“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.”
The collaboration will help to create a sustainable, long-term revenue stream for the NLBM not-for-profit and includes a Negro Leagues Baseball exhibit at the stadium, which will eventually be a part of a traveling exhibit that will accompany the team to baseball stadiums around the country for increased promotion and exposure.
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 traveling billboard for the museum and its 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.
Per the release, 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.