1476 replies to this topic

[g-vegasman]

The new name of our baseball team is the Greenville Drive. It was announced at 1030am this morning.


I personally am not a a big fan of this name and I did not care for the new logo either. It is kind of bland.

[gsupstate]

Not a big fan of the name either, however I did like the reasoning behind the name......the drive of the city and it's citizens to make things happen, along with the auto industry.  Call them the G-Drive...it's growing on me!  

[g-vegasman]

gsupstate, on Oct 27 2005, 11:56 AM, said:

Not a big fan of the name either, however I did like the reasoning behind the name......the drive of the city and it's citizens to make things happen, along with the auto industry.  Call them the G-Drive...it's growing on me!  

The G-Drive, I kinda like the sound of that!

[Greenville]

I still think it sucks.  We could've put our heads together and come up with a much better name/logo/promotional strategy than the "professionals" did.  I would've bought a Green Sox hat.  I'm not buying a silly "Drive" hat.

On a positive note, it is still not as stupid as Grrrowl.

[RestedTraveler]

Greenville, on Oct 27 2005, 06:52 PM, said:

...I would've bought a Green Sox hat.  I'm not buying a silly "Drive" hat.

Well, if you change your mind and make it back up to Greenville from Charleston, there's going to be a temporary fan shop set up in the West End beginning this weekend and a permanent shop will be set up soon and then relocate to the ballpark once it opens in April.

According to the Greenville Journal, the team had picked the "Greenville Joes" and had spent considerable time and effort into designing a logo and marketing before Major League Baseball said, "no," due to Shoeless Joe Jackson's still being banned due to his alleged role in the 1919 Black Sox scandal.

Other names that were in the running until the very end were "Greenville Grits" and "Greenville Fireflies" from what's printed in the Journal, too.

[Greenville]

I wish I had more time to make it back to Greenville.  Charleston is okay, but it's no Greenville.

I like the idea of a permanent team shop being set up.  That sounds like a cool idea.

"Joes" would have been interesting, no doubt.  I wonder if fans would've been able to buy a "hot cup of joe" at the concession?  Ha ha.

"Drive" is MUCH better than "Grits!"  "Fireflies" would've been okay I guess.  So now every time I think about how bland a name like "Drive" is, I will remind myself that it could be worse ("Grits").

[Skyliner]

That's a good attitude, Greenville.    I personally like the logo design.  That was one of my largest concerns regarding the name.  The next step in regaining my absolute "fanatic" support will be the marketing of the team and the baseball experience in downtown Greenville.  Perks with local restaurants and shops, or even hotels would be nice.  They should consider selling membership cards where you can recieve a certain discount on a meal or other merchandise at partnering downtown businesses on the days of home games.  I would definitely go for that!

[NYTransplant]

Skyliner, on Oct 28 2005, 02:45 AM, said:

That's a good attitude, Greenville.    I personally like the logo design.  That was one of my largest concerns regarding the name.  The next step in regaining my absolute "fanatic" support will be the marketing of the team and the baseball experience in downtown Greenville.  Perks with local restaurants and shops, or even hotels would be nice.  They should consider selling membership cards where you can recieve a certain discount on a meal or other merchandise at partnering downtown businesses on the days of home games.  I would definitely go for that!

Great idea Skyliner, get people into town a few hours before the game, or stay overnight.

[RestedTraveler]

And they could call it your "License to Drive" or something of the like.  You should send that idea to Nate Lipscomb, Skyliner!  That's excellent!

[vicupstate]

I'm not too keen on "Drive" either, but my god, did they really even consider "Grits".  How the hell would you market that?  How do you make grits intimidating, or anything other than a reminder of the old south. [For the record, I am not some yankee that has never eaten grits.  I was raised on it, and still eat them.]

The "Joes" is equally bad.  A Shoeless Joe tie-in is okay, but not as the mascot name.  Fireflies is uninspired, but at least I can picture a decent logo/mascot.  

I would have expected the Drive logo to have wheels or indication of forward motion.  

Obviously these folks didn't make their money in Marketing.  Nevertheless, it will be an awesome stadium in an awesome location and I wish them much success.

[RestedTraveler]

vicupstate, on Oct 28 2005, 01:06 PM, said:

Obviously these folks didn't make their money in Marketing.  Nevertheless, it will be an awesome stadium in an awesome location and I wish them much success.

It's funny you say that ... according to what I've read, Erwin Penland is the one that helped come up with the new team name and they also designed the logo.  

[Skyliner]

Erwin-Penland is highly reputable and I will hold them accountable for the initial marketing campaign.  Hopefully they will look at ways to sew the team and live baseball experience into the fabric of our multi-cultural downtown.

[Sandlapper]

Skyliner, on Oct 28 2005, 12:58 PM, said:

Erwin-Penland is highly reputable and I will hold them accountable for the initial marketing campaign.  Hopefully they will look at ways to sew the team and live baseball experience into the fabric of our multi-cultural downtown.

Worst name EVER!!!

But I'll still support them.

[Spartan]

Greenville, on Oct 27 2005, 05:52 PM, said:

I still think it sucks.  We could've put our heads together and come up with a much better name/logo/promotional strategy than the "professionals" did.  I would've bought a Green Sox hat.  I'm not buying a silly "Drive" hat.

On a positive note, it is still not as stupid as Grrrowl.

Your right. Its much more stupid. I, for one, am thoroughly dissapointed by this choice. The Greenville Drive. That just doesn't sound appealing to me at all. I can say that I would most likely not by any of their paraphernalia because of that. But its obviously a plug for the ICAR and other automotive research things that the Upstate is trying to promote, becuase why have a team if it doesn't have 'corporate sponsors' even if they are nameless. I honestly can't see how someone in their right mind could have voted for it.  I have a suspicion that they did not take that much consideration in to what the public wanted because it just seems to me that they would not have wanted the Drive.

But on a more positive note, it is much better than the Grits and definatley the Fireflies (where did that come from?)!

[gvillenative]

It's better than the Mauldin Diamond Jaxx, or the Powdersville Suns. I myself hate the name but I will walk the few blocks from my home to watch them play when I have time off. I was one of the Green Sox supporters. Oh well April 6 if I'm not mistaken I'll be there with bells on.

[Ness]

ah, nevermind

Edited by Ness, 13 November 2005 - 12:09 AM.

[wellington]

I have to agree with everyone else -- an absolutely HORRIBLE name! It does not even sound like a baseball team. With the team playing in the West End I would have thought they would have come up with a nostalgic, historical-type name.  

[GvilleSC]

wellington, on Nov 8 2005, 05:01 PM, said:

I have to agree with everyone else -- an absolutely HORRIBLE name! It does not even sound like a baseball team. With the team playing in the West End I would have thought they would have come up with a nostalgic, historical-type name.  

YEA, I was wondering why i don't love the name and maybe that's it. It's in a historical part of town and it's using a name that characterizes Greenville's NEWEST sector. It really doesnt fit in in the West End. But I'll support them nonetheless and patronize my FAVORITE place in Greenville-downtown and my favorite place there- The WestEnd.

[NYTransplant]

Have you all noticed the ratio of "I hate the name" to "I love the name" in the opinion section of the Greenville News?  So far, in the limited sampling I've seen, I saw 3-4 "not-likes" to 0 "likes".  This name was supposed to be the most popular "by far" than the next best choice.  If this is the case, I'd like to hear from somebody who loves the name.  Anyone?  Beuller...Beuller...Beuller.

[btoy]

NYTransplant, on Nov 9 2005, 04:43 AM, said:

Have you all noticed the ratio of "I hate the name" to "I love the name" in the opinion section of the Greenville News?  So far, in the limited sampling I've seen, I saw 3-4 "not-likes" to 0 "likes".  This name was supposed to be the most popular "by far" than the next best choice.  If this is the case, I'd like to hear from somebody who loves the name.  Anyone?  Beuller...Beuller...Beuller.

People who dislike the name are propbubly more apt to write in about it.  Im sure at some point after enough negatives have been written that a few supporters of the name will start writing in to defend it.