Game show nights at minor league ballparks

[MikeK]

With roughly two weeks before baseball begins for real, I looked up all promotional nights at every AAA, AA, and high-A ballpark.  Here's what is in store for this season, possibly at a ballpark near you:

*  Salem (VA) Red Sox--90's "Double Dare" night on April 21
*  Lynchburg (VA) Hillcats--'90s Nickelodeon Night on April 21 (Description:  "Join us as we pay homage to the golden age of Nickelodeon television when shows like Double Dare, Salute Your Shorts and Are You Afraid of the Dark? graced screens!")
*  Binghamton (NY) Mets--Game Show Night on June 30
*  Pensacola (FL) Blue Wahoos--The Price is Right Night on July 20

And two nights which are very open to interpretation, but have ties to game shows:

*  Harrisburg (PA) Senators--Home Improvement Night with a Richard Karn appearance on June 2
*  Binghamton Mets again--Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Night* on June 7

One more night which was the inspiration for this post, from my home-county team, a mid-A team:

*  Lake County (OH) Captains--Legends of the Hidden Temple Night on July 2, with Legends-themed jerseys which are auctioned off after the game.  Since I have a small collection of game-used baseball jerseys, I am planning on getting at least one.

[calliaume]

As far as I know, the Kane County Cougars (the only MLB-affiliated minor league team within driving distance) is not having a Game Show night (although I didn't enter individual show names).  Peoria is too far a drive.  (The Cougars are the Arizona Diamondbacks' mid-level Class A team; they've been affiliated with six MLB teams in their 26-year history, but four in the last seven seasons.

We have several independent league minor league teams, but I've never gone to those games.  They're not much closer than Chicago (well, maybe Joliet), and I'm not interested in watching has-beens, maybes, never-will-bes, and weres playing the game.

[Sodboy13]

Joliet Slammers games are a fantastic time. Go to a very nice little park and take in some low-stakes baseball on the cheap. Parking is free and Tuesdays are $2 for any seat in the park.

[PYLdude]

I've got an Indy ball team one town over and I don't have a problem with it. Cheaper that paying bridge and tunnel tolls plus parking if you drive and bus/train/subway fares if you don't.

And the quality of play is no issue.

[TLEberle]

I particularly enjoy junior league hockey because they have something to play for: they haven't been played and aren't league veterans. If they get in they have a chance to live the dream. If they don't maybe they go over the Atlantic or go work for their dad at the car dealership. Going to a Tacoma Rainiers game was no different.

[aaron sica]

FNB Field (first season with the new name) is a great ballpark as well. Thanks to Mike for posting that Richard Karn was coming to town as I had no idea. They're about 20 minutes away from me so I definitely try to take in a few games a year. And as Chris said about quality of play for HIS team, the same goes for the Senators. They're an AA affiliate of the Washington Nationals so they're only two steps away from the majors and folks like Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper have passed through on the way to the bigs.

[brianhenke]

 There was a TPIR night at a Fresno Grizzlies game several years ago - and several MILB teams have had Nickelodeon-themed nights in the past, as well.

   Brian

[MikeK]

Bumping for 2 reasons...

First, I found out that my local minor league team, the Lake County Captains, is having a Price is Right night on Friday, July 1.  It sounds like the usual fare--Plinko after the top of the 3rd, Lucky Seven using the attendance after the top of the 8th, maybe nametags on the regular jerseys.

Second, the day after is Legends of the Hidden Temple Night.  The team has posted an image of what the jerseys will look like that night.



I'm guessing all the jerseys will be Blue Barracudas.  Take my money now for that jersey.  You already got my money for tickets to Price is Right Night, Legends Night, and Carlos Baerga Day that Sunday.

[aaron sica]

And due to a family emergency, Richard Karn's appearance at FNB field in Harrisburg was rescheduled to Friday, July 8.

[MikeK]

Last night was The Price is Right night for the local minor league team, the Lake County Captains.  Tonight was Legends of the Hidden Temple night.  The Price is Right night...was a regular baseball game with the PA announcer telling the first batter of the game (and only him) to come on down and a game was played with team shop items using Plinko's pricing game mechanic.  Quoting Tony Kornheiser, "That's it!  That's the list!"

Tonight's game's theme was used better.  Some clips from Legends were played on the big screen.  The games (non-Legends games) played during half innings had two players competing against each other as the Green Monkeys and the Purple Parrots, with the night's winning team getting something.  I saw at least a dozen people wearing shirts of the different teams, including a pair complete with helmets, Pendants of Life, and kneepads.  (But the kneepads might have been for something else.)  The team wore special jerseys for the event, with Blue Barracudas on a sleeve and Olmec on the front.  The jerseys were auctioned off during the game.  In the Venn diagram of my life, the circles of "game shows" and "sports memorabilia" overlapped nicely, and I got at least one jersey.  (OK, more than one.  Potential trade bait.)  Here's how they look:

[Thunder]

I wonder what the licensing fee is for a promotion night like that. A Low-Class A team can't have a big promotion budget, can it?

[MikeK]

I wonder what the licensing fee is for a promotion night like that. A Low-Class A team can't have a big promotion budget, can it?

They're in a well-populated suburb of Cleveland and have a real devoted fan base.  Their park's capacity is around 6000, and the attendance since school's been out is about 4500 per game.