Fresno Grizzlies to commemorate Simpsons with Tribute to Springfield

The Fresno Grizzlies have never been afraid to step on some toes when it comes to promotional nights. The team picked a fight with the Sacramento River Cats back in 2015 when both teams unveiled promotional uniforms featuring the California grizzly from the state flag. And more recently, the team frequently takes to social media to defend its claim to the best (and precedent-setting) food-based alternate identity, the Fresno Tacos.

So when the the Grizzlies announced their latest promotional offering, which will commemorate the long-running cartoon The Simpsons, it should have been no surprise that their opponent for the game will be none other than the Albuquerque Isotopes, who are named for a 2001 episode of The Simpsons. The Grizzlies’ “Tribute to Springfield” will take place on June 29 and will feature lots of Simpsons-related gear and activities. (It’s of note that The Simpsons debuted on December 17, 1989, which makes Bart older than all but six of the players on the Grizzlies roster.)

🎵 The Grizzlies… 🎵
(you know how it sounded in your head when you read it)#TributeToSpringfield #Growlifornia 🐻 pic.twitter.com/qn15yYm4UR
— Fresno Grizzlies (@FresnoGrizzlies) June 14, 2017

The jerseys, which feature Simpsons colors and jersey lettering, along with Homer’s iconic pink-iced sprinkle donut in place of the letter O, will be auctioned off during the game to benefit the Grizzlies Community Fund.