The rebranding of the Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern League) has concluded, and the results are in: the team will be the Aeros for the foreseeable future. A contest held by the team and the local newspaper asked fans to choose their favorite from a list of Aeros, RubberDucks, Vulcans, Tire Jacks and Gum Dippers. […]
Tag Archives | eastern league
Ottawa out of running for SWB Yanks — but in line for affiliated ball
There’s virtually no chance the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) will be playing next season in Ottawa Stadium, but a Canadian ownership group is working to bring an Eastern League team to Canada’s capital city for 2013. Where the Yankees will end up remains a matter of conjecture, and the issue will be decided […]
2011 Affiliated Attendance by League
With the Minor League Baseball season ending last Thursday night after the end of regular-season play in the Pioneer League, it’s time to tally the numbers for the 2011 season, beginning with attendance sorted by league, compared to 2010. We’ll follow this up with listings of affiliated attendance by average and attendance by total. Summer-collegiate […]
2011 Broadcaster of the Year: Jay Burnham, Voice of the Trenton Thunder
He calls a mean game, recites a post-game haiku and manages his team’s broadcast and video deals. For his work behind the mic and behind the scenes, Jay Burnham, the Voice of the Trenton Thunder, is the 2011 Broadcaster of the Year in the annual awards from Ballpark Digest. In the minors, a broadcaster wears […]
2011 Organization of the Year: Dayton Dragons
When a team sets a national record for most consecutive sellouts, year-end recognitions are to be expected. So it’s no surprise that the winner of the 2011 Organization of the Year from Ballpark Digest is the Dayton Dragons (Low Class A; Midwest League), the most successful team in Minor League Baseball. The Dragons set a […]
The Akron Gum Dippers or Tire Jacks? Could happen
The Akron Aeros (Class AA; Eastern League) are holding a team rebranding contest, and some of the finalists — Gum Dippers, Tire Jacks — are certainly noteworthy. You don’t see too many rebranding contests in the minors, and the premise of this one is pretty simple: either the Aeros name will be retained or a […]
H-Sens prep festivities for 6-millionth fan
The Harrisburg Senators (Class AA; Eastern League) are hitting a major milestone this weekend: unless the Market Street bridge to City Island collapses, the team will welcome the six-millionth fan in team history at some point during a weekend series against the Erie SeaWolves. It should be a festive time, especially with the Senators in […]
Budget issues postpone Squirrels ballpark to 2015 at earliest
The earliest a new Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) ballpark could open in 2015, as political and budgetary considerations will delay debate of a regional funding plan until 2012 at the earliest. The issue: some of the counties in the general Richmond area expected to contribute to the funding of a new ballpark […]
Manchester struggles with ballpark debt
Despite projections that revenues from a new Manchester, N.H. ballpark for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA; Eastern League) would be enough to cover debt, they’re not, so residents are paying the difference. When planned in 2006 and 2007, debt service for Northeast Delta Dental Stadium was projected to be covered by rent from […]
R-Phils bring back Gluttony Night for 2011
The Reading Phillies (Class AA; Eastern League) are bringing back one of the most popular and noteworthy promotions in Minor League Baseball in the last year: Tomorrow night is Gluttony Night at FirstEnergy Stadium. For just $7, all fans – especially hungry fans — can chow down on all-you-can-eat hot dogs, pizza, French fries, funnel […]
New Richmond ballpark by 2014?
Though there’s been little public discussion, progress is being made in talks between the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority over a new ballpark next to The Diamond in the city’s Boulevard district. The area has been the center of baseball in Richmond for decades; Parker Field sat at […]
Thunder on serious roll at the box office
It’s been a good season for the Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League): the team has sold out six straight games and attracted 48,617 fans ((8,103 per game) to Waterfront Park during that stretch. The six-game sellout streak is the organization’s first since a seven game streak in 2003 when 7,531 fans attended per game […]
Mets bid for Nassau County ballpark was missing one big component: a team
At the end of the day, the independent Atlantic League — and not a New York Mets group — snared a deal to manage and play at a new Nassau County ballpark because Frank Boulton could unconditionally deliver a team. There were two groups bidding to manage and play in a new $50 million Long […]