Minor League Baseball clubs are in a constant struggle to drive fan engagement. That’s why you’ll often see these small-town teams offering up promotions ranging from heavily discounted concessions to wearing some snazzy new jerseys. Anything to get a few more butts in the seats.
On Sunday, we learned that one lucky minor league team is about to receive the promotion of a lifetime.
HBO’s John Oliver, the host of Last Week Tonight, recently put out an offer to Minor League Baseball teams across the country: “We are willing to use all of our resources and stupidity to give one Minor League Baseball team a total rebrand.”
In total, 47 minor league teams applied for Oliver’s proposal. And after carefully examining each application, the Last Week Tonight host settled on the Detroit Tigers’ double-A affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves. Now, the SeaWolves have to be granted approval by Major League Baseball for a rebrand. The team and league are reportedly set to meet on Tuesday.
Assuming the project is approved, the SeaWolves are ceding full creative control for the team’s rebrand to the Last Week Tonight team. “It will be personalized and be bespoke,” Oliver said, per the Erie Times-News.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity,” Erie SeaWolves president Greg Coleman told the Times-News. “It’s an opportunity to showcase Erie and showcase the team we have here and the success we’ve enjoyed. So, we’re thrilled.”
Unfortunately, for the 46 other teams that were interested in Oliver’s makeover, they’ll have to keep relying on odd promotion nights to drum up interest.