Just like any park in minor league baseball, there's food for those with a sweet tooth, and hot dogs and peanuts for the traditionalist types. The staff provides opportunities for fun with on field games and tshirt tosses. Jacob Wilkins & Ian Sacks call the action, home and road. The season ticket holders flounder the park night in and night out. Binghamton's a baseball city, and NYSEG Stadium's a baseball park!
When the Binghamton Mets changed their name to the Rumble Ponies following the 2017 season, the traditionalists thought the change was unfathomable. Since however, some opinions have been changed and some have not. A contest was held giving fans the opportunity to interject what they thought should be the name donning the front of the jerseys of these Double AA players who take the field 142 nights out of the year. Many took this as nonsense, and others all too seriously. Despite the name change to the Rumble Ponies, some nights the squad that jogs from the first base dugout to their respective field positions see Spedies or even Stud Muffins sewn on their torso. The fans inside the park love this, myself included. The staff in Binghamton seek to please their fans one way or another, and they always seem to leave the community wanting more.
The B-Mets was a conservative name. The B-Mets were a heckuva run for the city. Baseball is a big business. And baseball is an even bigger business for those who enjoy and take the time to understand what's known to many as 'America's Pasttime'. The city of Binghamton and the surrounding areas have come to know and love what the crack of the bat and a little popping noise when the ball finds the pocket of the glove can do.
Not only does baseball prove as an enticing activity for the fans, it serves as a chance to continue climbing the ladder to hopefully one day finding the spotlight of the major leagues. Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Amed Rosario (to name a few) are homegrown talent. All succeeded in their brief stints in Binghamton and all gave fans a look to tommorow. Having a team just miles away gives many in the Binghamton area a chance to witness greatness and with the loss of the Ponies, this will not be an option.
The capacity of NYSEG Stadium is 6,012 and interest has seemingly grown since Opening Day 2018. When the B-Mets first moved in to the park in 1992, an average of 4,226 fans found their way through the turnstile on an average. 2018 saw the best attendance figure since the bright days of '92 with the on average attendance sitting at 3,553. The number sat similarily in 2019.
Local officials continue to push to keep an occupant at NYSEG Stadium, but the fight seems to be an uphill battle. The attendance numbers aren't spectacular in comparison to other teams, other cities. But the Rumble Ponies are my team, and they're the team of all who deem an interest after sitting in the dazzling blue seats.
Following COVID-19 many will be looking to move forward. A lot of those many will look to be out and about by themselves or with their family, these groups could fill the stands at NYSEG Stadium. With the right team promotion, the Rumble Ponies run in Binghamton could just be beginning. What do you see as the future of baseball in Binghamton?
Colby joined us as a writer prior to the scheduled minor league season.
ReplyDeleteHe lives in Binghamton and was going to be our Rumble Ponies writer.
Sadly, first the season didn't start and second, it looks like the affiliate will vanish.
Thank you Colby and we hope we here more from you, team or not.
Colby, welcome aboard.
ReplyDeleteI am puzzled as to what Binghamton can do - like you said, it is a business and attendance in 2018 spiked due mostly to McNeil, Alonso, and Tebow. If I were the owner, I wonder if I could open the season in Florida for a few weeks to avoid the very chilly first few weeks of the season in Binghamton. I would do ANYTHING to avoid early season night games there, where wind chills can easily drop below 30. Perhaps add doubleheaders each Sunday or Saturday (alternate) and drop a weekday game.
Is attendance better in warmer weather months? My guess is yes, especially if you exclude opening day attendance, which is an aberration. I know I do not like cold, and would not go to a cold game, period.
I don't know what sort of ticket sales occur, in terms of multiple parties, but give deep discounts to groups of 4 or more. Fannies in the seats buy concession products.
Lots of people will be under-employed for a while due to COVID, which could hurt, but it is outdoors, which is good, so maybe there is a way to cannibalize some competing indoor events like movie theaters.
I think we will see expansion in the near future which will put a team back in B-town.
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