Staten Island Yankees to rebrand as 'Pizza Rats' on Saturday nights
The Staten Island Yankees, the New York Yankees’ Class A affiliate, will now be known as the Staten Island Pizza Rats on Saturday nights.
SPECIAL DELIVERY: SI YANKS ➡️ STATEN ISLAND PIZZA RATS on Saturday night home games this season Visit https://t.co/YMn5c29QA8 to place your order! #SIPizzaRats #JoinThePack pic.twitter.com/us7rLfRa8F
— StatenIslandYankees (@SIYanks) June 11, 2018
The idea for the name came in 2016, when a fan vote took place to rebrand the team and create a “hometown identity.” Other options in that vote included the Rock Pigeons, Heroes, Killer Bees and Bridge Trolls.
Plans had initially been made to rebrand entirely for 2017 based on the vote, but the team couldn’t get the approvals they needed from the league or legal department to move forward with new name, and thus came up with the 2018 Saturday night compromise.
Uniforms have already been made:
The internet's favorite #MiLB team name is finally a reality, the @SIYanks become the #SIPizzaRats on Saturdays in 2018. https://t.co/p4jwxxoJ8c#StatenIsland #Yankees #MLB #baseball
— Pinstriped Prospects (@PinstripedPros) June 11, 2018
These jerseys might just become best-sellers.
The Pizza Rat moniker is an homage to this 2015 viral – and now iconic– New York City subway moment:
Although the Pizza Rats have only five Saturday home games left this year – June 23, July 7, July 14, July 21, and August 4 – it’s always great to see a team embrace local culture.
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