MACON, Ga. — A new billboard is asking Macon Bacon fans to “keep bacon off your plate” to fight cancer.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, who have sponsored the billboard, also wrote the president of the team and have asked the team to change its name to the Macon Facon Bacon and instead promote healthful, plant-based bacon alternatives.
The billboard is located on I-16 near Coliseum drive.
“Macon Bacon’s glorification of bacon, a processed meat that raises the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases, sends the wrong message to fans,” wrote Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, nutrition education program manager for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in a letter to Brandon Raphael, president of the Macon Bacon. “I urge you to update the team’s name to Macon Facon Bacon and promote plant-based bacon alternatives, such as Facon Bacon or Mushroom Bacon, that will help your fans stay healthy. As for Kevin, Macon Bacon’s mascot, he can reveal that he is actually plant-based bacon.”
The Bacon’s current food menu features items like 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Bacon Wrapped Bacon, Steak Cut Bacon, Bacon Cheeseburger, Bacon Dog, Bacon Loaded Cheese Fries, Bacon Loaded Mac N Cheese, and Bacon Chips.
The group is asking the Macon Bacon to stop serving these items and instead encourage fans to eat plant-based and healthy alternatives instead.
The Bacon began sizzling are Luther Williams Field in 2018 as part of the Coastal Plain League. The team's name has garnered quite a bit of attention even being feature on ESPN's Sportscenter and its mascot Kevin has even gotten attention from the other Kevin Bacon, famous for the movie 'Footloose'.
The President of the Macon Bacon, Brandon Raphael, emailed 13WMAZ this statement:
"While we are disappointed in the disapproval of our branding from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the Macon Bacon do not view ourselves as a glorification of an unhealthy lifestyle; rather, we pride ourselves on being a fun-natured organization focused on bringing families and communities together of Middle Georgia and beyond.
We take great pride in the Macon Bacon naming rights (which our fans voted on in 2018), as we get to witness the smiles and laughter from our fan base – who have supported our branding since our inception -- that stems from the brand’s lighthearted and playful nature. We are a family-friendly organization and we are extremely grateful for our fans.
While we certainly offer bacon-based options on our concessions menu, our organization has developed a menu that is full of other dining variations to ensure that our fans have choices as to what they consume while enjoying their time at the ballpark, which includes a plant-based option. That was obviously not mentioned in the group’s complaint.
With that, the Macon Bacon will be sizzling forever and will not consider a name change. Ever."
Here is a copy of the letter sent to the president of the Macon Bacon: