Baby Cakes want to relocate to Wichita; city leaders there don't want to keep name

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WEBVTT MERCHANDISE HAS BEEN SELLING FOR YEARS. JULIANA: BABY CAKES GEAR LIKE THIS COULD SOON BECOME A PIECE OF MEMORABILIA. THAT’S BECAUSE THE TEAM HAS PUT IN A REQUEST TO MOVE AFTER THE 2019 SEASON. >> AS WE PRESENT THE BRAND-NEW NEW ORLEANS BABY CAKES AREA JULIANA: THE NEW ORLEANS ZEPHYRS NOVEMBER 2016. OFFICIALLY BECAME THE NEW ORLEANS BABY CAKES. >> THIS TEAM, THIS NAME, THIS BRAND IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER NEW TRADITION THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. JULIANA: A TRADITION THAT MAY ONLY LAST THREE YEARS. AS YOU HEARD FROM FLETCHER MACKEL, THE CAKES ARE RUMORED TO BE MOVING TO KANSAS, WHERE THEY’D LIKELY RECEIVE A NEW NAME. >> IT IS VERY SAD, IT IS. I HATE TO SEE THEM LEAVING. REALLY. BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO ONE OF THEIR GAMES. JULIANA: LIKE TO GO BEING THE KEY PHRASE. A LOT OF PEOPLE WE TALKED TO HADN’T BEEN TO A GAME. >> I HAVEN’T BEEN TO A GAME SINCE THEY WERE THE ZEPHYRS. THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY’RE COMPETING WITH. THEY ARE COMPETING WITH ANY OF THE FESTIVALS GOING ON. AND I’M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE BABY CAKES THING ANYWAY. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN A THOUSAND OTHER THINGS. JULIANA: THERE WAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WITH THE NAME AND LOGO, BUT IN A BLACK AND GOLD SHOP IN METAIRIE, THEY SAY THE TEAM REALLY HIT A HOME RUN WITH THE MERCHANDISE. >> I AM TOLD THAT THEY’VE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE SELLING MINOR LEAGUE APPAREL FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THEY ARE BLOWING NUMBERS OFF THE CHART WITH THIS LOGO. JULIANA: SO IF THE MERCHANDISE SALES ARE REALLY OUT OF THE PARK, WHY ARE THE CAKES RUMORED TO LEAVE? >> HE COMES AND SCORES ALL THE WAY FROM FIRST DAYS. JULIANA: IS IT A LACK OF ATTENDANCE? RIGHT NOW THE TEAM IS NOT COMMENTING. THE BABY CAKES PLAN TO MAKE THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT OFFICIAL ON THURSDAY, BUT SOURCES TELL US THE CITY IS ALREADY LO

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New Orleans' minor league baseball team wants to pack up and go to the Great Plains.Wichita, Kansas, city officials made an announcement Thursday about the future of baseball in their community, including updates to their stadium.The announcement was part of a plan to revitalize a river corridor in Wichita.In the announcement, officials confirmed that the New Orleans Baby Cakes have filed a relocation request to Wichita. The plans to demolish an existing stadium and build a new entertainment venue are part of an effort to bring a Triple-A baseball team to Wichita, city leaders said.Thursday's announcement comes after news broke that the Baby Cakes were no longer planning to stay in the Big Easy after wrapping up their 2018 season.The Baby Cakes finished the season 69-70.WDSU sports anchor Fletcher Mackel said the team wants to stay in the New Orleans area for the 2019 season. Wichita officials want the team there for 2020.The application is subject to approval by minor league baseball officials.The Baby Cakes apparently have three years left on their lease at the Shrine on Airline in Metairie. In a statement Thursday, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District said the team wants to relocate when the lease expires at the end of the 2021 season."New Orleans and Jefferson Parish have been fortunate to serve as home to Minor League Baseball for the past 25 years. Unfortunately, the relocation of sports teams is not an uncommon occurrence, especially as cities compete for a limited number of professional sports franchises," said Savannah Chamblee, on behalf of the LSED.The LSED oversees finances and maintenance of the state's large entertainment venues, including the Shrine on Airline, where the Baby Cakes play. City and state officials in Louisiana are already looking for another minor league team, likely a Double-A one.New Orleans' minor league baseball team is an affiliate of the Miami Marlins.The team has not publicly commented on the relocation request.Wichita city officials added they do not plan to keep the Baby Cakes name.Stay with WDSU.com for updates on this developing story.Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news right in your inbox. Click here to sign up!