Richmond Leaders Visit Denver’s LoDo District, Coors Field

As Richmond (VA) city officials continue to evaluate building a new ballpark for the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (Eastern League), a delegation of 150 area leaders made the trek to Denver (CO) last week to learn about downtown redevelopment by visiting the city’s Lower Downtown District that was revitalized in the mid-90s by Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies.  Read more here.

Hockey Night Tonight in Harrisburg

The Double-A Harrisburg Senators (Eastern League) will be sporting Hershey Bears-themed hockey jerseys for Hockey Night tonight at Metro Bank Park.  The jerseys will be auctioned off after the game.  As a giveaway, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive commemorative hockey puck.  What?  No chocolate?

Sea Dogs Celebrate 20th Anniversary Tonight

The Double-A Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern League) will celebrate their 20th season of play at Hadlock Field on Thursday, April 18th (the date of the Sea Dogs first home game in 1994) at 6:00 p.m.  To celebrate the milestone, 11 former players are expected to be in attendance, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a 20th anniversary pennant.  View press release here.  A reporter shares memories from 1994-2001 here.  Watch video here.

Ottawa Looks to Landsdowne Project as Model

As talks continue to bring a Double-A Eastern League team to Ottawa, the city and investors  are contemplating a Landsdowne-style property-development deal to help fund the high cost of renovating Ottawa Stadium.  Read more here

Squirrels Team with Soup Nazi, FeedMore for Canned Soup Drive

PRESS RELEASE – The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants, are pleased to announce that Larry “The Soup Nazi” Thomas from the popular television show Seinfeld, will be appearing at The Diamond on Friday, April 19th presented by Verizon Wireless.

Ottawa Mayor to Meet with Blue Jays, Eastern League

Ottawa Mayor Mayor Jim Watson is heading to Toronto to talk baseball with Toronto Blue Jays officials on Friday hoping to secure a new professional baseball team and a Blue Jays affiliation for the capital city.  Watson also plans to meet with officials from the Double-A Eastern League.  Read more here and here.  Thanks to John Cerone for the links.

Not to Be Outdone by the IronPigs, Senators Have Urinal Fun Taking on Rivals

The urinals at the home of the Double-A Harrisburg Senators (Eastern League) may not provide high-tech video game entertainment for fans like they do at the home of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (International League), but blasting low-tech urinal cakes sporting the brands of your enemies can provide seconds of restroom entertainment too while energizing support

SeaWolves Unveil New Features for 2013 Season

PRESS RELEASE – The Erie SeaWolves, Double-A Affiliate of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers, will unveil a series of new and exciting features for the 2013 season, which begins on Thursday, April 4 when the team hosts the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates).

Live Ostriches Taking Up Residence at FirstEnergy Stadium, ‘Name the Ostriches’ Contest on Deck

PRESS RELEASE – While FirstEnergy Stadium won’t be for the birds in 2013, the classic ballpark will be home to two living ostriches this summer as part of an exciting, unique partnership between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Berks County and Pennsylvania agriculture community.

Curve Renew PDC With Pirates, Franchise Awarded 2014 Eastern League All-Star Game

PRESS RELEASE – The Pittsburgh Pirates and Altoona Curve have extended their Player Development Contract (PDC) through the 2018 season, the two sides announced today prior to the Pirates-Curve Exhibition Game in Altoona.  The announcement was made by Curve owner Bob Lozinak, Curve General Manager Rob Egan, Pirates President

Aeros Partner with Ohio Center of Broadcasting

PRESS RELEASE – The Akron Aeros and the Ohio Center of Broadcasting (OCB) today announced a partnership arrangement, which includes more than $10,000 worth of donated broadcasting equipment to the OCB, and educational and training opportunities for the students.

Regional Cooperation for New Richmond Ballpark in Jeopardy?

Irked by the failure of a legislative compromise to require equal representation of jurisdictions on the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA), Chesterfield County (VA) said Tuesday that it wants to withdraw from regional ownership and operation of The Diamond, home of the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (Eastern League), after the upcoming baseball season and

Aeros Release Jam-Packed 2013 Promotional Calendar

PRESS RELEASE – The Akron Aeros announced its promotional calendar for the 2013 season. The schedule features promotions during all 71 home games at Canal Park and includes premium fan giveaways, weekly theme nights, celebrity appearances, and the always-popular fireworks shows every Friday all season and every Saturday beginning in June. The 2013 Opening Day is Thursday

Another Run at Double-A Ball in Ottawa?

The Ottawa newspaper is reporting that Mandalay Baseball Properties and Professional Sports Catering are jointly working with Ottawa mayor Jim Watson’s office on a deal to completely renovate and operate Ottawa Stadium while bringing an existing Double-A Eastern League franchise to the capital city.  Read more here.  Thanks to John Cerone for the link.

Reading Fightin Phils Offer Five Beer Tasting Festivals

PRESS RELEASE – Across all 71 regular season home games, the Reading Fightin Phils buffet areas offer a handful of specialty nights, catered to fans of a variety of interests.  New for 2013, the Reading Fightin Phils 10th Annual Beer Tasting Festival will now be held at Bunbino’s Tailgate at the Coors Light Deck in left field.

Win FirstEnergy Stadium for a Day

PRESS RELEASE – The Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, are offering fans the opportunity of a lifetime, which coincides with the first day of single-game ticket sales this Wednesday, February 13.

Fightin Phils Reveal Parts One and Two of ‘Top 25 Promotions’ Series

PRESS RELEASE – 2013 is expected to be one of the most anticipated seasons in the 47-year history of the Reading Fightin Phils. Not only will the season be headlined by the debut of the recently-rebranded Fightin Phils and FirstEnergy Stadium’s $1 million video board project, it will also feature both innovative and classic promotions.

Thunder Announce First Round of 2013 Promotions

PRESS RELEASE – With promotional giveaways featuring the likeness of alums Nomar Garciaparra, Kevin Youkilis and Robinson Cano, the 2013 Trenton Thunder Promotional Schedule will celebrate the team’s 20th season in New Jersey’s capitol city.

Baysox Announce New Front Office Hires

PRESS RELEASE – The Bowie Baysox are pleased to announce several new additions to the team’s front office. Sean Foy, Matt McCann, Danielle White and Jake Seils have been added to the Group Sales staff, Josh VerStandig has joined the Sponsorship Department, Andrew Jackson and Mike Soper have joined the Operations Office and Ryan Barber has been promoted

Aeros Partner with Daktronics for Video Board Project [Watch Video]

PRESS RELEASE – The Akron Aeros, Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, announced today a new privately-funded $1.65 million HD video board project for the 2013 season at Canal Park, which includes the largest video board in Double-A baseball, and one of the five largest in all of Minor League Baseball, and an HD LED ribbon board display in left-center field. The project will place

Thunder Installing Giant Video Board

PRESS RELEASE – The Trenton Thunder, Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees, announced on Monday that the team will be installing a state-of-the-art multimedia video board project at ARM & HAMMER Park in time for the 2013 season. Once installed, the project, which includes the addition of a 21′ x 68′ high density screen in right field

Coughlin Named Sea Dogs’ New PA Announcer

PRESS RELEASE – The Portland Sea Dogs have announced that Paul Coughlin has been hired as the teams’ new public address announcer. Sea Dogs Executive Vice-President and General Manager Geoff Iacuessa made the announcement.

Sea Dogs, Red Sox Extend PDC Four More Years

PRESS RELEASE – The Boston Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs have agreed to extend their Player Development Contract (PDC) for an additional four years. The extension keeps the Red Sox Double-A affiliation in Portland through the 2018 season. Red Sox Director of Player Development Ben Crockett and Sea Dogs’

Productive Ballpark Talks in Richmond

The Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (Eastern League) and city representatives met this past Friday to discuss the need for a new stadium to replace The Diamond.  Chuck Domino, the team’s chief executive manager, called the session “the most productive meeting we’ve had to date.”   Read more here.

Aeros Announce Front Office Additions

PRESS RELEASE – The Akron Aeros announced new additions and updates to its front office staff today. Recent additions to the staff include: Dan Chesser (Box Office Manager), Adam Liberman (Director of Public and Media Relations), Dee Shilling (Ticket Sales Account Executive), and Christina Shisler (Director of Promotions).

Senators Announce Most Aggressive Promo Schedule Ever

PRESS RELEASE – Earlier today, the Harrisburg Senators held a press conference introducing their most aggressive promotional schedule ever. The 2013 promotional schedule is a culmination of several years of discussions between Senators fans and the front office. After all of the feedback, looking at the nuts of bolts of the season day-by-day, the front office staff collectively worked

Fightin Phils to Install Largest Video Board in Double-A Ball

PRESS RELEASE – The Reading Fightin Phils, proud Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, announced on Tuesday afternoon that the team will be installing a $1 million multimedia video board project at FirstEnergy Stadium with the help of TS Sports of Dallas, Texas in the months leading up to the 2013 season. Once installed, the project, which includes

Local Group Raising Funds to Bring Double-A Team to Ottawa

A group of local businessmen led by Patrick McGarry, partner with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Funeral Homes, has been working to raise a 30-percent share to help bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise to Ottawa Stadium in 2014.  Read more here.

Extension Granted to Seal Ottawa Deal

Beacon Sports of Boston has been granted an extension until the end of the first quarter of 2013 to finalize a deal to bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise to Ottawa.  Beacon COO Richard Billings will be at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville next week to apparently round up additional investors for the ownership group that already includes Hall of Fame

B-Mets to Ottawa Deal Falls Through?

Adam Ruben from ESPNNewYork.com is reporting that a deal to sell and relocate the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) to Ottawa “appears to have fallen through, according to a source with knowledge of the minor league arrangement.”  Read more here.  Meanwhile, B-Mets president Michael Urda continues to deny reports that the team is part of any Ottawa deal.  Read more here.

Ballpark Reviews: Ranking the Eastern League Parks

Brian Merzbach from BallparkReviews.com ranks all the ballparks in the Double-A Eastern League.  We pretty much agree with his rankings, except for Hadlock Field, home of the Portland Sea Dogs, at #10.  We actually love the concourse under the stadium, which gives it a more nostalgic, big league feel, and the hydraulic home run lighthouse is very cool and ties the whole nautical theme together.  Read more here.

Baseball America: Deal for B-Mets in the Works

Baseball America is reporting that sources are saying that the Double-A Binghamton Mets are indeed the team targeted for Ottawa, and that inquiries have been made to bring the Single-A Batavia Muckdogs (New York-Penn League) to NYSEG Stadium to replace them.  There is hope a deal can completed during the Winter Meetings, with the sale of the franchise closing by the end of the year.  Read more here.

R-Phils Become Reading Fightin Phils, Unveil Branding and Unis

PRESS RELEASE – The Reading Fightin Phils was announced as the new name of the Reading baseball franchise on Saturday afternoon by General Manager Scott Hunsicker. Along with the name, Hunsicker revealed the team’s new logo, uniform set, and identity program.

Ballpark Renamed Arm & Hammer Park

PRESS RELEASE – The home ballpark for the Trenton Thunder, Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees, will now be known as ARM & HAMMER™ Park following a press conference today in Trenton that included representatives from Princeton, NJ-based Church & Dwight Co. Inc.

New Name, Logo and Jerseys to Be Unveiled Nov. 17

PRESS RELEASE – As part of its rebranding process, the Reading Phillies, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, announced on Sunday that the franchise would be changing its team name after 46 years.

Squirrels Extend Lease, The Diamond to Get New Lights

As reported earlier this week, the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (Eastern League) have been looking for upgrades to The Diamond while continuing to pursue a new ballpark.  The team and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (RMA) have tentatively agreed to extend the team’s existing lease agreement through 2015, with a two-year option through 2017.  To help seal the deal, the RMA will install new lights at the ballpark at a cost of $300,000.  Read more here.

B-Mets President Dances Amid Relocation Reports

President of the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) Michael Urda bobbed and weaved around questions surrounding reports that the B-Mets ownership was planning to sell the team and then buy a Single-A New York-Penn League franchise to replace them at  NYSEG Stadium.  While Urda appears to bluntly deny negotiations are happening, the wiggle room is there.  Read more here.

SeaWolves Introduce New Branding

PRESS RELEASE – The Erie SeaWolves, Double-A of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers, today introduced an updated team identity system featuring new logos, colors and uniforms. The changes were introduced to fans and media at a press conference at the Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, the official team hotel of the SeaWolves.

Nolan Ryan Interested in New Ottawa Team?

Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, who already owns the Triple-A Round Rock Express (Pacific Coast League) and Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks (Texas League) as part of Ryan-Sanders Entertainment, is believed to be negotiating through Beacon Sports Capital Partners to own a minority stake in the Double-A Eastern League franchise expected to set up shop in Ottawa (ON) in 2014.  Read more here.

R-Phils Partnering With Brandiose to Rebrand Franchise

PRESS RELEASE – The Reading Phillies, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, have announced that the franchise will be undergoing a rebranding process over the next month. With the help of sports marketing firm Brandiose, Reading’s rebranding will pay homage to the legacy of baseball in the city while providing a new identity that fans can rally behind for years to come.