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Editor's note: Go to the bottom of this story for reader reaction to the Tucson Sugar Skulls name.

Tucson's new professional football team has a name: The Tucson Sugar Skulls.

The Indoor Football League team announced the name and unveiled a logo at an event in Tucson on Thursday night.

“We wanted something unique," said team founder and co-owner Kevin Guy, who is also the head coach of the Arizona Rattlers, another IFL team, in Phoenix. "We wanted to honor Tucson and the people of Tucson because we really felt like it was part of the culture.”

ON FACEBOOK: Share your thoughts on the name of Tucson's new football team

The Arizona Daily Star's Ryan Finley described the name of the team and its connection to Tucson:

"Sugar skulls, or calaveras, have been ubiquitous in Mexico since the 18th century. Sugar skulls featuring the names of departed relatives are traditionally placed as part of a family’s ofrenda — offering — during the Day of the Dead. Locally, it’s most connected to the procession. Every November, tens of thousands of Tucsonans paint their faces, dress up and parade through the Barrio Hollywood and Menlo Park neighborhoods to honor their deceased loved ones."

The Tuscan organization had a contest to name the team and Sahuarita’s Leah Rhey suggested Sugar Skulls.

The name beat out more than 1,000 other entries. Rhey won two season tickets for selecting the name.

The team colors will be black and gold with red accents.

The Sugar Skulls open their season in March at Tucson Arena, where the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League also play.

Reaction to name mixed

The new name brought a wide variety of reaction.

First, some positives ...

And some negatives ...

Team's response to name

The team defended the name on social media, its website, tucsonsugarskulls.com and at its unveiling event Thursday.

“We wanted our name to reflect the culture and the history of Tucson,” Sugar Skulls founder and co-owner Cathy Guy, Kevin Guy's wife, said. “We believe Sugar Skulls captures the identity of our community and the people who live here. As important as its connection to the city is that the name is unique in professional sports and will forever be linked to Tucson.”

Is the name respectful?

Sugar Skulls executive director Mike Feder shared his thoughts.

“We want all Sugar Skulls events – including games – to be a reflection of the sugar skulls tradition of celebrations, honor and festivity,” he said. “It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years and we will treat the name with the dignity and the respect that it deserves while hopefully establishing some new traditions.”

Your reaction

What do you think of the name of the new professional football team in Tucson?

We asked you to share your thoughts on The Sugar Skulls on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments of this story.

You responded.

Here are some of your thoughts on the name for Tucson's new Indoor Football League franchise.

Click here to see what readers think about the Tucson Sugar Skulls name on Facebook.

The Arizona Daily Star's Ryan Finley contributed to this story.

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