There has been a change in ownership for the Wilmington Sharks (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League), as Matt Perry is taking over the club.
On Thursday, Perry was introduced as the club’s new owner. The president of National Sports Services, Perry is taking over the Sharks after his company purchased the team from former owner Brad Smith.
The change in ownership will come with some changes to the team’s home, Buck Hardee Field. With an eye on the fan experience, the Sharks are set to roll out several new amenities for the coming season, including additional seating, an upgraded beer garden, a new picnic area, and changes to the club’s ticketing system. These tweaks to the ballpark should change the fan experience, and perhaps help the Sharks’ goal to record multiple sell outs this season. More from Star News Online:
Instead of putting their primary focus on selling season tickets, the Sharks are hoping to sell out 10 games this season with pregame giveaways and fireworks providing different attractions to reach their goal.
Perry plans to be active with the community in the hopes of bringing a bigger audience to the Coastal Plain League team, whether that’s through entertainment or fundraisers benefiting local food banks.
“When people think of the Sharks, they might not even think about how we did on the field,” Perry said. “But if one of their takeaways is ‘that’s a great thing for our community and our region, and man, they do good things’… I’ll take that all day long.”
The Sharks, who were established in 1997, are celebrating their 20th anniversary this season.