Negro Leagues Museum (NLBM) President, Bob Kendrick, revealed a partnership with the Kansas City T-Bones for the team to be known going forward as the “Kansas City Monarchs Baseball Club.” The long- anticipated name change and terms of the agreement were revealed in a press conference at the museum with Kendrick, T-Bones owner, Mark Brandmeyer, NLBM Board members and city officials. The team will play beginning with the 2021 season at the former T-Bones stadium.
The Kansas City Monarchs was the longest-running franchise in Negro Leagues history. Founded in 1920 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Monarchs won ten league pennants and the inaugural Negro League World Series Championship in 1924. When the team was disbanded in 1965, it had produced more major league players than any other Negro League franchise.
"This exciting partnership celebrates Kansas City’s rich baseball heritage and becomes an important extension of the work we’re doing to educate the public about the history of the Negro Leagues,” said Bob Kendrick, NLBM President. “We are thrilled that the proud legacy of the great Kansas City Monarchs will take the field again and look forward to sharing our story through a myriad of opportunities made possible through this historic alliance.”
Working with long-time fans, brand agencies and the league office, the T-Bones spent several months engaged in extensive research and considered over a dozen potential new team names. Monarchs quickly emerged as the favorite and most inspiring name.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Brandmeyer’s MaxFun Entertainment, LLC have signed a long-term licensing agreement which will allow for use of the Monarchs Baseball Team name.
The unprecedented collaboration will create a sustainable, long-term revenue stream for the NLBM not-for-profit and include cross-promotion via a satellite Negro Leagues Baseball exhibit at the stadium. The exhibit will eventually be a part of a travelling exhibit that will accompany the team to baseball stadiums around the country. The team also has plans to establish The Monarchs Youth Academy with a mission to enrich the lives of Kansas City urban youth through baseball & softball.
“Being entrusted to carry on the Monarchs legacy is truly a dream come true,” said Monarchs owner Mark Brandmeyer. “We are committed to creating a world class experience on and off the field, and the historical and cultural significance of this team’s name will be reflected in everything we do. We will essentially be a travelling billboard for the museum and their mission. And if we can help educate and at the same time field a team our city and the museum can be proud of, that’s our goal.”
“The American Association could not be more proud of the Kansas City membership to adopt the famous Monarchs brand. Between the American Association, the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, Kansas City has a deep baseball history and this rebrand helps bring that back to today’s baseball fans in an American Association team. We look forward to helping the Kansas City Monarchs and the Negro Leagues Museum educate a new generation of fans through the team’s participation in the American Association,” said American Association League Commissioner, Joshua Schaub.
Fans can engage with the Kansas City Monarchs team via the new team website
at www.monarchsbaseball.com and on Facebook (Kansas City Monarchs Baseball), Instagram (@kc_monarchs), LinkedIn (Kansas City Monarchs Baseball), Twitter (@kscitymonarchs) YouTube (Kansas City Monarchs Baseball) and can join in the conversation using the #ReignReborn and #SeeYouAtTheBallpark hashtags. View the team’s announcement video here (https://youtu.be/Jsnt2GoKbr0)
About the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
Established in a one-room office in 1990, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America. In 2006, the United States Congress designated the NLBM as “America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.” Please join our efforts to ensure that the legacy of the Negro Leagues plays on to inspire future generations! For more information, please visit our website www.nlbm.com.
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