Latest news with #PlainNight
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
St. Paul Saints fire back at John Oliver with 'Plain Night'
Fans at Thursday's game between the St. Paul Saints and Norfolk Tides can expect to receive a plain piece of white paper and be treated to in-game entertainment that includes a PowerPoint presentation and white bread. Weird? Yes. Fun? Remains to be seen. A clever jab at comedian John Oliver? Yup. Oliver featured the Saints in an episode of Last Week Tonight, admonishing the team for having a boring name when other Triple-A baseball teams have names like the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, El Paso Chihuahuas, Sugar Land Space Cowboys, or the Toledo Mud Hens. Oliver offered a "total rebrand" to one minor league club, a rebrand in which the team would be allowed no input. However, on Sunday, he revealed that the team getting that treatment is the Erie SeaWolves. In response, "the Saints are leaning into the dullard nature of their name for a Meh type of game," the team says. On May 22, it'll host "Plain Night," a promotion dedicated to being as boring as possible. The first 1,000 fans will get a sheet of plain white paper as Thursday's giveaway. Then, during the game, the peanut toss will be replaced by white bread being thrown at fans during the seventh-inning stretch. That will come after a PowerPoint presentation on the jumbotron featuring all the team names that the Saints didn't take when it was founded in 1993. The names include the Accountants, Municipals, and Eastern Gray Squirrels. (I get it, but that last one is actually pretty solid and could have a great mascot.) If you want to get on the jumbotron during this historic night, don't wear a costume. The team plans to only show fans who are wearing khaki pants and a tucked-in shirt. Those fans won't be enjoying standard ballpark treats, either. The team says it'll only be serving vanilla ice cream as a dessert during the game. Additionally, anyone with the name John or Oliver will get in free, with the team adding that those are "two of the Top 150 generic men's names in the world." "In a world full of fireworks, pigs delivering baseball to umpires, and Fun is Good, the Saints are boldly choosing to do less," the team said in an announcement. "Wear your beige, tuck in that polo, and prepare for a night that redefines 'just fine.' Baseball will be played. Possibly. Fun will be had. Arguably."
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
St. Paul Saints tempt fans with "Plain Night" after John Oliver taunts: "It's going to be meh"
Earlier this month, "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver chided the St. Paul Saints, the Minnesota Twins' Triple-A affiliate team, for having a plain name in comparison to fellow minor leaguers like the Rocket City Trash Pandas or the Eugene Exploding Whales. Oliver then pledged to treat one International League team to a "total rebrand," including a new name and mascot. The Saints were game, even though their home games are beloved for being rollicking, silly, pig-friendly fiestas. But the team's hopes were dashed when the winner was unveiled on Sunday's show: the Erie SeaWolves. The Saints didn't get mad, though — they got promotional. The team says Thursday night's home game against the Norfolk Tides at St. Paul's CHS Field is dubbed "Plain Night," promising, "it's going to be meh." The first 1,000 fans will receive a sheet of plain, white paper, and instead of the traditional peanut toss during the seventh inning stretch, white bread will be lobbed at attendees. But that's not all. "If you're looking for some great dessert, look somewhere else because the concession stands will serve nothing but vanilla ice cream," the team wrote in its announcement on Monday. But the cherry atop of the proverbial vanilla ice cream (and don't expect cherries or any other toppings at Thursday's game) is an incredible deal for anyone with "John" or "Oliver" in their names. "The team will do something they have never done in 33 seasons, offer free tickets just because of what your parents decided to name you," the team wrote. The Saints also note "John" and "Oliver" are "two of the Top 150 generic men's names in the world." Fans will also be dazzled by a power point presentation of "all the names the Saints didn't choose in 1993," when the team was founded by Mike Veeck, Marvin Goldklang and Bill Murray. Yes, that Bill Murray. And let it be known to those hoping to catch the lens of a camera operator for some jumbotron glory: only those dressed in khaki pants with their shirts tucked in have a chance to shine. "Plain Night isn't about thrills — it's about embracing the underwhelming," the team wrote. "So, wear your beige, tuck in that polo, and prepare for a night that redefines 'just fine.' Baseball will be played. Possibly. Fun will be had. Arguably." Plenty of Plain Night tickets are still available.
