The Bisons believe they've hit a home run with their new naming rights partner for the downtown ballpark.

What started as Pilot Field more than 30 years ago will now be known as Sahlen Field.

The Herd is partnering with Sahlen's, a longtime staple of Buffalo food, to rename the park. The change comes after Coca-Cola decided against renewing their agreement for the naming rights.

It's the fifth corporate sponsorship name for the stadium.

"I remember being in my car getting a call from our assistant general manager Anthony Sprague saying we got our first call, it's from Sahlen's,” said Mike Buczkowski, general manager of the Bisons. "I remember saying that would be perfect."

The stories of both organizations are rooted deep in Buffalo's history. The Bisons legacy dates back to 1877, while Sahlen's started here in 1869. The family-owned business will soon mark 150 years of pumping out millions of pounds of hot dogs, sausage and deli meats over five generations. 

"Us entering our 150th year next year and this coinciding with this opportunity, so it's great. You couldn't ask for better timing," said Sahlen's president, Joe Sahlen.

The Bisons and Sahlen's are teaming up for the next 10 years, a deal they think more than cuts the mustard, with endless opportunities to cook up food and fun for the fans.

"We've just scratched the surface really on some of the things that we can do on both game days and non-game days, be able to use this ballpark for other events even when the Bisons are away," Buczkowski said.

The Sahlen's are no strangers to sports and sponsorships, owning soccer teams and a sports complex. 

"Sports has always been an interest. We're a competitive family and that's evidenced by our ability to stay in business for 150 years," Sahlen said.

The Bisons and Sahlen's are still working on a logo, but the new name and signs will start appearing around the ballpark in the next few months.

The official opening day for the newly-named Sahlen Field is April 4, 2019.