Cats hope Vegas trip giveaways draw fans

The Thunder Bay Border Cats are gambling on Vegas to help fill Port Arthur Stadium.

The team, which struggled to draw just 651 fans a night last season, the second-lowest total in the Northwoods League, are turning to promotions to put bums in the seat – though assistant general manager Bryan Graham is quick to point out the team is not facing a make-or-break campaign.

He’d like to see attendance totals jump by an average of at least 200 people a game, and thinks a few changes off the field might just be enough to do it.

“I think one of our biggest promotions for 2011 is our Flyaway Fridays with Allegiant Air, which over the course of our Friday home games – with the exception of June 24, which is a morning game now – fans 18 years and older can enter a contest to win a trip for two for Vegas,” Graham said, outlining the team’s marketing plan for 2011, the Border Cats ninth year in the NWL.

“It’s a concept that we’ve seen some teams do and I think it will draw some more people to the park to come out and see some great ballgames, spend a nice night at the ballpark and maybe win a nice prize to go away on a nice trip to Las Vegas.”

Cognizant of the summer rush to camp, the club has also shifted its schedule away from weekend games, with only three Saturday and one Sunday game slated for Thunder Bay.
“We kind of requested to the league that we play more (home) games during the week. We see a spike in our attendance at those games when we do play at home during the week than the weekends, so the league was accommodating,” Graham said.

“We do have the seven Friday games … For the Sunday, July 3 game we have a very special promotion that we’re going to do that we’re going to announce Monday night that I think will show to the fans in Thunder Bay that we’re really committed to getting people out to the ballpark and seeing our product.”

The team is also bringing back all-you-can-eat Fridays on the sports deck. For $20 fans get ticket to the game and a wrist band that allows them to fill up all night long.

Another popular promotion, dollar hot dog Wednesdays, is back too, though Graham said sales will be cut off after the fifth inning.

Graham said the promotions are the Cats way of showing this is a team that’s here to stay – if the support can be found.

“It’s not a do-or-die year, but we do have to see the attendance start to go up,” said Graham, whose team drew the second fewest fans in the 16-team circuit.

“Last year we average 651, in a tough season with the world juniors being here and us playing a condensed schedule and the baseball dollar being stretched kind of thin. But a lot of people who came out to the world juniors who hadn’t been out to the park in awhile gave us a try afterward, were impressed and bought season tickets,” Graham said.

The Cats kick off the first half on June 1 on the road against the Willmar Stingers, with their home opener scheduled for June 6 against the Rochester Honkers.

Cat tracks: The Border Cats on Tuesday announced the signing of seven more players to the roster, putting them three over the league-mandated limit of 27. Coming on board are pitchers John Lally, John Jeanes, Tyler Mack, Ryan Lucero and Lee Valencheck, catcher Evan Weibel and outfielder Ino Patron.