AUGUST 2008: AROUND THE STATE
The boys of summer are doing all right
AT THE BALLPARK According to one baseball front-office staffer,
if it wasn’t for the minor leagues, Eugene residents
might be left with nothing to do during the summer.
“When the Ducks aren’t playing we are the only show
in town,” says Nathan Skalsky, assistant general manager
for the Eugene Emeralds, one of three Oregon minor league
teams.
Baseball is big business at the major league level but minor
league clubs have to work a bit harder to get people to the
ballpark. But as many people suffering this summer from a sick
economy look for an inexpensive good time, it’s paying
off for minor league admissions.
Ticket sales at PGE Park are “strong” and up from
last season, says Chris Metz, vice president of baseball
operations for the Portland Beavers. Admission sales at home
games for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and the Emeralds are
holding steady compared to last year and are expected to
increase in the final month of the summer season, according to
the teams.
The Beavers this year felt more people would stick closer to
home because of high gas prices and decided not to increase the
$8 general admission. “Our deal is affordable family
entertainment,” Metz says. The Volcanoes and Emeralds
also did not raise admission prices .
After all, a night out at the ballpark likely will cost less
than a night at the movies. General admission for an Emeralds
game is $5.50 and $2.50 will get you a hot dog.
Ticket sales often are related to how well a team is doing, but
in uncertain economic times it could be more about pragmatic
economics. Nonetheless, at press time the Emeralds were in
third place in their division, the Beavers were in second, and
the Volcanoes were in first
place.
JASON SHUFFLER
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