Minor League Baseball Still a Hit

Cubs Farm Teams face difficult economy, continue to help fans more than ever

When the Boise Hawks begin their Minor League Baseball season against the Tri-City Dust Devils on June 22, hundreds of Idaho fans are expected to be lined up for “Economy Night,” holding unemployment stubs instead of ticket stubs.

“We are giving away 400 bleacher seats for free to anyone who shows an unemployment check stub on game day,” said Todd Rahr, president and general manager of the Hawks, Single-A affiliate for the Chicago Cubs. “You can get up to four tickets for free, no questions asked.”

Although Minor League Baseball has always been labeled as affordable family fun, many teams have cut back on their budgets due to declining ticket sales and lack of corporate support. But some teams feel the poor economy is going to help their business because families will be traveling less. No matter the opinion, the economy isn’t stopping these organizations from pulling out all the stops when it comes to promotions to make games even more affordable for the common fan.

“I’m sure our clubs are watching their pennies more than ever,” said John Cook, senior vice president of business operations for Minor League Baseball. “Sponsorships as a whole are down.”

The minor league teams in the Chicago Cubs organization are all facing some sort of economic problems, but the goal of low-cost family entertainment remains the same. “We want to make sure we put value into every game for the fans.” said Rocky Vonachen, president of the Single-A Peoria Chiefs.

Despite economic hard times, the mission statement remains the same for the Single-A team in Daytona, Fla., as well. “We certainly have our own economic issues to deal with – but our vision and approach remains unchanged,” said Daytona Cubs general manager Bill Papierniak. “We’ve made the conscience choice to not use the economic struggles as a crutch in our daily operation.”

In Kodak, Tenn., the Double-A affiliate, expects to lose revenue due to cautious businesses in the area. “We do anticipate weakness in company outings and corporate season tickets,” said Doug Kirchhofer, president of the Tennessee Smokies. “We will lose revenue but some will be made up by an increase in walk-up ticket sales.”

After seeing a 33 percent increase in season tickets and group sales in 2008, the Boise Hawks expect a major drop in ticket sales this season because of the economy. “Our advanced ticket sales will be down as much as 25 percent, but we anticipate our walk-up sales will be up” said Rahr. “We will just have to take a break-even year as opposed to a healthy profit.”

The Hawks had revenue of $1.65 million and expenses of about $1.43 million in 2008, but in 2009 the revenue is expected to be $1.25 million and expenses of around $1.2 million. “This really is about the minimum we can run the team on and not sacrifice a lot of service and comfort for the fans,” said Rahr. “We cut much of our ‘fluff’ budget. In the past, fans who purchased a group ticket would receive a Hawks cap, the front office decided to cut this promotion, saving about $17,000.”

As a result of the economic downturn, some minor league teams have been forced to change their financial plans. “We have cut some areas of our budget,” Kirchhoffer said. “But not in those areas that are direct revenue generators.” Along with cuts in Tennessee, the Boise Hawks and Iowa Cubs have cut some of their budget as well.

Sam Bernabe, president and general manager of the Triple-A affiliate Iowa Cubs, refused to refer to any financial changes as budget cuts, but did acknowledge that there was some “belt tightening” within the I-Cubs organization.

While some minor league teams are having difficulty filling the seats on game days, other teams see the poor economy as a positive for their business.

“I think Minor League Baseball is at an advantage in an economy like we have right now,” said Bernabe. “People don’t travel as much and look for more local value in the markets they live in.”
“More people are going to rely on their regional entertainment,” said Peoria Chiefs President Rocky Vonachen. “It can still be a great year for the Peoria Chiefs and all of Minor League Baseball.”

Affordability has always been one of the major reasons sports fans are attracted to Minor League Baseball. “We are proud of our ability to serve our fans with reasonable pricing and great value in difficult economic times,” said Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner in a March 9 press release.

The average cost of an adult ticket ranges from $7.40 for Triple-A teams down to $6.96 for Single-A teams, according to a recent study of 160 Minor League Baseball teams. The overall average cost for a family of four is $54.54, which includes tickets, four hot dogs, two sodas, two beers, parking and a program. Last season, the average price of just one Major League Baseball ticket was $25.40.

Although minor league games are much more affordable than major league games, that doesn’t stop the minor league front offices from creating numerous promotions and discounts to get even more fans in the bleachers.

The Peoria Chiefs are offering 10 tickets to their luxury suites and an all-you-can-eat menu for $265. “Typically, renting the suite costs $500, and that doesn’t include food or drinks,” Vonachen said. Along with the suite discount, the Chiefs are also offering all-you-can-eat hot dogs and peanuts every Wednesday night and kids eat free on Sundays. “We ran these promotions with some success last year and with the economy as it is we are running them all season this year,” said Ralph Converse, Chiefs general manager. “We also have 13 fireworks nights scheduled and historically this promotion always draws the largest crowds.”

The Iowa Cubs added five dates to its home schedule known as “Dollar Days” when tickets, popcorn, soda and pretzels cost only $1 each. “We feel like we are affordable without having to do any more than those five days,” said Bernabe.

Both the Boise Hawks and the Tennessee Smokies have $1 hot dog night. Along with that, the Hawks also have half-price beverage night and a four for $34 deal. “Families get four tickets, four hot dogs, and four Pepsi products for $34, a $61 retail value,” Rahr said.

Although the Hawks season doesn’t start for another six weeks, the excitement for “Economy Night” is building. “This is a great community promotion,” Rahr said. “The buzz about it has been there and we have heard nothing but positives.”

On June 22 and every Monday home game thereafter, hundreds of fans will be lining up outside Memorial Stadium in Boise with unemployment stubs in hand, looking to forget about their troubles and worries for just a couple of hours and enjoy the great American pastime.

“Mission number one is to help out our fellow man and give them an opportunity to enjoy a night during what is going to be a tough summer for them,” Rahr said.

“Mission number two is to entertain the hell out of them so that when they are on their feet they remember the good times and our efforts to help them out.”