Ontario Baseball Club launched the new identity of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, marking the beginning of the Tower Buzzers era in Ontario, Calif.
Located in the city of Ontario, the Tower Buzzers based their new identity on the prominence of aviation in the city and the iconic 1980s film “Top Gun.” Their team name was inspired by one line in the movie.
“Sorry, Goose, but it’s time to buzz the tower,” said Tom Cruise’s character, Maverick.
Fittingly, Maverick is the name of the Tower Buzzers’ official mascot, a bee character who wears the team’s colors of two shades of blue, white and red with an aviator jacket and goggles to complete the look.
Staying in line with the aviation theme, the Tower Buzzers will play at ONT Field, a minor league stadium under construction and set to open in 2026. An homage to Ontario International Airport, the stadium will serve as the core of the Ontario Sports Empire Complex that is in development.
Kayden Robles, sophomore mechanical engineering major and Dodgers fan, shared his thoughts on the construction of this facility and new minor league team as an Ontario resident.
“I’m really excited for the new team, excited to attend games,” Robles said. “That area over there where they’re building specifically has a lot of farmland, so it’s kind of desolate in some areas. It’s cool to bring new people to the area.”
According to the Ontario Sports Empire business plan, this $100 million sports complex will cover 200 acres and include eight baseball or softball fields, four multi-use soccer or football fields, eight soccer fields, plaza areas, a playground concession buildings and more.
Emily Hurtado, senior graphic design major, spoke about the creation of the new team as a Dodgers fan who grew up farther from the Los Angeles stadium.
“It’s an easier alternative, especially if I’m closer to the Inland Empire, to go to a game and pick what day I want to go and just see who is gonna potentially be in the MLB one day playing for the Dodgers … and still get the same ‘Dodgers’ atmosphere,” Hurtado said.
Allan Benavides, general manager of the Ontario Tower Buzzers, emphasized the connections between aviation culture in the city and the Dodgers organization.
“From the start, we set out to build a team that reflects the Dodgers’ winning culture and Ontario’s grit and heart,” said Benavides in an article written by Dean Fioresi for CBS News. “As the city’s first professional baseball team, we’re proud to salute Ontario’s aviation legacy while capturing the buzz around this milestone moment for the community.”
While not as popular as Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball (MiLB) thrived in the Inland Empire. With the Inland Empire 66ers, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and now the Ontario Tower Buzzers, California League teams continued to shift amid the removal and creation of MiLB teams.
The Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate will assumed the identity of the Ontario Tower Buzzers while Los Angeles Angels affiliate adopted the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes’ identity. The Seattle Mariners affiliate, the Modesto Nuts, ceased to exist and will become the Inland Empire 66ers.
Further enhancing baseball’s presence in the Inland Empire, the Ontario Tower Buzzers will bring a new sense of community to the city of Ontario and the surrounding areas.
