Ozarks Springbirds to take field in 2027

As of this evening, Springfield is home to the Ozarks Springbirds.

The team formerly known as the Springfield Cardinals was rebranded in an on-field announcement at Route 66 Stadium.

The team remains the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Springfield Cardinals were born in 2005 when the St. Louis Cardinals purchased the El Paso Diablos and relocated them to the Queen City, according to the website of Minor League Baseball, MiLB.com. Past Springfield Business Journal reporting shows Diamond Baseball Holdings LLC purchased the Springfield Cardinals from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023.

The Springfield Cardinals announced their plans to change the team’s name on Aug. 25. In an on-field announcement, General Manager Dan Reiter said the rebranding would be “uniquely us” while noting that many other teams are called the Cardinals.

“We have to continuously explain who we are,” Reiter said at the time.

Reiter asked fans to hold off on judging the move and added that the community deserves a change.

“As a community, as a region and as a sports franchise, we deserve this new chapter,” he said. “It’s time to get out of the shadows and become uniquely us.”

A different rebrand was announced in April, when Hammons Field was renamed Route 66 Stadium with sponsors Mercy, Missouri State University, O’Reilly Auto Parts and the city of Springfield.

The team’s rebranding announcement occurred in a festival ballpark atmosphere, with a softball game happening in right field and a garage sale featuring game-used items and the availability of shiny new merch. On hand for the festivities was St. Louis Cardinals veteran Matt Adams, nicknamed Big City for his propensity for hitting homers. Prior to the announcement, spontaneous games of catch by audience members peppered the outfield.