Detroit Tigers Farm Team Becomes ‘Moon Mammoths’ via Late Night Bit

The name is 12,000 years in the making!

"Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver and his writers recently renamed a Detroit Tigers Double-A affiliate as part of a wild and wacky rebrand stunt. Here's the true and incredible story behind the new name:

George Moon's Mammoth Discovery

It all started in 1991 when scuba diver George Moon was exploring the depths of Lake Pleasant in Erie, Pennsylvania. While underwater George discovered a huge 3-foot mammoth bone and eventually 80% of the ancient animal's remains were recovered. The discovery was later referred to around Erie as the "Moon Mammoth".

Fast-forward to 2025 and the name is now the new alternate identity of the Erie SeaWolves!

As part of a late-night stunt TV's John Oliver made an offer to minor league baseball teams that they couldn't refuse:

We are willing to use all our resources and stupidity to give one Minor League Baseball team a total rebrand...We will give you a new team name. A new mascot. We will even throw you a theme night...You can’t ask us any questions, give us any notes and you have to do what we come up with

According to MLB news 47 teams contacted the show and on June 29 the final team was chosen. On July 19, 2025 the team will debut as the Erie Moon Mammoths-- and official merch is already on sale!

Oliver says he expects this to last as a single-game stunt, as opposed to a complete team rebrand but anything is possible! Adds Oliver,

We’ll see how it goes...This is a unique opportunity to tell people that Erie has a baseball team and is a great place to live, work and play. If you don’t take chances like this then you can’t set yourself up for the possible opportunities that come from it.