Indiana Shines With Minor League Merchandise

The Indianapolis Indians

Minor League Baseball says three of its top 25 merchandise-selling teams are in Indiana. Overall, the league says it set a record in 2015 with more than $65 million in retail sales.

The Indianapolis Indians, Fort Wayne TinCaps and South Bend Cubs are among the top 25. The Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, hit a milestone this season by welcoming the 12 millionth fan to Victory Field. The TinCaps set an attendance record in 2015 with more than 400,000 fans, as did the South Bend Cubs.

In a release from Minor League Baseball, Director of Licensing Sandie Herbert said, "Minor League Baseball team names and logos are quirky, fun and contemporary, but they are also incredible marketing tools for the clubs they represent. Each year, we see familiar logos on the Top 25 list, and some newcomers, showing both the longevity and modern appeal of our trademarks. It’s interesting to see how clubs choose to brand their identities, and how that translates into merchandise sales."

The top 25 list, in alphabetical order, is:

Albuquerque Isotopes
Biloxi Shuckers
Charlotte Knights
Columbus Clippers
Dayton Dragons
Durham Bulls
El Paso Chihuahuas
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Frisco RoughRiders
Indianapolis Indians
Lake Elsinore Storm
Lakewood BlueClaws
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Louisville Bats
Nashville Sounds
Oklahoma City Dodgers
Pawtucket Red Sox
Reno Aces
Sacramento River Cats
Salt Lake Bees
San Antonio Missions
South Bend Cubs
Tacoma Rainiers
Toledo Mud Hens
Trenton Thunder