Staten Island Yankees to Become Staten Island Pizza Rats
June 11, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Staten Island Yankees News Release
The Staten Island Yankees are taking on a new identity on Saturday nights this season. The team will change its name to the Staten Island Pizza Rats for the five Saturday home games, beginning June 23, at Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George.
"We're going to have some fun with this brand at the ballpark in 2018," said President Will Smith.
In 2016, the Staten Island Yankees sought a new team name to create a hometown identity. The Pizza Rats made its way to the team's final five potential monikers. The final decision was left to the fans, who voted for their favorite in a "Name the Team" contest. By an overwhelming margin, the winner of the contest was the Staten Island Pizza Rats.
"I was in a meeting this offseason and someone recounted the rebranding contest," Smith said. "His lone comment was that it could not possibly be Pizza Rats. When I asked which one he preferred, he could not recall any others. That has been the response of many - it's unforgettable."
Along with the name change, the team released six new logos designed by Brandiose and will feature new merchandise both online and in-store at the ballpark, including New Era baseball caps, hoodies and t-shirts. All of the logos and accompanying merchandise can be viewed at pizzaratsbaseball.com.
"Of the five finalists, this was always an intriguing direction," Smith said. "I understand it's polarizing when heard for the first time. We believe these designs define a new brand that has something for everyone."
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The Staten Island Yankees are the Single A-Short Season Affiliate of the New York Yankees and play at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George. The Staten Island Yankees are six-time New York-Penn League Champions (2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2011). The team will be playing as the Staten Island Pizza Rats on June 23, July 7, July 14, July 21 and August 4. For more information, visit siyanks.com and pizzaratsbaseball.com.
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