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Join the Redband Rally

During the 2017 season, the Spokane Indians Baseball team, together with the Spokane Tribe of Indians and City of Spokane introduced the Redband Rally Campaign in honor of Spokane's signature fish, the native Redband Trout. This campaign is designed to bring awareness to the Redband trout and the Spokane River and rally the community to protect and keep the river clean. The Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdnerii) is a beautiful, unique and important species of fish in the Spokane region, and was one of the first foods of the Spokane Tribe of Indians. To create a visible presence and to honor the native Redband trout, the baseball team introduced a new logo that is featured on apparel, signage, headbands and artwork. We believe that the Redband trout embodies the ideals of our team and its players: hard-fighting, resilient and adaptive under ever-changing circumstances.

The City of Spokane Efforts

The Redband Rally campaign is one of the City of Spokane's educational elements to create awareness about efforts to manage stormwater and protect the Spokane River and aquifer. In recent years, the City of Spokane installed combined sewer overflow (CSO) tanks city wide to reduce the amount of untreated water (from combined sewage and stormwater) that discharges into the Spokane River. These tanks help collect overflow from stormwater and the City's sewer system and send it to Water Reclamation Facility for treatment. Click here for information about Stormwater in Spokane and learn how you can help!

Promotion and Education

To promote the campaign in a fun and entertaining way, the Spokane Indians introduced a mascot named Ribby the Redband Trout. Ribby appears each night in the 6th inning (with his little minnow friends) to help rally the team to victory. His mission is to help rally the team to victory and teach people about our river and what we can do to help protect it. Click here to learn more about Ribby the Mascot.

Another promotional element of the campaign is the Redband Headband. The Redband Headband serves three purposes: 1) Creates engagement in a fun and entertaining way as fans of all ages wear the headbands during the game 2) educate fans about the importance of the trout with information on the inside of the headband 3) encourages fans to take action by donating money to protect and preserve the Spokane River.

The Indians have seen the magic of and the Redband Headbands first hand. One example includes the dramatic come from behind victory on the day the campaign was launched. In addition, the Indians amassed an amazing eight walk-off wins during the first year of the Redband Rally, culminating with a ninth-inning victory in the season finale to secure a spot in the postseason.

Merchandise

Indians players do their part to support the campaign by wearing Redband uniforms at select games throughout the summer. These jerseys are auctioned off at the end of each season with proceeds benefiting the Redband Rally Campaign.

Fans can also support the campaign by purchasing Redband Rally merchandise online or at the ballpark, with a portion of each sale being donated to the Redband Rally fund.

Community Fund

To take action and extend the campaign beyond Avista Stadium, the Indians established the Redband Rally Fund with our community partner, the Innovia Foundation. This fund is managed by members from the Spokane River Forum, the Spokane River Keeper, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Spokane Tribal Fisheries Department, Trout Unlimited Spokane Falls Chapter and the Spokane Indians Baseball team.

The fund collects money which is distributed annually towards projects that support the Spokane River. In kind community efforts are also led by the Indians.

Redband Rally Fund in Use

2017

  • In conjunction with Mark Peterson and the 4 News Now Extreme Team, Spokane Indians staff and the Spokane Tribe of Indians rehabilitate the baseball field at Glover Park. This abandoned baseball field project included new dugout benches, infield dirt and overall grooming. Now playable, this field is open to baseball, softball and kickball enthusiasts.

2018

  • On July 6, the Spokane Park Board renamed Glover Field to Redband Park. The Park Board voted unanimously to rename Glover Field and Peaceful Valley Riverwalk to Redband Park, in honor of the Redband Rainbow Trout that spawn in the area and the Redband Rally campaign.
  • Posted a $1,000 reward for the conviction of the person who illegally killed Redband trout caught in the Spokane River. Pledged $500 to more signs on the Spokane River for Redband habitat/rules/ identity to help prevent further poaching.
  • Established a $1,000 annual scholarship for local elementary school science teacher to use for a Redband education day on the Spokane River. This money can be used to take students on a field trip to Redband Park and be used for transportation and guest speakers.

2019

  • The Spokane Indians installed an educational marker in the Hall of Fame Plaza to explain the Redband Rally Campaign elements and educate fans.
  • The fund made a $5,000 contribution to the Spokane River Forum to establish a sculpture at the entrance to Redband Park in partnership with the City of Spokane's efforts to revitalize the area.
  • In-kind donations to the establishment of the new Raft & Paddle launch located at Redband Park.
  • The Spokane River Forum partnered with the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation to create Redband Plaza with the Redband Rising sculpture as the centerpiece. The sculpture, park and plaza area is a tribute to Redband trout.
  • This builds upon efforts to reclaim and revitalize Redband Park, previously called Glover Field. Last spring, the Forum partnered with the WA Department of Commerce and city to build a $250,000 non-motorized boat launch that was an instant success.
  • In partnership with the Spokane River Forum, the Redband Rally Fund contributed to help pave the Aubrey White takeout, making it safer for raft and paddle users to exit the river.

2020

  • The campaign partnered with the Spokane River Forum to supply trash bags for the_Get Up, Get Out River Cleanup _project.
  • The Spokane Indians Baseball Organization and Redband Rally Campaign announce debut of the Spokane Riverkeeper Redband Raft. The new Redband Raft, which was purchased with funds from the Redband Rally Campaign, will be used for donor, partner, and supporter float tours of the river as well as river habitat research trips. In addition, the raft will be used as a second boat for river litter cleanup, and shuttling Spokane Riverkeeper staff, interns and volunteers to assist with homeless outreach efforts on the river. An existing Riverkeeper raft will be reassigned for river litter cleanup only.

2021

  • The campaign partnered with Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited (SFTU) to plant new trees along California Creek, just south of Spokane. California Creek is vital to the Hangman Creek watershed and supplies fresh, clean, cold water into the entire system. New trees provide shade during the hot summer months to keep water temperatures down. Thanks SFTU for letting us be involved!
Donations

You too can help us protect Spokane's hometown fish by making a tax-deductible donation today. Your gift will be donated to local groups that provide advocacy, education, protection, conservation and restoration of Redband and river habitat. Donations will help support the following organizations: Spokane River Forum, Spokane Riverkeeper, Spokane Tribal Fisheries, Trout Unlimited Spokane Falls and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Redband Rally in the News

Spokesman-Review - June 16, 2017

Spokesman-Review - June 29, 2017

Spokesman-Review - July 8, 2017

Spokesman-Review - July 9, 2017

Ballpark Digest - October 26, 2017

Campaign Sponsors

Campaign Endorsements