Note: The following item was provided by the Rome Braves. – KtE

When the 2024 season opens in April, the Atlanta Braves’ High-A affiliate will proudly take the field as the Rome Emperors, a name that is unique and distinctive to professional baseball in Rome.

When deciding on the new name, we were equally inspired by our city’s history and connection with ancient Rome as well as ideas from the community. We believe the Emperors is a name Rome can uniquely claim as its own and one the community can take great pride in.

Who Are We?

We are the product of relentless effort from local people who fought to bring the people of Floyd County their very own baseball team. If it were not for diehard fans like Bill Byington, Randy Davis, Mike Haney, and Pistol Knight scouting trips to minor league parks across the country trying to put a minor league team in Rome, we may have never been able to enjoy the last twenty years of baseball’s magic in the River City.

We are the launching pad for the hopes and dreams that America’s Pastime instills in all of us. There have been many hall of famers, rookies of the year, MVP’s, and CY Young winners that have walked these halls and called Georgia’s Rome home over the years, but the pedigree of those on the diamond can not hold a candle to what happens in the hearts and minds of those in the stands watching them. Who knows how many kids fell in love with the game of baseball right here in Floyd County?

We are the inspiration for the next generation. When people tell the story of Minor League Baseball in Rome, they tell a story of hard work and dedication. They tell a story that shows no matter how rocky the road may look ahead, if you truly believe in what you are fighting for, your work is not in vain.

What Is An Emperor?

An emperor had the highest power in the whole empire. Rome was an empire rich in history and culture, and Roman emperors were known for leading a variety of scientific and technological advancements in the world. They established modern tools, built exquisite buildings, and facilitated artists and writers all across the globe.

Emperor Penguins are the biggest of the 18 species of penguin found today, and one of the largest of all birds. Bestowing the name emperor penguin on the large species came from George Robert Gray of the British Museum in 1844. The name comes from how the penguin rules the land and conquers whatever is in front of it.

We Are Rome’s Team.

Rome is one of the most unique and beautiful cities in all of Georgia. It is a city filled with people who embody the spirit of what it truly means to be a community. It was imperative to give this city a brand and identity that it could claim and call its own.

This game is no stranger to change. New rules and new faces govern our nation’s pastime. But its core remains the same and the old adage “keep swinging” still rings true. The same can be said for the city of Rome. Our skyline continues to grow, but the sun will always set behind the clock tower.

Since 2003, we have proudly grown the next generation of Atlanta Braves legends while continuing to plant the seed of passion for the game in the next generation. After twenty prosperous seasons, we look to the future of baseball in Rome with hopeful eyes, and with a new name across our chests.

A name that will become synonymous with Georgia’s City of Seven Hills. A name that flows easy like the three rivers. A name that embodies the strength and pride of a tight-knit community. A name and mascot as unique and special as Rome and the folks that call it home.

We believe that the Rome Emperors name is one that will last, and one that the city and surrounding area can truly cling to and be proud of. The world of Minor League Baseball is ruled by unique and quirky nick names such as the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

At last, Georgia’s most unique city has its unique Minor League team name.

Here’s some additional infographics from the team: