Giddyup, we’re headed for Bakersfield.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Seinfeld episode “The Puffy Shirt” on Nov. 16, the Bakersfield Condors of the minor league ECHL will be wearing jerseys that replicate the iconic garb Jerry Seinfeld agreed to wear as a guest on the Today Show. In that memorable episode, Kramer’s low-talking girlfriend inaudibly asked Seinfeld to wear the shirts she manufactured when he appeared on the NBC morning show. Just to be agreeable, he said yes.
And so a ’90s pop culture legend began.
For devotees of the series, it gets even better. Each jersey will bear the word “Condors” on the front wrapped in the TV show’s logo. The back of each of the game day shirts will bear the name of a famous character from the show. Already cast in dark ink are Jerry, George, Kramer, Newman, Frank Costanza, Puddy, J. Peterman, Jackie Chiles, Bubble Boy, Keith Hernandez, Mickey Abbott, and, of course, the Assman. But fans will get their say via Facebook and Twitter for which five additional character names will be added to the list to complete the set.
Early comments on Twitter about the promotion, even more than two months before the game, are on point.
Puffy shirt jerseys broke Facebook. Sorry we’re not sorry. #Condorstown
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) September 3, 2014
An ESPN reporter has this suggestion for the Condors’ PA announcer:
PA Announcer should be low talker MT @ForTheWin: hockey team will wear puffy shirt on ‘Seinfeld’ night – https://t.co/Hu2gVe3qVk
— Kevin Negandhi (@KNegandhiESPN) September 3, 2014
And while they’re at it, the Condors would like to feature an unusual mode of transportation on Puffy Shirt Night:
If anyone has a spare rickshaw we can borrow on Nov. 16, that would be great. #Condorstown
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) September 3, 2014
Why not weave in another classic line from an episode featuring Terri Hatcher?
They’re real and they’re spectacular. Seinfeld Puffy Shirt specialty jerseys! Details >> https://t.co/WBQn6jqNDA pic.twitter.com/ogWoILnzcL
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) September 3, 2014
One thing is for sure: Whoever heads promotion for the Bakersfield Condors deserves a promotion, if not part ownership in the team. It won’t be easy for another sports team to outdo this theme night (although I’m betting the Charleston Riverdogs could give them a run for their money).
As for name suggestions? I’d go with Babu Bhatt, Uncle Leo, Justin Pitt, or even Kenny Bania. If we’re going obscure, how about Ray McKigney (also in the Puffy Shirt episode)? One can only assume the shirts will be made by Vandelay Industries from a mix of velvet and latex.
H/T Uproxx | Photo by dsasso/Flickr (CC By SA 2.0) | Remix by Fernando Alfonso III