Staten Island Yankees will keep their name

Six months after announcing a rebranding initiative that would include a name and logo change, the Staten Island Yankees will remain the Yankees.

“We were prepared to move forward, but encountered obstacles that unfortunately delayed the process beyond industry deadlines,” team president Will Smith said in a statement Monday. “These delays also would have compromised the quality of the product we aim to bring our fans. I always said that until there is a new name, we are the Yankees. That remains true today.”

The “Baby Bombers” sought the change to differentiate itself from the big league club in the Bronx, but after hitting roadblocks with Major League Baseball approval involving its new name and associated artwork, the team decided to put the effort off for a season.

Sadly, fans will miss out supporting the Staten Island Bridge Trolls, Heroes, Killer Bees, Rock Pigeons or Pizza Rats, which were the five name finalists the team’s fans submitted over the summer.

“Most important is what comes first in our name — Staten Island — and all monikers aside, our goal remains the same: To provide family-friendly entertainment in a safe, clean environment at an affordable price,” Smith said.

The Staten Island Yankees play in the New York-Penn League and have been in Staten Island since 1999. They play at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George.

Their 2017 season begins June 19.