The New England Knockouts are a professional baseball team based in Brockton, Massachusetts. The Knockouts are set to begin play during 2024 as members of the Frontier League (FL),[1] one of several independent baseball leagues throughout the United States and Canada that serve as Major League Baseball (MLB) Partner Leagues.
The Knockouts are set to first compete during the 2024 Frontier League season, in the East Division, playing their home games at Campanelli Stadium, a facility they share with the Brockton Rox of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.
History
The Frontier League announced late in the 2023 season that it would be placing a team in Brockton for the 2024 Frontier League season to replace the Empire State Greys, a traveling team founded when the Southern Illinois Miners were disbanded after their owners retired. Brockton's most recent professional baseball team had been the Brockton Rox, who were founded as a member of the former Northern League in 2002, and left the Can-Am League following the 2011 season to become a collegiate league team.
A team naming contest was conducted following the 2023 season, with five names chosen as finalists.[2] Of these, the most popular was New England Chowdahheads and the team initially selected it as their new moniker, announcing it in November 2023.[3] However, reactions from fans and local business leaders in the area were lukewarm at best; as such, the owners of the team reconsidered.[4] On December 15, they announced that they would be dropping the Chowdahheads name in favor of a name that was reflective of Brockton's history of producing championship caliber prizefighters such as Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler; the team thus became the Knockouts.[4]
References
- ^ "Knockouts Unveil Logos, Paying Homage to Brockton & its Boxing History". frontierleague.com (Press release). February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Helms, Chris (November 3, 2023). "Name your team: Brockton's pro baseball squad opens voting on five name finalists". Enterprise News. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "New England Chowdahheads Announced as the Newest Member of the Frontier League". ngscsports.com. November 16, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Helms, Chris (December 15, 2023). "Brockton's pro baseball club dumps 'Chowdahheads' name. Here's the new name". Enterprise News. Retrieved January 27, 2024.