Modesto Franchise Announces New Team Name

The newly minted Pioneer Baseball League club in Modesto today announced a new team name - the Modesto Roadsters.  

Previously introduced as the Modesto Glow Riders, the club's ownership group, Main Street Baseball, has updated the team's primary identity in consultation with the community.

"This new team will be an integral part of Stanislaus County and the Central Valley for decades to come, so it was really important that we get the name exactly right," Roadsters owner Dave Heller said in a statement. "After the Glow Riders were announced, we did a lot of listening and learned a lot about this community, its culture, and its people. I was blown away by the passion and the pride people here have for baseball, their team and their history. We owed it to them to hit a home run with the new primary identity, and with the Modesto Roadsters we've hit a grand slam."

The new name and branding draw inspiration from Modesto's rich automotive culture and nostalgic cruising heritage. The Roadsters' logo features a native San Joaquin kit-fox named "Cruiser" driving a classic 1960s-era roadster. 

The "Glow Riders" identity will not disappear entirely; it will be retained as an alternate identity. The team will take the field as the Glow Riders on select nights to celebrate California low-rider culture and highlight local Latino-owned businesses.