MADISON- The newest professional sports team in North Alabama will be called the Rocket City Trash Pandas. The official naming of the new baseball team was unveiled by team owners at a huge gathering at Rocket Republic Brewery in Madison.

“I am happy the community selected this name 100-percent and its’ the community’s team,” said Ralph Nelson, team owner. “We learned from talking to people in Athens, Decatur, Madison and Huntsville, along with other small communities, everyone considered it part of the Rocket City and that’s why we chose the identifier name.”

Fan voting was narrowed down to the final choices including the Comet Jockeys, Moon Possums, Space Chimps, Thunder Sharks and Trash Pandas. In the final voting 41-percent voted for the winning name with the Thunder Sharks finishing second with 19-percent of the votes. As for the identifier, 67-percent chose Rocket City.

The Rocket City Trash Pandas, which is slang for raccoon, will begin play in Madison in the 2020 season at the new baseball stadium facility located at the intersection of Zerdt Road and I-565. The franchise recently signed a contract to be the minor league team with the Los Angeles Angels with the new agreement to last through 2022.

The franchise also held a name the team contest and the winner was Matt Higley of Huntsville. He chose the name the Trash Pandas and will receive numerous gifts including two box seats for the first five years to Trash Pandas games.

The 32-year old claimed he doesn’t play baseball, just names baseball teams. A program manager at SCI Technologies added, “I just thought of animals in the local area and nicknames for them when I came up with the name. I had no social media before this, but had to try and keep up with it for the last few weeks before this. I’m happy as baseball is back in North Alabama.”

Once the team begins play at the new stadium, which broke ground just days prior to the naming of the team, there’s speculation the Major League Angels will play an exhibition game against the Trash Pandas. In the meantime, the franchise will continue to promote the team as it will hold a party in October for the unveiling of a team logo and team colors.

Helping making the announcement of the team alongside WZYP-FM morning personality Mojo, and broadcast live on WHNT-TV, Channel 19, Nelson promised those in attendance, “There will be a party every night out at the ballpark and maybe, just maybe, a baseball game will break out.”