Wrong mascot: Target apologizes for ‘Minnesota Badgers’ onesie

Target shoppers in Minnesota had to look twice at a onesie being offered by the discount retailer.

The fan website GopherHole.com tweeted a photo taken by Kileigh Carpenter of a maroon onesie that had a block "M" with the words "Minnesota Badgers" written underneath, the Star Tribune reported. Minnesota is the Gopher State, and the mascot for the University of Minnesota is Golden Gophers.

Badgers? That’s the nickname of neighboring state and Big Ten athletic rival Wisconsin.

“Color us red,” Target said in a statement. “As a Minnesota-based company, we know we are home to the Gophers. We’ve worked with our vendor to remove this item and apologize to any sports fans who might have been left scratching their head.”

Target officials said Tuesday that two of the onesies were bought in less than 24 hours. The outfits were available at four Target stores in the Twin Cities; the remaining 22 onesies were returned to the vendor, the Star Tribune reported.

“As a former employee, and huge fan of the Gophers, this was hilarious,” Carpenter told the newspaper.”

Carpenter said she used to work for the university in the ticket office and was later a social media manager.

Carpenter told the Star Tribune she noticed the onesies Sunday night at a Target in northeast Minneapolis.

“I had to look at this a few times and questioned myself," she told the newspaper. "I’m happy to see both fan bases unite.”

Carpenter’s lone regret?

"I didn't buy it," she told the Star Tribune. "I wish I would have."

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