CHARLESTON, WV (March 27, 2023) – The Charleston Dirty Birds are teaming up with Goodwill of Kanawha Valley to bring a West Virginia staple to life on the diamond. On Saturday, July 15 the Dirty Birds will play as the Pepperoni Rolls in specialty jerseys and hats.

The concept of the team identity, Pepperoni Rolls, comes from a West Virginia-born and favorite food item that has become a national icon. The Dirty Birds wish to bring fans a fun and entertaining evening of baseball with pepperoni roll-inclusive entertainment all over the ballpark.

“We are the only professional baseball team in the state and giving our team an identity that represents the culture and the background of something as fun as pepperoni rolls while benefiting such a great organization is so exciting,” said Manager of Entertainment, Eden Douglas.

The Pepperoni Rolls design work was created by Lorenzo Nichols, Lead Graphic Designer with VirtCh – a graphics and live production company that specializes in Spectator Sports Entertainment. Nichols developed the Dirty Birds' alternate identity with the deep history of the food item and incorporated the team’s original colors with the new logo. The primary logo and wordmark include the melted cheese and the colors of pepperoni to bring the new identity to life.

“When creating an alternate brand identity, it is important to stay true to the original brand of the team while incorporating new aspects of the identity that fans will be able to immediately identify and connect with. The history of the pepperoni roll in West Virginia and the way the Dirty Birds’ fans naturally are drawn to that history made this a fun project for me to work on with them” said VirtCh Lead Graphic Designer, Lorenzo Nichols.

Prior to the game on July 15, the Dirty Birds and Have Fun WV will host a Pepperoni Roll Festival and Contest. A ticket to the game includes tickets to the contest where fans can vote for their favorite homemade pepperoni roll from local restaurants and participants. The winner of the contest will be presented with a trophy during the Dirty Birds pre-game ceremony.

The Pepperoni Rolls identity is sponsored by Goodwill of Kanawha Valley. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off following the game and all proceeds will benefit Goodwill.

“We are thrilled to be back at GoMart Ballpark for Goodwill Night on July 15,” said Megan Diehl, Vice President of Brand Management of Goodwill. “We are excited to be a part of the amazing custom Pepperoni Rolls jerseys, so come and enjoy the game!”

About Goodwill: At Goodwill, the goal is to end poverty for West Virginians. Each year, thousands of West Virginians are empowered through employment, helping them achieve financial stability. For more information, visit www.goodwillkv.com

The Dirty Birds home opener is May 9 at GoMart Ballpark. Single-game tickets for the 2023 season are now on sale. For more information or to shop the Dirty Birds team store visit www.dirtybirdsbaseball.com

The Charleston Dirty Birds are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season in 2023, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. ALPB has sent over 1,200 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 45 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks throughout its 25-year history. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com