INDIANAPOLIS -- A fast-food chain's Indianapolis billboard campaign is taking a poke at "Detroit fans," apparently playing on a burgeoning rivalry between the cities' NBA teams.

The signs promoting Hardee's Thickburgers, posted this week in the Indianapolis area, contain the message: "Skinny burgers are for Detroit fans." The ads show a basketball superimposed by one of Hardee's burgers.

No mention is made of the Indiana Pacers or the Detroit Pistons, two teams that played a game in which a player-fan brawl ensued in November.

However, Pacers spokesman David Benner told RTV6 the team was aware of the campaign and understands it was long planned by Hardee's and based on last season's NBA conference finals matchup between the teams -- not the Nov. 19 brawl. The Pistons won the playoff matchup in six games and went on to win the NBA championship.

Benner said Hardee's has used similar campaigns referencing sports rivalries in other U.S. cities.