Negro Leagues’ Monarchs to Take the Field Once Again

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Kansas City T-Bones Partner to Revive Historic Baseball Franchise

“Wyandotte County has always embraced the diversity of our community,” said Mayor David Alvey. “We are pleased that the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and MaxFun have worked together to revive the Kansas City Monarch’s Baseball Club name and bring it back to the field after more than half a century, and that this partnership will provide on-going benefit for the museum. We are honored that the KC Monarch’s namesake will be playing in our community, and look forward to welcoming both players and fans.”

To view a video of the press conference, click here.

The long-anticipated name change and terms of the agreement were revealed in a press conference at the museum with Mayor/CEO David Alvey, Bob Kendrick, T-Bones owner, Mark Brandmeyer, and NLBM Board members. The team will play beginning with the 2021 season at the former T-Bone’s stadium.

"As the nation’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of Negro Leagues baseball, we are thrilled to once again have the iconic Monarchs baseball team take the field and call our own,” said Bob Kendrick, President of NLBM. “We look forward to sharing our story through myriad opportunities made possible by this partnership. Tickets are on sale now - I’ll see you at the ballpark!”

The Kansas City Monarchs was the longest-running franchise in Negro Leagues history. Founded in 1920 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Monarchs won ten league pennants and the inaugural Negro League World Series Championship in 1924. When the team was disbanded in 1965, it had produced more major league players than any other Negro League franchise.

Working with long-time fans, brand agencies and the league office, the T-Bones spent several months engaged in extensive research and considered over a dozen potential new team names. Monarchs quickly emerged as the favorite and most inspiring name. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Brandmeyer’s MaxFun Entertainment, LLC have signed a long-term licensing agreement which will allow for use of the Monarchs Baseball Team name.

The unprecedented collaboration will create a sustainable, long-term revenue stream for the NLBM not-for-profit and include cross-promotion via a satellite Negro Leagues Baseball exhibit at the stadium. The exhibit will eventually be a part of a traveling exhibit that will accompany the team to baseball stadiums around the country. 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 travelling billboard for the museum and their 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 for 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 history back to today’s baseball fans in the form of an American Association team. The Monarchs name is one of the most revered in baseball history, and we look forward to helping the Kansas City Monarchs and the Negro League Museum educate a new generation of fans about the great history of the Monarch’s name through the team’s participation in the American Association.”

About the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Established in a one-room office in 1990, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America. In 2006, the United States Congress designated the NLBM as “America’s National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.” Please join our efforts to ensure that the legacy of the Negro Leagues plays on to inspire future generations! For more information, please visit our website www.nlbm.com.