With stated attendance down 5 percent this season, some changes are probably in the works for the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League), beyond a possible change in affiliation.
The buzz in Minor League Baseball has the Bisons and Toronto Blue Jays discussing a new affiliation beginning next year, and there’s no doubt such a change would do a lot to boost the bottom line at Coca-Cola Field. But with attendance down again in 2012, there’s a lot of upside in Buffalo.
Mike Harrington lays out some ways the Bisons could improve the game-day experience at Coca-Cola Field. Some are commonsense suggestions — like celebrating team history in concourse displays and carrying rain ponchos in the team store — and they all related to one goal: bringing fans back to the ballpark. A MiLB team doing business in a market where there are already major-league sports does have some built-in obstacles, but the Buffalo market does deserve a better baseball experience going beyond just a gorgeous ballpark. By dint of its history and location, Buffalo should be a flagship franchise for Minor League Baseball, but right now Coca-Cola Field needs a good shot in the arm to bring fans back to the ballpark.
RELATED STORIES: Could Blue Jays provide shot in the arm for Bisons?; Blue Jays looking east for new Triple-A farm team?
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