Some fans were dismayed when Double-A ball left Norwich, but the community-oriented approach of the Connecticut Tigers (short season A; NY-Penn League) has won over the locals.
The approach from C.J. Knudsen and crew is pretty simple: since the C-Tigers season opens in June, the ballpark is host to a slew of college and high-school games throughout the spring. That means a big chunk of the UConn season was played at Dodd Stadium; that means hosting high-profile neutral-site college games as well.
“The only thing that makes a minor league baseball team successful is the community,” C.J. Knudsen told The Day. “One of the reasons why we wanted to have a lot of high school and college games here is to showcase the field, the stadium and the product.
“It’s important to let them know we’re here and part of the community,” he said. “We all live in the area. Sure, there are days when the hours get long, but at end of the day, if you work in minor league baseball, you’re used to it. What’s rewarding for us is when you see a boy or girl get a baseball or a high five. That makes the long hours worth it.”
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