In November of 2000, Racing Legend Dale Earnhardt bought a stake in a minor league baseball team that would change it's name to the Kannapolis Intimidators. At the time, they were the Piedmont Boll Weevils, and previous to that, they were the Piedmont Phillies. They were renamed the Kannapolis Intimidators to honor their new part-owner Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt, who hailed from Kannapolis.
Three months later, Dale would lose his life in the last lap of the Daytona 500, but the team soldiered on with the name that honored Earnhardt.
In October of last year, ground was broken on a new stadium that will open in time for the 2020 season. It was announced yesterday, that the days of the team being called the "Intimidators" is coming to an end and the name will also change in the beginning of the 2020 season. A campaign that will run through next Wednesday called "Branded New By You" will allow fans and members of the community to submit their ideas for a new team name and mascot.
As you may know, I am a huge race fan and Dale Earnhardt is a legend, especially to Kannapolis. He's OUR legend, and I am very disappointed that the name has to change, but this article published by NBC Sports explains it a little bit better than I ever could. Regardless, Dale Jr and Kelley Earnhardt are also disappointed, needless to say, as shown by their tweets.
It's a sad day in Kannapolis.