Omaha! Storm Chasers play promotion off Super Bowl
Natural promo here: The Omaha Storm Chasers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) are offering 1,800 complimentary ticket vouchers to their July 6th game with Colorado Springs if the Broncos win the Super Bowl. Why natural? The last two weeks the national media has been heavily covering Denver QB Peyton Manning‘s use of Omaha as an […]
Richmond ballpark revenues could be used for other purposes
Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones says some of the revenues generated by economic development at the Boulevard and Shockoe Bottom could be devoted to other uses, such as schools and parks. The offer comes at a time when Jones is pushing hard for a plan that would tear down The Diamond, the current home of the […]
MLB: How intrusive can ballpark technology be?
With almost two-dozen teams implementing Apple’s iBeacon technology for personalized product pitches, MLB and BAM will find out how intrusive message alerts can be at the ballpark. Personalized, targeted messaging is the Holy Grail of marketing these days: why waste time on a generalized message when you can target a potential buyer? Though it’s a […]
Growlers, Bell’s Brewery strike ballpark deal
Well, this certainly is a natural: the Kalamazoo Growlers (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) and local brewery Bell’s have struck a deal to offer the high-end suds at Stryker Field. There’s also a pun involved with the natural partnership: besides being a bear, a growler is also a beer container. “We are thrilled to partner with […]
Don’t look now, but Truck Day is coming up
Another clear sign of spring: Major League Baseball teams are preparing to ship gear and equipment to Florida and Arizona, as the annual rite of Truck Day approaches. Sister site Spring Training Online has all the details, but there are two thing to note. First, the Tampa Bay Rays are already prepped to ship equipment, […]
New Saints ballpark renderings posted
We have some new renderings for the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) Lowertown ballpark, set to open in 2015. Nothing too shocking here: the new renderings show views from the club and suite areas. The photo aboive shows the action in a suite. The main group room on the club level. The view from […]
Scrappers, Indians extend player development contract
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers (short season A; NY-Penn League) and the Cleveland Indians renewed their player development contract through the 2016 season. The Scrappers have been affiliated with the Indians since their inaugural season in 1999. “We are thrilled to continue our great relationship with the Cleveland Indians and look forward to working together to […]
Bullfrogs pitch Joannes Stadium improvements, hire Darrell Handelsman as coach
The Green Bay Bullfrogs (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) have pitched several improvements to Joannes Stadium and received initial approval from the City of Green Bay Parks Committee, and an experienced skipper will guide the team: Darrell Handelsman. The full City Council is set to take up the matter Feb. 4. All projects would be funded […]
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium renovations debated
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium could be renovated with city backing, as Wichita officials are looking at an expansion of the National Baseball Congress in coming years. Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is also home of the Wichita Wingnuts (independent; American Association), but the renovations aren’t being discussed in the context of pro ball; rather, the city is looking at changes […]
Puppy pictures propel BPD page views
Geez, if we had known puppy pictures were so popular, we’d run then every day. Thanks to you, Ballpark Digest set a record for monthly page views on Tuesday and generated tons more yesterday. By tons, we mean over 90,000 page views, as Google News prominently linked to the story of the addition of Rookie […]
Connecticut Tigers, Detroit extend PDC
The Connecticut Tigers (short season A; NY-Penn League) and the Detroit Tigers have extended their player-development contract (PDC) through the 2018 season. “We are extremely excited to be able to continue to be a part of the Detroit Tigers family,” said Connecticut Tigers Vice President and General Manager Eric Knighton. “To be able to extend […]
Weather delays work on new SIU ballpark
The cold weather has slowed construction on the new $3.4 million ballpark at Southern Illinois University, with work delayed everywhere but the actual field installation. SIU went with synthetic turf on the field — one of those inclusive installations that includes home plate — and that installation was done last fall, so in theory the […]
New addition to Thunder front office: Rookie
We have a name for the newest member of the Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League): Rookie, son of team bat dog Derby and grandson of original bat dog Chase. Thunder fans submitted 1,164 different names during a 10-day submission period, then thousands of fans voted for one of eight finalists during a week long […]