Nice addition to PNC Park: local craft brewer Rivertowne Brewing Company has purchased naming rights to the Pirates’ Hall of Fame Club, with brews available there on tap. “The Pirates continually strive to use local vendors at PNC Park when possible and this is another great example of the success the team has had in […]
Archive | Major-League Baseball
Big night for Astros; big year ahead
The rebranded Houston Astros made a successful American League debut last night, but bigger news lies ahead — including a new spring-training location as well as the MiLB team that could be destined for the Houston suburbs. The Houston Chronicle is incorrectly reporting that the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are Crane’s […]
Cromartie: We’re launching feasibility study on return of MLB to Montreal
Former Expo Warren Cromartie has assembled a professional team to determine the feasibility of a return of Major League Baseball to Montreal. The feasibility and survey study will be undertaken by Cromartie’s group, Montreal Baseball Project, as well as Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal (BTMM), Ernst & Young and BCF LLP. “I am pleased to […]
Dave St. Peter is ready for the season opener. So are we.
It might be close to freezing temps in Minneapolis, but crews were out today mowing at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, as you can see in this photo snapped by team prez Dave St. Peter. Really, we have nothing more to add, past it looks like the field-warming system at Target Field is […]
Rangers add special Yuniverse seats for 2013
Nice promotion: the Texas Rangers are adding special seating sections for Yu Darvish’s starts at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in 2013, complete with a sponsor: Kia. Yu Darvish, of course, led the Rangers to a successful 2012 season, so it make sense to promote the team’s star pitcher. All fans that purchase tickets in sections […]
Rosemont to Cubs: Here, have some free land for a new ballpark!
The silliness over the economics of Wrigley Field reached a new low with Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens offering Chicago Cubs ownership 25 acres free of charge for a Friendly Confines replacement. The land, located at Balmoral and the Tri-State Tollway, is actually a pretty attractive site for a developer: it’s next to busy stretches of […]
Hyundai buys naming rights to Citi Field premium seating
The New York Mets have sold premium-club naming rights to carmaker Hyundai, resulting in the Hyundai Club debuting this year at Citi Field. The Hyundai Club, formerly known as the Champions Club, is located on the field level behind home plate with its 660 seats spanning to the dugouts. The all-inclusive gourmet buffet includes a […]
Royals bring back Buck’s Seat for 2013
This is one of the better promotions in Major League Baseball: the Kansas City Royals are continuing the Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat program in 2013, in conjunction with Fox Sports Kansas City. Buck O’Neil was one of the pioneers of baseball, making the transition from the Negro Leagues to the majors, becoming the first African-American […]
White elephant on Cubs ledgers? Debt service, not Wrigley Field imperfections
ESPN’s Rick Reilly proves why sportswriters should never write about business, penning an utterly insane argument on why Wrigley Field prevents the Chicago Cubs from winning a World Series. You can read Reilly’s screed here. Reilly’s basic argument is that the Cubs’ payroll could be increased by $73 million a year if the team could […]
Cubs asking whether Wrigley Field should be more kid-friendly
We’re a little skeptical: the Chicago Cubs are debating whether to change operations at Wrigley Field to make the proceedings more kid-friendly, including the possible introduction of a mascot. Now, one of the great things about Wrigley Field is that it is an unabashedly adult experience: yeah, a true baseball fan under the age of […]
Citi Field ban on Shabbat hot-dog sales upheld
A purveyor of kosher food at Citi Field doesn’t have the right to sell on the Shabbat after the New York Mets ordered a halt to food sales for religious reasons, according to a appeals court decision. The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request from Kosher Sports Inc. to order the Mets […]
Blue Jays officials: we’re looking for new spring home
We’ve mentioned this a few times, but Toronto Blue Jays officials are now saying on the record they’re on the hunt for a new spring-training home after their Dunedin lease expires in 2017. While staying in Dunedin is a possibility (though a long shot; the city may not have the land needed for a modern […]
Rangers: Let the wine floweth freely at ballpark
The Texas Rangers are seeking to make changes to liquor laws in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to allow more sales of wine and hard liquor at concession stands. The issue: while beer can be easily found at ballpark concession stands, wine and hard liquor is not. That relates to the Arlington liquor laws and how […]