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Promotions Watch: Brevard County eschews BP for hitting rehearsal

The Brevard County Manatees hope to make their displeasure regarding the BP oil spill by changing the name of team batting practice. 

The Brevard County Manatees (High Class A; Florida State League) hope to make their displeasure regarding the BP oil spill by changing the name of team batting practice.  

“As an organization we feel that changing the term 'batting practice' and 'BP' to 'hitting rehearsal' shows that we are deeply concerned and hurt by the disaster on the Gulf Coast,” Manatees General Manager Kyle Smith said. “We hope to send a message to the community that we are definitely worried with the pollution that is in the waters off the Gulf Coast and its potential impact on the beaches here in Brevard County.”

The BP oil spill is now the largest offshore spill in United States history, surpassing the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989. Approximately 12,000 to 19,000 gallons of oil a day are being spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.

The River City Rascals (independent; Frontier League) — a team pretty far removed from any oil slicks — are also changing the name of batting practice to hitting practice. In a clever tie-in with a sponsor, the Rascals are taking a dollar off admission prices for anyone presented a gas receipt from QuikTrip, a BP competitor on the retail front.

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