BlueClaws Announce Rebranding of Minor League Baseball Team

On Wednesday, a Minor League Baseball team in New Jersey exercised an option on their ballpark lease with the Township of Lakewood that keeps the team in Lakewood for at least an additional 10 years through 2031. That wasn’t the biggest news however. Formerly known as the Lakewood BlueClaws, the organization officially announced a name change and re-branding to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws.

As part of the re-branding, the team unveiled an entire new set of logos, on-field caps, and an all-new Jersey Shore BlueClaws home white jersey. The event was held at Seahorse, part of Asbury Park’s historic Convention Hall. Banners were hung from Convention Hall, displaying the team’s new logos.

The new branding replicates a crab surfing and boogie boarding, a very common activity at the Jersey Shore. The lettering was inspired by lettering seen on Jersey Shore boardwalks. The BlueClaws look was created by Brandiose, a company in San Diego.

“This is truly a banner day for the BlueClaws and the Jersey Shore,” said Art Matin, managing partner of Shore Town Baseball, the partnership that operates the BlueClaws. “Shore Town Baseball has added a mini golf course, boardwalk game area, and Biergarten to FirstEnergy Park over the last several seasons to help bring the ‘Shore feeling’ to the ballpark. The Jersey Shore BlueClaws is the natural next step. We couldn’t be more excited.”

Multiple Cap Options for BlueClaws

The Jersey Shore BlueClaws unveiled four marks on Wednesday, with each serving as an on-field cap to be worn by the team beginning in 2021:

• Surfing Crab – This feisty crab is surfing with sunglasses perched atop his cap. This mark will don the club’s home hat, a red cap with a red brim.
• Crab Emblem – This “faux-back” style crab is navy blue with baseball seams and sits on the road hat, a baby-blue cap with a red brim.
• Boogie-Boarding Crab – This time with his sunglasses on his head, the crab is excitedly running to the ocean carrying his boogie-board. This mark will be on the team’s batting practice hat, which is yellow with a navy blue brim.
• Sunglasses Mark – These sunglasses reflect a roller coaster and Ferris wheel, two popular Jersey Shore boardwalk activities. Those that look close will see a JS (for Jersey Shore) and BC (for BlueClaws) in the clouds. The sunglasses rest atop a yellow brim on a baby blue cap.

“The BlueClaws have big plans for fans at the Jersey Shore,” said Brandiose’s Jason Klein. “Our goal is to integrate Jersey Shore folklore in the BlueClaws brand, and to create the most legendary entertainment experience in the region.”

The BlueClaws have drawn 7.7 million fans to FirstEnergy Park since their 2001 debut.

Minor League Baseball has gone through a tough year after the MLB threatened to drop many of their affiliates, and then the COVID-19 pandemic halted their 2020 season. New Jersey is a hot bed for minor league baseball, hosting the Jersey Shore BlueClaws and Trenton Thunder as well as many other independent teams.