Staten Island Yankees take on 'Pizza Rats' nickname

NEW YORK -- A minor league baseball team in New York says it will rebrand itself as the "Staten Island Pizza Rats" -- at least for five home games this season.

The Staten Island Yankees announced Monday that they were honoring a 2016 fan vote to change their name, and will be selling merchandise promoting the new one. "Pizza Rats" emerged as the winning moniker in the Name the Team contest, when fans voted overwhelmingly for the infamous pizza-slice-carrying subway rodent seen in a viral video.

The New York Yankees farm team will become the Pizza Rats for every Saturday home game this summer, donning special uniforms for the occasion.

Themed giveaways and specialty food items are also in the works.

In a statement, Staten Island Borough President James Oddo called the name "dopey."