College-level team Minot Hot Tots‘ identity doesn’t exactly strike fear. The worst thing the Tater Tot mascot can do to an opponent is to raise cholesterol levels.
So, when the team set out to create an alternative identity for a series of „What Might Have Been“ nights at the baseball stadium, they turned to a brand more imposing than junk food. The five finalists in the franchise’s pre-2023 season Name-the-Team contest were Hot Tots, Night Owls, Dak Rats, Why Nots, and Berserkers. Naturally, the Hot Tots won the original contest, but the Berzerkers were a close contender.
This week, the Hot Tots announced that they will play three games this season as the Berzerkers. The term is derived from the Norse word Berserker, meaning „bear-shirt.“ The brand pays tribute to Scandinavian heritage in North Dakota with a logo depicting a Viking wearing a bear skin, wielding an axe and a war horn.
„When we announced our real name last season, the comments were mostly positive, but we had a few people mentioning they wanted a name that was more intense, scary, or intimidating,“ said Monica Hocking, General Manager and Managing Partner of Hot Tots, as quoted on the team’s website. „This is our way of giving those people what they want and adopting an alternative identity that is completely different from what fans are used to.“
The Berzerkers will take the field on June 6, June 20, and August 1.