By Tim Binnall
A forthcoming professional indoor football team set to play in Albuquerque next year has taken on a monstrous moniker that cryptozoology fans will undoubtedly appreciate: the New Mexico Chupacabras. The new name for the former Rio Rancho Gladiators, who are relocating to the city, was reportedly announced at an Indoor Football League press event on Friday. A fantastic video revealing the cryptid-themed moniker and accompanying logo boldly declared, "The Chupacabras aren't just a story anymore. They're real, and they've come to eat."
Explaining the impetus behind the name, co-owner Mike Fietz indicated that they considered a few different options, but ultimately settled on Chupacabras as a celebration of "the folklore of New Mexico." The indoor football team is not the first sports group to align itself with the legendary bloodthirsty creature, as a professional soccer team in Texas also adopted the moniker last October. Beyond those two teams, a veritable menagerie of other outfits have taken on a cryptozoological theme over the years, including the NHL's Seattle Kraken, South Dakota's Spearfish Sasquatch, and the Burlington, Vermont Lake Monsters.