Posted in: HBO, MLB, Sports, TV | Tagged: Last Week Tonight

Last Week Tonight Renames MILB's Erie SeaWolves to Erie Moon Mammoths

Last Week Tonight host John Oliver revealed the new name for Minor League Baseball's Erie SeaWolves, rebranding it to the Erie Moon Mammoths.

From having a sewage plant being branded in his name in Danbury, Connecticut, to getting his own custom Japanese mascot in ChiiJohn, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver fulfilled his latest conquest in changing the world, rebranding a Minor League Baseball team, when he's not doing his diligence informing his audience on the latest current events. In his latest stunt-come-true, Oliver and his writing staff were approached by the Erie SeaWolves about rebranding their team, which he discussed on his May 4th show, to the Erie Moon Mammoths.

Last Week Tonight: The Journey to Rebrand the Erie SeaWolves to the Erie Moon Mammoths

On the May 4th edition of LWT, Oliver revealed he picked the Erie, PA-based team, "They wrote to us with a list of 11 good reasons to pick them," he began. "One of which was 'The SeaWolves play baseball nowhere near the sea,' which, yeah, that's a problem, Erie. We can help you fix that. So, congratulations to the SeaWolves, you're about to be called something else. We're going to research your area and come up with a new name, mascot, and theme night for you that no one else in the league has, and that could only come from Erie. As per our original offer, you get no input into this."

Oliver's writing staff came up with the "Moon Mammoths" for the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers after discovering the story of scuba diver George Moon, who was combing the depths of Lake Pleasant in Erie County in the summer of 1991 when he discovered a three-foot bone as part of the remains of a large mammoth. Further digging in the lake produced about 80 percent of the animal's remains, which also includes both its tusks.

"I think we could have got with our staff in a room and come up with 50 different identities that all would have been very successful and good and well-received," SeaWolves team president Greg Coleman told MLB.com. "And we wouldn't have ended up here." Not only did Oliver present the new team logo on the June 29th episode of Last Week Tonight, but he also recruited veteran broadcaster and legendary NBC Sports voice Bob Costas to assist on the team rebrand video. For more on the Moon Mammoth story, including comments from franchise staff and information on the official rebrand on July 19, you can check out the full story here:

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