“Alternative identities,” where a team temporarily changes their name for a game or two, is a promotions trend in minor league baseball, a famously promotions-heavy business.

For example, in recent years the Winston-Salem Dash have also played under the names Tobacco Beatles, Hooch Pooches and the Hype Hens. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs have transformed into simply the Cats. Meanwhile, the Columbia Fireflies cosplayed as the Grits. The Eugene Emeralds sometimes compete under the name Exploding Whales.

North Alabama’s Rocket City Trash Pandas will try on alternate identities for two upcoming home games at Madison’s Toyota Field. On June 13 versus Southern League rivals the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Trash Pandas will play as the Bama Butts.

For their June 14 game versus the Wahoos, the Trash Pandas will be the Alabama White Sauce. The names Bama Butts and Alabama White Sauce are both nods to North Alabama’s strong barbecue roots.

Minor league alternative identities promotions include uniform makeovers. The logo on Bama Butts caps is a high-stepping pig flashing its posterior. Alabama White Sauce caps feature an anthropomorphized squeeze bottle spewing mayonnaise-based sauce from its nozzle.

Fans can already purchase Bama Butts and Alabama White Sauce merch vias the Trash Pandas webstore and at the team’s Toyota Field and Hughes Road team stores. Offerings include caps, jerseys, T-shirts, koozies, decals and pennants.

The alternative identities are part of what Trash Pandas officials are calling “BBQ Weekend.” Toyota Field will host a “best pork butt” cooking contest on June 13, which is a Friday, and “best white sauce” that Saturday.

Fans can purchase barbecue sampling ticket packages, 200 total available for each of the two games, and vote for their favorite pork or sauce from local restaurants. Ticket pricing and more info at here (Friday/pork butts) and here (Saturday/white sauce).

In a statement, Trash Pandas executive vice president Lindsey Knupp said, “We couldn’t be more excited to launch these two new identities with authentic ties to BBQ here in our state. We can’t wait to see all the local restaurants here in June to showcase their incredible food.”

The Trash Pandas are the double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Angels. As comedian John Oliver noted recently on his HBO show, the Trash Pandas have been promotionally savvy from the get-go. Due to the team’s kooky name, they sold more than $1.2 million in merch before even playing a game. In 2023, the Trash Pandas played a game under the names Los Lunaticos de Rocket City to celebrate the local Latino population and culture.