future players. The name Mets, however, he wishes was more creative and local, such as The Salt-Potatoes, or The Freeze.

Although Seeberger and other fans are not satisfied with their new team name, they can still get Chiefs gear in the team’s official store. There were also some talks of moving the team from Syracuse, but fans can sleep soundly after the team signed a contract to stay in the Salt city through 2043.

84 years. That’s how long pro baseball team’s in Syracuse had donned the name Chiefs.
This long standing-tradition, however, ended on Tuesday as the team officially changed their name to the Mets, the same name as the Major League team that owns them.
Michael Tricarico, the Assistant Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations for the Mets, says he understands that some people are upset by the new name, but that that people will come around once they become used to it.

“If you’re not excited right now that it’s Mets. Give it some time. Take a look at the merchandise. And, while it might feel uncomfortable to say the Syracuse Mets right now just because this team has been the Chiefs for so long, give it some time.”

While the team might be happy with the recent name change, not everyone is so excited about the recent move.

Local resident, Christopher Seeberger, says he’s not thrilled with the new name and wishes the team had been more creative than just using the same name as the team that owns them.

“Being a Mets fan, the fact that they have to make the name ‘Mets’ is kind’ve… it almost feels like a power move. I like that a lot of other minor league teams they use more colloquial names.”

So not all fans are excited about the new name, but what can make fans happy is knowing that a baseball team will be in Syracuse through at least 2043 due to an agreement the team made with the Mets.
In Syracuse…I’m Calvin Dudley…N-C-C News.

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