After weeks of spoiling much of the country with spring-like conditions, Mother Nature returned to early-March form for the start of the minor league season last night.
Cold and rainy conditions made a great night not to be at the ballpark in places like low Class A Asheville and Triple-A Norfolk–where rainouts spoiled Opening Day for two Orioles' four affiliates. In all, six games were rained out, including five in the South Atlantic League, while several played on in cold conditions–temperatures dipped into 50s at Triple-A Durham.
The conditions dampened a key date on the minor league calendar. Along with the Fourth of July, Opening Day is as close to a sure thing as you get in the minor leagues, as the start of the season typically leads to full houses. Losing that revenue can prove costly for a team's bottom line, particularly smaller-market teams at the lower levels whose seasons can be more heavily impacted by one bad night than their Triple-A brethren.
The night was not lost everywhere. The Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos attracted 5,038 for its debut as the Southern League's newest franchise. The price was right in Brevard County (Florida State), where free admission attracted 4,637 fans, and San Antonio (Texas), whose $1 concessions helped the Missions top the TL with 7,032 fans.
And, of course, it would not be the minor leagues without some unique promotions beyond staples like "Thirsty Thursdays" and "Magnet Schedule Giveaways." Ryan Howard may not be on the Phillies Opening Day roster, but he was a still a hit in Reading, as the R-Phils passed out a double-bobblehead of the first baseman and another favorite son–the Crazy Hot Dog Vendor. Fellow Eastern League affiliate Binghamton welcomed fans to the ballpark with a free tailgate party.
Several teams kicked off the season with free concerts, including the Iowa Cubs (Pacific Coast), Jackson Generals (Southern) and Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State)–which rolled out a band called the Black Honkeys (no joke). The Quad Cities River Bandits (Midwest) threw a parade and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Midwest) offered fans a choice of five bobbleheads.
See below for a breakdown of every team's promotions and attendance from last night's game. It should be noted that while promotions can impact a team's performance at the gate, it is not the only factor–the ballpark, concessions, weather, and the arrival of young phenoms certainly play a role (though the Syracuse Chiefs hardly made the most of Bryce Harper's Triple-A debut last night).
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Season Average |
Pawtucket |
Buffalo |
Player Poster Giveaway |
10,333 |
10,333 |
Durham |
Gwinnett |
Opening Day |
7,781 |
7,781 |
Syracuse |
Rochester |
Unavailable |
6,178 |
6,178 |
Columbus |
Louisville |
Ink Pen, Championship Cap Giveaway/Thirsty Thursday |
8,576 |
8,576 |
Lehigh Valley |
Scranton/WB |
5th Anniversary Canvas Print |
9,722 |
9,722 |
Charlotte |
Norfolk |
Thirsty Thursday |
ppd |
N/A |
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Season Average |
Iowa |
Round Rock |
Live Music/Magnet Schedule Giveaway |
8,005 | 8,005 |
New Orleans |
Nashville |
Mini-Bat Giveaway/Thirsty Thursday |
8,886 |
8,886 |
Omaha |
Albuquerque |
Championship Celebration/Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
7,804 |
7,804 |
Oklahoma City |
Memphis |
N/A |
9,021 | 9,021 |
Reno |
Colorado Springs |
North Division Title Celebration |
8,157 |
8,157 |
Tucson |
Fresno |
Thirsty Thursday |
5,681 |
5,681 |
Tacoma |
Salt Lake |
Opening Day |
5,292 |
5,292 |
Las Vegas |
Sacramento |
Opening Day/$1 Beer |
6,197 |
6,197 |
EASTERN LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Reading |
Portland |
Ryan Howard/Crazy Hot Dog Vendor Bobbleheads, Dance Team Poster/Happy Hour/Kids Club Happy Hour |
6,825 |
6,825 |
New Britain |
Richmond |
Opening Night/Calendar Giveaway |
4,653 |
4,653 |
Altoona |
Erie |
Fireworks/Magnet Schedule/Thirsty Thursday/Kids Run the Bases |
5,354 |
5,354 |
Binghamton |
Akron |
Fireworks/Free Tailgate Party/Thirsty Thursday |
2,443 |
2,443 |
Bowie |
Harrisburg |
Magnet Schedule Giveaway |
4,268 |
4,268 |
Trenton |
New Hampshire |
Magnet Schedule Giveaway/Thirsty Thursday |
6,497 |
6,497 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Jacksonville |
Huntsville |
50th Anniversary Golden Coin Giveaway/Poster Giveaway |
6,653 |
6,653 |
Chattanooga |
Tennessee |
Magnet Schedules Giveaways |
3,137 |
3,137 |
Mississippi |
Mobile |
Couponing Night/Magnetic Schedule Giveaway/Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
6,032 |
6,032 |
Pensacola |
Montgomery |
Magnet Schedule Giveaways |
5,038 |
5,038 |
Jackson |
Birmingham |
Dollar Night/Mark Wagner Postgame Concert/Opening Night |
4,645 |
4,645 |
TEXAS LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Corpus Christi |
Nwest Arkansas |
Magnet Schedule/Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
5,662 |
5,662 |
San Antonio |
Tulsa |
Dollar Concessions |
7,032 |
7,032 |
Springfield |
Frisco |
Magnet Schedule/$1 Brats/Fireworks |
4,193 |
4,193 |
Arkansas |
Midland |
Opening Night |
6,350 |
6,350 |
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Rancho Cucamonga |
Inland Empire |
Fireworks/Thirsty Thursdays/Magnet Schedule |
3,567 |
3,567 |
High Desert |
Lancaster |
Thirsty Thursday |
1,891 |
1,891 |
Modesto |
San Jose |
Pregame Party/Fireworks/Screamin Sky Show |
3,368 |
3,368 |
Lake Elsinore |
Stockton |
Magnet Schedule |
7,569 |
7,569 |
Bakersfield |
Visalia |
Thirsty Thursday |
1,559 |
1,559 |
CAROLINA LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
No games scheduled |
||||
FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Dunedin |
Clearwater |
Thirsty Thursday/live music from The Black Honkeys |
1,385 |
1,385 |
Charlotte |
Fort Myers |
Thirsty Thursday/Magnetic Schedule |
3,768 |
3,768 |
Bradenton |
St. Lucie |
Fireworks/Free admission for Bright House customers |
4,256 |
4,256 |
Brevard County |
Daytona |
Free Admission/Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
4,637 |
4,637 |
Tampa |
Lakeland |
Thirsty Thursday |
1,562 |
1,562 |
MIDWEST LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Dayton |
West Michigan |
Opening Day Celebration |
8,402 |
8,402 |
Fort Wayne |
Lake County |
Thirsty Thursday/Fireworks |
8,577 |
8,577 |
Clinton |
Burlington |
Magnet Schedule Giveaway |
1,003 |
1,003 |
Beloit |
Peoria |
Magnet Schedule Giveaway |
759 |
759 |
Wisconsin |
Cedar Rapids |
Former Rattlers Bobblehead/Thirsty Thursday |
4,576 |
4,576 |
Bowling Green |
South Bend |
Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
5,539 |
5,539 |
Quad Cities |
Kane County |
Parade/Championship Pennant Giveaway/Magnet Schedule Giveaway/Thirsty Thursday |
4,783 |
4,783 |
SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE |
||||
Home Team |
Opponent |
Promotion |
Attendance |
Average |
Greensboro |
Lexington |
Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
ppd |
N/A |
Savannah |
Augusta |
Magnet Schedule/Fireworks/Thirsty Thursday |
3,310 |
3,310 |
Asheville |
Delmarva |
Thirsty Thursday |
ppd |
N/A |
Kannapolis |
Hickory |
Magnet Schedule/Thirsty Thursday |
ppd |
N/A |
Greenville |
Lakewood |
Thirsty Thursday |
5,459 |
5,459 |
Charleston |
Rome |
Thirsty Thursday |
ppd |
N/A |
Hagerstown |
West Virginia |
Thirsty Thursday |
2,078 |
2,078 |
|
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Beloit drew 750 fans? Embarrassing…. hope it was due to increment weather. Out here in AZ there are high schools that draw that many to games
Posted by ScottAZ | April 6, 2012 at 10:16 am | Shortcut