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Promotions Watch: Notable August MiLB Promotions

Pelicans Deaf Awareness Night Jersey

With the calendar ready to turn to August, the Minor League Baseball season is winding down. However, that does not mean that MiLB’s promotional slate is being dialed back, as the month will feature several standout promotions. We cover the August 2018 highlights in our latest Promotions Watch.

The use of alternate brands has been a common promotional trend this year, and it will be kicked up a notch in August. One of the best examples comes from the Lansing Lugnuts (Low A; Midwest League), who are planning a unique promotion for August 18. That night, the team will take the field as the Lansing Mighty Wombats—a tribute to the game Backyard Baseball.

The Mighty Wombats name, which was chosen over Humongous Melonheads and Super-Duper Rockets in a fan vote, is part of a promotion with several distinct elements. Also included in Backyard Baseball Night is a bobblehead of game character Pablo Sanchez, with the first 1,000 fans receiving the giveaway item.

The slate of one-game name changes for August will also include a homage to craft beer. On August 4, the West Michigan Whitecaps (Low A; Midwest League) will become the Beer City Bung Hammers as part of Salute to Beer City Night.  The Grand Rapids area is known for its vibrant craft beer scene, as it features more than 80 breweries and was credited as having the Best Beer Scene in America by USA Today’s 10best.com in 2016 and 2017. The Whitecaps, who play at Fifth Third Ballpark in suburban Comstock Park, will honor that distinction with the Bung Hammers identity.

Another tie-in to area industry comes from the Vermont Lake Monsters (Short Season A; NY-Penn League). On August 4, the Lake Monsters will play as the Vermont Maple Kings, a tribute to Vermont’s maple sugaring industry.

There are also several unique food-themed name changes are also on tap in August. The Delmarva Shorebirds (Low A; Sally League) will become the Delmarva Scrapple on August 18, while the Pawtucket Red Sox (Class AAA; International League) will play as the Pawtucket Hot Wieners on August 16. In one of the first promotions we covered this year, the Hartford Yard Goats (Class AA; Eastern League) will play as the Hartford Steamed Cheeseburgers as part of a larger event on August 12.

August will also feature an interesting what could have been night, courtesy of the Clearwater Threshers (High A; Florida State League). For their home game on August 24, the Threshers will play as the Clearwater Beach Dogs. During the promotion, Spectrum Field—the team’s home—will feature unique game jerseys and hats, along with several other distinct elements, including concession offerings, branding, and merchandise.

The month of August will also feature a very notable offering from the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High A; Florida State League), who will host Deaf Awareness Night at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark on August 19. As part of that promotion, the team will host Curtis Pride—a former major league outfielder who has been deaf since birth—and swear a specialty jersey that replaces the traditional Pelicans script with American Sign Language.

To coincide with the promotion, the Pelicans have released a new merchandise line. The slate of apparel, which emulates the jersey by replacing the traditional Pelicans script with American Sign Language, is available for pre-order online, with a portion of proceeds directed toward local organizations that benefit the deaf community. During the day of the promotion, Pride will join Pelicans players and coaches to host a free youth baseball clinic for members of the deaf community.

Little time is left in the minor league slate, but these promotions have the potential to result in a memorable night at the ballpark and make a lasting impression during the final weeks of the 2018 season.

Image courtesy Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

This article first appeared in the Ballpark Digest newsletter. Are you a subscriber? It’s free, and you’ll see features like this before they appear on the Web. Go here to subscribe to the Ballpark Digest newsletter.

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