Erie SeaWolves Rebrand as Moon Mammoths for Select Games

The Erie SeaWolves, a Double-A Minor League Baseball team, temporarily rebranded as the Erie Moon Mammoths in a unique collaboration with HBO's John Oliver and his show 'Last Week Tonight.' The new name and logo were inspired by George Moon, who discovered a 12,000-year-old mammoth fossil in Erie County in 1991. John Oliver revealed the Moon Mammoths identity on his show and threw the ceremonial first pitch at the debut game, which was attended by over 6,000 fans and featured enthusiastic support and strong merchandise sales. The rebrand was part of a contest Oliver held with 48 other minor league teams, with Erie winning despite having no input on the new branding. Fans and team officials embraced the change, finding it an exciting and entertaining experience, though the SeaWolves will maintain discretion on how often they wear the Moon Mammoths uniforms. The event celebrated both the team's 30th anniversary and the community's connection to its unique local history.