It’s the last new-ballpark opening of the 2013 season, as the Hillsboro Hops (short season A; Northwest League) are set to launch Hillsboro Ballpark tonight. It’s been a long journey for the Hops, who have been playing as the Yakima Bears for many years. The Bears ownership worked for years on a new-ballpark solution in […]
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Fredericksburg ballpark could turn profit for city: study
A new ballpark in Fredericksburg, Va., for the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally League) could run a surplus of $274,000 annually under the right conditions, according to a study from Brailsford & Dunlavey. The Suns are discussing a 30-year lease for a new ballpark, paying $3 million for the land acquisition and committing to […]
TinCaps celebrate Social Media Night with 6,000 Twitter fan handles
Certainly one of the best promotions of the year: The Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low Class A; Midwest League) celebrated Social Media Night at Parkview Field last night with jerseys sporting more than 6,000 Twitter fan handles. “We like to say that Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball is ‘All About You,’” TinCaps Vice President of Marketing Michael […]
Blue Rocks to host 2014 California-Carolina League All-Star Game
The Wilmington Blue Rocks (High Class A; Carolina League) are hosting the California-Carolina League All-Star Game at Frawley Stadium on June 17, 2014. This will be the second time Wilmington has hosted this inter-league All-Star event. “We are excited about the opportunity to host an event of this caliber,” said Blue Rocks general manager Chris […]
Franchise owners offer $12.1M toward new El Paso ballpark
To close a funding gap in construction of a new downtown El Paso ballpark, team owners MountainStar Sports have offered to pay $12.1 million to cover the overages. Under the proposal, the city would borrow $60.8 million toward the new ballpark instead of the original $52.8 million. (Why is the city borrowing more? Municipalities typically […]
Naming rights under debate in Frederick
With naming rights to Harry Grove Stadium assets potentially drawing $251,000 annually, city officials are sparring over how much of that to keep and how much to share with the Frederick Keys (High Class A; Carolina League). The ballpark name won’t change, but naming rights to parts of the facility could be placed on the […]
Biloxi group wants referendum on new ballpark
A local group is seeking to ask voters to approve public funding of a new Biloxi ballpark and will work to gather 1,500 signatures to force a referendum. The Steps Coalition has announced it will work to force the referendum, but it must be done quickly: 1,500 signatures must be gathered by June 18. If […]
In memoriam: Pete Vonachen
Pete Vonachen, the guiding spirit behind the Peoria Chiefs (Low Class A; Midwest League) since 1983, passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Vonachen was already an important member of the Peoria community when he bought the then-Peoria Suns in 1983; he was a high-profile restaurateur and entrepreneur with several businesses to his name. […]
End of an era in Trenton: Chase retires
It’s the end of an era at Arm & Hammer Park, as Chase, “bat dog” for the Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League), is set to retire at the beginning of July. Chase’s retirement party is set for Friday, July 5, with Chase bobbleheads distributed to the first 2,000 fans. Chase will pass the Thunder […]
Las Vegas: We want to keep 51s
After years of ignoring the issue, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman wants to see the owners of the Las Vegas 51s (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) fix up Cashman Field — but came up short of offering city assistance. The new owners of the 51s — Howard Hughes Corporation and Play Ball Owners Group — […]
Your first good meltdown of the season: Marty Brown
OK, we’re not talking Phillip Wellman or Wally Backman here. But Marty Brown, manager of the Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League), gives fans a show at Harbor Park. The Bisons were in town to play the hometown Norfolk Tides, and the event is pretty simple: the umps clearly blew a call on runner interference, […]
SI Yankees seek to rebound from rough patch
After seeing two years with steady attendance declines, the Staten Island Yankees (short season A; NY-Penn League) front office is doubling down on a small-business sales strategy. When Nostalgic Partners bought the team from Mandalay Baseball Properties and the New York Yankees, the team’s marketing focus changes from corporate accounts to small-business owners seeking an […]
Ballpark hops end up in new Pelicans brew
Boy, talk about locally grown: Hops grown at TicketReturn.Com Field are being used by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) as part of a new Pelicans-brewed beer. Plenty of teams offer local suds at the ballpark, but this is the first time we know of where the team actually produced ingredients for […]