After the Indiana Pacers unveiled an interesting alternate uniform for the 2015-16 season last summer, they joined a mostly minor league baseball-filled group that embraces unconventional historical or pop culture-inspired uniforms.In honor of the Pacers’ donning the iconic Hickory High uniforms during the 2015-16, scroll through for other professional sports teams that should adopt names and uniforms from movies and television shows for at least one game.
Fictional Team: Flint Tropics (Semi-Pro)
Pro Team: Detroit Pistons
Semi-Pro might have been a horrendous film but the uniforms are simply magical and much better than what the Pistons have been rolling out since they ditched the fiery teal logo in 2001.
Fictional Team: Tune Squad (Space Jam)
Pro Team: Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets might not deserve the opportunity to become the Tune Squad but because MJ single-handedly won that tilt against the Monstars, his team gets right of first refusal.
Fictional Team: Miami Sharks (Any Given Sunday)
Pro Team: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Sharks uniforms are significantly more dull than the Dolphins’ current digs but it could be fun to resurrect them for one game in south Florida.
Fictional Team: South Central Louisiana State University (The Waterboy)
Pro Team: LSU Tigers
We’re making an exception to the pro team adoption rule with the SCLSU Mud Dogs. It wouldn’t feel right having a pro team adopt their name and uniforms therefore we’re hoping LSU is willing to become the Mud Dogs for one game.
Fictional Team: Charlestown Chiefs (Slap Shot)
Pro Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
The Chiefs were based on former North American Hockey League team, the Johnstown (PA) Jets. Pittsburgh is just 70 miles from small town therefore we’d love to see Sidney Crosby and Co. rock the old Chiefs uniforms.
Fictional Team: Rockford Peaches (A League of Their Own)
Pro Team: Chicago White Sox
The Rockford Peaches remain among the most iconic defunct sports franchises and are one of two non-fictional teams on this list. The team, a member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1943-1954 served as inspiration for the popular 1992 film A League of Their Own. Similarly to the Charlestown Chiefs, with Rockford’s close proximity to Chicago, the White Sox should don the old Peaches uniforms…skirts and all.
Fictional Team: Sandlot Team (The Sandlot)
Pro Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
This one would be a little more difficult, as they’re the only team on this list without actual uniforms. However, that could make it even better by assigning each Dodgers starter one Sandlot character.
Fictional Team: Milwaukee Beers (BASEketball)
Pro Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Brewers brew beer and the fictional team is based in Milwaukee. You cannot ignore the writing on the wall…right, Ryan Braun?
Fictional Team: Washington Sentinels (The Replacements)
Pro Team: Washington Redskins
Instead of adopting Sentinels for one game, the Redskins could just adopt it forever and finally end this name fiasco.
Fictional Team: West Canaan Coyotes (Varsity Blues)
Pro Team: Dallas Cowboys
There are few logical comparisons between the Coyotes and Cowboys, but it’d be tough to give a non-Texas team first shot at donning those beautiful blue uniforms.
Fictional Team: Permian Panthers (Friday Night Lights)
Pro Team: Houston Texans
The Permian Panthers are the second non-fictional team on our list and second piece to the Texas high school uniform adoption puzzle, as we’d love to see the Texans and Cowboys face off in a Permiam-West Canaan matchup.
Fictional Team: Gotham Rogues (The Dark Knight Rises)
Pro Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers easily win the rights to the Rogues because the scene was filmed at Heinz Field, it features current and former Pittsburgh players and coaches, and the color scheme matches.
Fictional Team: New York Knights (The Natural)
Pro Team: New York Yankees
It’s tempting to have the Mets borrow the Knights uniforms because of the color scheme but the Yankees’ majestic history takes the cake.
Fictional Team: The Bears (Bad News Bears)
Pro Team: Chicago Cubs
The Cubs finally appear to be turning the corner into a legitimate playoff contender therefore while the Bad News Bears’ putrid talent no longer accurately mirrors that in the Cubbies’ clubhouse, the association still fits.
Fictional Team: Springfield Isotopes (The Simpsons)
Pro Team: Seattle Mariners
There’s no other reason for selecting Seattle than the The Simpson’s creator, Matt Groenig, reportedly using Springfield, Oregon as inspiration for the show’s location. The Mariners are the closest MLB team to the city just outside of Eugene.
