PawSox, community come together at McCoy
Squad sells more tickets Friday than in 2015 opening weekend
PAWTUCKET – Say it was normal protocol and the scoreboard at McCoy Stadium was functioning like it always does.
This time, though, there’s a slight departure from the activities that unfold from April through September. In many ways, this dreamed-up modification encapsulates what exactly unfolded dur- ing a recent two-day stretch.
Under the designated spots where the teams are listed, “fans” occupy the top box that’s normally reserved for the visiting club. Meanwhile, the series of illuminating light bulbs where the hometown Pawtucket Red Sox appear would be replaced with “front office/staff.”
At the end of nine innings – no one wants extra innings, particu- larly in January – the run totals are exactly the same, as are the hits and errors (none to be found). Go ahead and scream that baseball isn’t supposed to end in a tie. In this particular case, seeing these two particular teams call it a day despite the score being all knotted up is completely appropriate and acceptable.
If you happened to pop by McCoy either Friday night or Saturday morning/early afternoon, you undoubtedly can attest to the win-win scenario that in a lot of ways had that old-shoe-feels-comfortable-once-again vibe to it.
The fan support was strong with an estimated 400 in attendance each day.
They came to hobnob with Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and PawSox pitching coach Bob Kipper and stayed to partake in a host of activities that were interactive (doing some playby-play with team broadcaster Will Flemming) and appealing to the visual senses (pictures with the Red Sox World Series trophies and other artifacts on loan from Fenway Park, including the silver bat given to Carl Yastrzemski after his Triple Crown season in 1967).
At the core of the fan-friendly enchantment was a ticket push. While the smiles from old and young alike ran rampant as Bradley played catch in the parking lot Saturday, the true barometer was revealed late Friday when the PawSox in one night surpassed last year’s entire opening weekend of ticket sales.
If that’s not a clear indication that the paying customers are noticing that the recently reconfigured front office is seeking to distance itself from the 2015 public relations nightmare and declare that McCoy is still very much the proud home of Triple-A baseball, it should at the very least be interpreted as a substantial step in the right direction.
“There were a lot of positive sentiments and feelings around here this weekend. We saw a lot of enthusiasm at the ticket booths and throughout the ballpark,” PawSox general manager Dan Rea said. “It was the old ‘judge us by our actions, not by our words.’ You can say all the right things, but it’s about going out and performing those actions and showing people that you’re willing to back up what you say.”
Rea spent a lot of time shaking hands and listening to fans who took part in the free festivities at McCoy. He says that he encountered very little stadium chatter relating to the PawSox remaining in Pawtucket long term.
“We’ve said that our focus is on the 2016 season at McCoy Stadium and we will be here for the foreseeable future. We want to make this a great place that does great things,” said Rea. “The feedback I heard from people this weekend was just really focused on what’s ahead of us and making the most of this great opportunity.”
The “Moonlight Madness” and “Daylight Savings” open-house events replaced the PawSox’ “Hot Stove” fete that was typically held on a Saturday in January and built around the presence of several up-and-coming prospects. According to Rea, the etymology of how the PawSox arrived the decision to open McCoy’s doors on consecutive days goes back to the feedback and critiques the organization received during and after the fan’s holiday party at the stadium.
“They were able to go into the suites and the clubhouse, so what could we do to partially recreate that but put a different spin on it? You want your holiday party and post-New Year party to be separate and unique,” said Rea. “We wanted to give fans a few days to digest what we’re putting out there and bring them in and let them enjoy themselves.”
For the fans, Friday and Saturday was their chance to demonstrate to management why McCoy should remain the place where the PawSox play their home games.
“It should show that we want them to stay,” said Emily Sharkey, 25, from Pawtucket. “You can’t take them out of Pawtucket.”
“I would be very upset if they moved,” added Becky Estrella, also 25 and from Pawtucket.
Steve Sacco came from Westbrook, Conn. and brought his six-year-old son Ryan to McCoy Saturday. During the season he generally makes the roughly 90-minute drive a handful of times to see the PawSox play.
“I think it would be different if they went someplace else. It might be a prettier stadium with bigger suites, but here (at McCoy), it’s intimate,” said Sacco. “You can go out in the parking lot and get a high five or an autograph from a player. I know if they go somewhere else, there will be no access. Everything will be kept away from the fans as much as possible.”
Joe Morris lives in Pawtucket and typically attends 10 PawSox games per season. He was accompanied Saturday by his seven-year-old daughter, Kianna, who attends St. Cecilia’s School. Her favorite part was seeing the World Series trophies.
“We love the PawSox and wanted to come down and check it out,” said Morris. “There’s no reason for them to go anywhere else. It’s a family park where it’s easy in, easy out. The highway in Providence would be a mess.”
If staging an event that came with the undercurrent of seeking to win back the fans who by and large stayed away from McCoy Stadium last season was the goal of the weekend, the PawSox can go ahead and pat themselves on the back. By the same token, the show of solidarity from the fan base sent a loud-andclear message that if you’re still playing ball in Pawtucket, we’re most definitely coming.
In short, it was a situation where all parties benefited.
“I certainly had good expectations coming into the weekend, but they were exceeded when walking around and seeing the excitement,” said Rea.