The new Northwoods League team that begins play in Rockford, Ill., this year unveiled its nickname and logos Thursday. The Rockford Rivets are so-named because of the city’s strong ties to manufacturing, including the fact that it was once known as the Screw Capital of the World.

Why do I mention that here, on a Midwest League blog? Well, take a look at the primary Rivets logo:

It looks like a distant cousin to the Lansing Lugnuts logo, doesn’t it?

The Lansing Lugnuts logo greets fans when they enter Cooley Law School Stadium. (Photo by Craig Wieczorkiewicz/The Midwest League Traveler)

Actually, it looks like a cross between the Lugnuts logo and the BB-8 droid from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to me.

The Rockford Rivets will play their home games at the ballpark most recently known as Aviators Stadium (named after the former Frontier League team, the Rockford Aviators). If the new team isn’t able to sell naming rights to the stadium, it should call its ballpark Rivets Field. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Rockford is located about a half-hour south of Beloit, home of the Midwest League’s Snappers. The Northwoods League is a summer collegiate league with many teams located in former MWL communities.