The Tampa Bay franchise dropped the word Devil from its name prior to the 2008 Major League Baseball season primarily for a combination of marketing repositioning and cultural sensitivity. The original ownership group, led by Vince Naimoli, chose the Devil Rays name in the 1990s as a nod to the native marine life found in the waters surrounding the Tampa Bay area. However, after a decade of continuous last-place finishes and immense struggles on the field, the new ownership group headed by Stuart Sternberg wanted to shed the losing aura and completely overhaul the team identity. Furthermore, marketing research indicated that shortening the name to simply the Rays offered a cleaner, more family-friendly appeal and successfully removed the religious controversy surrounding the word devil, which had alienated certain segments of the local fan base. The rebranding coincided with a miraculous worst-to-first turnaround in 2008 that culminated in an American League pennant, instantly validating the name change in the eyes of local supporters.