Vibes Lead Pioneer League in Attendance After Inaugural Opening Weekend

The Rocky Mountain Vibes (Rookie, Pioneer League) now lead the Pioneer circuit in attendance with an average of 3,959 fans per game after the team’s inaugural three-game homestand this past weekend.    That’s still filling less than half of a 8,500-seat venue that hosted a Triple-A club until the end of last season, but it’s a great start.   As we’ve suggested before, we worry about the impact the lack of intimacy of a half-empty ballpark will have on the fan experience and long-term attendance.  We’ll see.  Read more here.  Watch video here.

What other baseball team gives fans post game S’mores? 🍫🔥✌️ pic.twitter.com/FeX5EH9Blt

— Vibes Baseball (@VibesBaseball) June 22, 2019

Vibes Inaugural Opening Weekend Begins Friday

The inaugural opening weekend for the Rocky Mountain Vibes (Rookie, Pioneer League) at UCHealth Park begins Friday, June 21st.  It will be very interesting to see if this Rookie-level team can sufficiently fill an 8,500-seat venue after Colorado Springs (CO) lost its Triple-A club to San Antonio (TX) in the off season.  The branding for the club is cool and unique, and hopefully the front office has the fun-guns loaded and ready, but will it be enough to avoid the cavernous feel and lack of intimacy of a potentially less-than-half-empty ballpark?  The Sky Sox averaged a little over 4,000 fans per game the past three seasons.  Good luck, Vibes!  Watch news report: Vibes don uniforms for first time.

Vibes Unveil Uniforms, Mascot

The Rocky Mountain Vibes (Rookie, Pioneer League) have unveiled their inaugural uniforms and mascot named Toasty. Read more here and here.

MiLB.com Reporter Benjamin Hill Bids Adieu to Sky Sox

The departure of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) doesn’t put an end to the city’s Minor League Baseball history.  It simply ushers in a new era, as the franchise that previously existed as the Helena Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League) will call Security Service Field home in 2019.  Pending the results of a “Name the Team” contest, the club will be known as either the Happy Campers, Lamb Chops, Punchy Pikas, Throttle Jockeys or Rocky Mountain Oysters.  Read more and view photos here.

Finalists Announced for Pioneer League’s Coming Colorado Springs Franchise

After receiving an overwhelming response of entries submitted from the community in their “Name The Team” contest, the new Colorado Springs (CO) franchise — the soon-to-be-former Helena Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League), have narrowed the list down to the top names, including the Colorado Springs Happy Campers, Colorado Springs Lamb Chops, Colorado Springs Punchy Pikas, Colorado Springs Throttle Jockeys, and Rocky Mountain Oysters.  Read more here.

Name-the-Team Contest Announced for Colorado Springs Rookie Franchise

After four decades of professional baseball in Colorado Springs (CO) as the Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League), Elmore Sports Group has announced a name-the-team contest for the Helena Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League) franchise that will be relocating to the city when the Sky Sox move to San Antonio (TX) next season.  Fans have until Wednesday, June 27, to submit their ideas.  Submit ideas here.

Manager Foresees Triple-A Ball Returning to Colorado Springs

Rick Sweet, the skipper of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League), thinks Triple-A baseball could eventually find its way back to Colorado Springs (CO), particularly if MLB expands to 32 teams.  As most already know, the Sky Sox are relocating to San Antonio (TX) after this season, and the Helen Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League) will relocate to fill the void at Security Service Field.  Read more here.

Colorado Springs Gazette Sports Columnist Takes Swing at Elmore, Rockies

Triple-A baseball in Colorado Springs was not built to last.  And, as we know, it will not last.  The Triple-A version of the Sky Sox is fleeing to San Antonio in 2019, ending three decades in the Springs.  The Elmore family, owners of the Sky Sox, use altitude to justify the departure.  Read more here.

Colorado Springs Downtown Ballpark Talk Resurfaces, but Not for Sky Sox

Colorado Springs may not be finished with talks of a downtown baseball stadium.  Addressing the City Council on Tuesday, Mayor John Suthers said Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) owner Dave Elmore indicated he would consider moving a Class-A team to the city, but only to a downtown stadium.  As we suspected all along, Elmore is contemplating moving his Helena Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League) to Colorado Springs to replace the Sky Sox, if they depart for San Antonio.  Read more here.

Amarillo Looks to Formal Agreement to Lock Down Double-A Franchise, New Ballpark

Future plans for a downtown Amarillo (TX) baseball stadium have temporarily stalled after the owners of the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) declined to sign a letter of intent.  The plan instead is to move toward completing a long-term formal agreement this fall.  Read more here.

If They Built It, Triple-A Sky Sox to San Antonio

San Antonio (TX) Mayor Ivy Taylor announced Thursday that Triple-A baseball will come to San Antonio in 2019 if a new ballpark is built Downtown.  Taylor made the announcement with David Elmore of Elmore Sports Group, which owns the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League).  Read more here.

Colorado Springs Mayor Releases Downtown Ballpark Survey Results

Under pressure to do so, Colorado Springs (CO) Mayor Steve Bach on Thursday finally released the results of a 2012 survey measuring support for a new downtown baseball stadium for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Pacific Coast League).  Bach said the results are moot because the stadium concept has changed from baseball-only to a sports/event center as part of the city’s proposed City For Champions project.  Read more and watch news report here.

Colorado Springs Ballpark Survey Questions

In May 2013, the City of Colorado Springs (CO) sponsored a survey asking residents their opinions about building a new downtown ballpark for the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Pacific Coast League) as part of the City for Champions project.  The Colorado Springs Gazette has printed the survey questions, but the answers remain secret.  View questions here.  We assume this is a stirring of the pot by the newspaper, because the Sky Sox recently lost their affiliation with the Colorado Rockies.