This morning, the Milwaukee Bucks officially announced the name of their new Developmental League team: the Wisconsin Herd. 

"The Wisconsin Herd is so much more than a team name; it’s a brand that embodies a group of players fighting to join the Milwaukee Bucks, along with an excited fan base ready to rally behind Wisconsin’s newest team," said Wisconsin Herd President Steve Brandes, in a press release. "We hope the people of the Fox Valley join the Herd today with family-affordable season tickets to watch future NBA talent."

"We are proud to call our D-League team the Wisconsin Herd, which we believe will resonate with fans across the state," said Bucks President Peter Feigin, in the release. "The Herd will become an important brand extension of the Bucks, and we’re excited to watch the emerging talent in the upcoming season."

So do you think Herd is the word? Or is it the worst thing you've ever Herd? (I'm sorry; I'm done now.)

I dig it! It's always risky to go with a singular name rather than a classic plural-sounding one – ask Marquette about "Gold" – but I think it's a clever tie-in with the Bucks. Many D-League teams these days just take their father organization's name, like the Agua Caliente Clippers or the Iowa Wolves (zzzzzz ... I'M AWAKE! I'M AWAKE!), so there's at least some creativity going on here.

Plus, from a business side, as the release notes, expanding the name to all of Wisconsin rather than just merely Oshkosh is a savvy way to make the inaugural D-League organization seem bigger than essentially a minor-league team, hopefully drawing fans from all over rather than just its hometown. 

Of course, all of this could be for naught if the logo is lame – but hopefully they'll reveal something nifty at the Wisconsin Herd's official logo reveal/NBA draft watching party, taking place in Oshkosh on June 22. Considering the cool Bucks logo they're probably starting with – one of the best of the new rebrandings in the league, IMO – it'd be hard to go too wrong. More information on the event, such as the time and location, will come as the event gets closer. 

As for the actual team on the court, the Herd's inaugural D-League run will start this November, with tickets now available for all 24 regular-season home games beginning at $192 (that's the full season, not just one game). For more information on tickets or the new team, visit the Herd's official website or call (414) 227-0599.