Former quarterback is big draw in Class A
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tim Tebow is a big-league hit in the minor leagues.
The Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback has fans around the South Atlantic League flocking to stadiums and jamming ticket lines to see the Columbia Fireflies outfielder and designated-hitter.
The Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads sold out four games with the Fireflies, their total of 17,500 for the series surpassing the 15,900 they drew their first eight games.
“We had 4,500 people in the stands,” Crawdads seasonticket holder Christopher Pack said, “and 4,300 were there to see Tim Tebow.”
People show up in Tebow’s NFL jerseys, and Florida Gator outfits, lining the rails in the ballpark trying to get an autograph or a selfie with Tebow.
It may be unclear whether he will ever get to “The Show,” but one thing is clear: Tebow is the biggest show playing in Class A ball.
That was apparent April 29 in the eighth inning against Hickory when Tebow, on his off day with the New York Mets affiliate, heard the Crawdads crowd chant his name, hoping that Columbia manager Jose Leger would get him into the game.
“It’s not something you see all the time,” Hickory general manager Mark Seaman said.
The welcomed chaos was evident during Tebow’s three road trips in April.
In Augusta, Ga., the GreenJackets — a Giants affiliate — had to scramble to find enough workers for concessions: 5,830 fans turned out, well above their season’s average of 3,190. A few days later in Rome, Ga. — smack in the heart of SEC football territory, where the former Florida Gator was a polarizing figure — Tebow and the Fireflies drew 5,105 fans.
“That was 2½ times what they might bring in for a game in mid-April,” said Lakewood (N.J.) BlueCraws communications director Greg Giombarrese said. “That’s when I knew this was something different.”
The Fireflies began a fourgame series at Lakewood on Saturday. The Bluecraws were sold out of their 6,588 reserve seats for two of the games with very limited seating available for the other two.
Giomborrese anticipated a big weekend because Lakewood, located near the Jersey Shore, is about 90 minutes from the Mets’ home, Citi Field. It’s an opportunity for curious New York fans to get a glimpse of the high-profile prospect.
“There should be a lot of Mets caps in the stands,” Giomborrese said.
Teams on the small minorleague circuit are looking to capitalize on Tebow’s presence while it lasts.
The Lexington (Ky.) Legends announced a “Ten Tebow” ticket package for their three series with the Fireflies, starting with a four-game set on Memorial Day weekend. The Greenville Drive in South Carolina made Tebow the focus of a promotion in which fans receive fast-food hamburgers should he strike out three times.
Tebow is steadily finding his swing. He homered twice in the season’s first weekend, but entering Saturday had not had another since. He’s hitting .236, but has cut down on his strikeouts as he finds a comfortable zone at the plate. He takes all the attention in stride. He’ll typically sign autographs before games, smile and wave to cheering fans, blending his popularity with the work necessary to make the major leagues.
“Any time you get support, it feels good and people see you, watch you play or shake your hand,” Tebow said. “You can’t let it affect you, good or bad. You just have to stay locked in and stay focused on the task at hand.”