Rise and shine. On Tuesday morning, the Somerset Patriots visited a New Jersey diner to announce that they are serving up a brand new alternate identification as The Jersey Diners.
New Jersey — the Diner Capital of the World — is dwelling to over 500 diners, greater than every other state. The central New Jersey-based Patriots, who’ve served because the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate since 2021, are situated in the course of this gleaming, pre-fabricated and neon-drenched culinary wonderland. The thought to create a Jersey Diners alternate identification, which they may assume for 3 dwelling video games this coming season, happened following a bigger brainstorm concerning Backyard State-based meals monikers. Pizza was one of many regionally beloved foodstuffs to be initially thought-about, however the dialog quickly went in a special path.
“What most groups heart these rebrands round is one explicit meals merchandise,” stated Patriots senior director of gross sales and advertising Hal Hansen, talking on a Zoom name alongside a number of of his entrance workplace co-workers. “Pork Roll has been achieved [by the Trenton Thunder]. … So then I used to be considering Jersey Corn? Jersey Tomatoes? However how a lot enjoyable may that be? So we type of took a step backwards and checked out it from a broader perspective. Like, wait a minute, there are diners throughout New Jersey. This may be actually, actually enjoyable if we go this path.”
Whereas Greasy Spoons was at one level thought-about as a attainable title, it was in the end determined to maintain it easy and celebratory. The Jersey Diners wordmark is spelled out in what the staff describes as “pink poodle” neon, located inside a “stainless silver” approximation of one of many state’s traditional boxcar-style diners. The emblem on the cap is a smiling cup of espresso, decked out within the bow tie and paper hat regalia of a diner worker.
“The explanation we selected the espresso cup was that, once you go to a diner, that is actually the very first thing you are requested: ‘Cup of espresso?'” stated Hansen.
“There are some synergies with that too,” added Dave Marek, Patriots senior VP of selling. “You at all times hear of Minor Leaguers getting their ‘cup of espresso,’ within the Main Leagues. And simply having a cup of espresso is an effective consolation in life. Coming to a enjoyable Minor League Baseball recreation is reassuring as effectively.”
The Jersey Diners logos, designed by Ryan Foose (Fooser Studios), are complemented by a wide range of secondary marks. These embrace a espresso pot embossed with an stylized “J” and “d” (for Jersey Diners), a stack of pancakes topped with a baseball-shaped slab of butter and a “State and Eggs” mark that includes a Jersey-shaped minimize of breakfast sirloin. The “Blissful Waitress” emblem, in the meantime, is called after a Jersey diner staple: a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato. Hansen stated the Blissful Waitress will likely be among the many “blue plate specials” out there when the Patriots play because the Diners, together with the gravy and cheese-topped gut-buster referred to as Disco Fries.
The reveal, attended by Patriots season ticket holders and the media, happened at Park 22 Diner in Inexperienced Brook. A neighborhood oldies radio station offered the soundtrack, and there was — in fact — loads of meals and occasional to go round. All attendees acquired a classic paper diner hat, which will likely be included in all Diners merchandise orders this season.
“The kicker is that we selected [Tuesday] as a result of it is Nationwide Pie Day,” stated Hansen. “So everybody on their method out [got] a chunk of apple pie.”
The Park 22 Diner was within the highlight for the disclosing, however the Patriots’ aim going ahead will likely be to companion with as many diners as they will.
“We’re actually protecting the group in thoughts after we’re doing this, and doing it with a function,” stated Marek. “One of many suggestions gadgets that I bought from one diner proprietor was speaking about how difficult it’s, since COVID, with staffing and the worth of meals and various things like that. So we’ll create a guide that’s going to have the totally different diners which might be collaborating in our program. … It’s going to be like a path map, so to talk. [Fans] go to all of the diners, they get their web page stamped, after which they’re going to get a particular prize on the ballpark on the finish of the yr.
“So it is a chance for us to assist carry consciousness to diners, assist promote diners and have a good time the enjoyable {that a} diner has,” he concluded.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is already on board, as he despatched a letter to the staff that learn, partially: “New Jersey prides itself on being referred to as the Diner Capital of the World. As Governor, I commend the Somerset Patriots for recognizing the significance of diners within the Backyard State.”
The Patriots will make their Jersey Diners debut at TD Financial institution Ballpark briefly order, internet hosting the Hartford Yard Goats on June 8.
