In their first five seasons from 2007 through 2011, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees implemented a marketing plan that largely focused on promoting baseball.
Over that span, attendance plummeted 51.3 percent at PNC Field.
In 2013, team officials promise everything will be new, from the stadium to the team name to the way all of it is marketed to the fans.
On Monday, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced an aggressive theme night and giveaway schedule, designed both to entice fans to the reconstructed PNC Field and give them something they often complained had been taken away during the years after the New York Yankees moved their top minor league affiliate to the region in 2007.
In 2013, the RailRiders will host 18 giveaway days - 11 more than the organization had from 2007 through 2012 combined.
RailRiders president and general manager Rob Crain said the vision for the theme nights and giveaway schedules started to form even before he took over the job last July. However, it follows a plan he promised to implement at his introductory press conference to make PNC Field the "front porch" of the region not just for baseball fans, but for anyone looking to be entertained.
"We're not a baseball team. We're an entertainment destination," Mr. Crain said. "All 72 of our home games, from Jimmy Buffett night to the Bark in the Park, are going to revolve around entertainment.
"Baseball - and this isn't going to sound right - is almost secondary. It's about the sights, the sounds and the smells. It's about whether your beer and soda are cold and your restrooms are clean. This is way more about entertainment than it is about baseball."
The schedule offers plenty of themes seen at other minor league parks - a '70s night on April 26 and Boys and Girl Scouts sleepovers in May and June. There will also be quirky themes, including Lost Sock Memorial Day on May 9, during which the first 1,000 fans will receive a pair of team logo socks. Mr. Crain said he envisions Darth Vader throwing out the first pitch on May 25's "Star Wars" Night, and plenty of fans wearing flowered shirts and listening to island music on Jimmy Buffett Night on Aug. 17.
Mr. Crain said the schedule also includes other theme nights unique to the region, like Greg Legg Night on April 6, "The Office" Appreciation Night on May 10 and Almost Halfway To St. Patrick's Day on Aug. 15.
Theme nights
* - Indicates theme night tied into a giveaway on same night.
April
4 - Opening Day*
6 - Greg Legg Night*
10 - Tribute To Dance Night
21 - Hockey Night
24 - School Day
26 - '70s Night
May
8 - School Day
9 - Lost Sock Memorial Day*
10 - The Office Appreciation Night
11 - Bark In The Park (Bring your dog to the park)*
12 - Mother's Day*
24 - Boy Scout Night/Sleepover
25 - Star Wars Night/Memorial Day Weekend*
26 - Veterans Recognition Day*
June
8 - Allied Auction/Jersey Auction*
10 - Youth Softball Night
21 - Storybook Princess Night/Girl Scout Night/Sleepover
July
4 - Fourth of July (w/ fireworks)*
9 - Camp Day
11 - Adult Softball Night
12 - Ladies Night
18 - Peanut Free Night/You Run The Show Night
19 - Family Campout Night
20 - Christmas In July/Military Night*
21 - Faith Day
22 - Football Night
24 - Camp Day
25 - Superhero Night
August
10 - Magic Night
15 - Almost Halfway to St. Patrick's Day
17 - Jimmy Buffett Night*
24 - Back To School Night*
28 - Public Service Appreciation Night
29 - Fan Appreciation Night
Giveaways
* - Indicates giveaway tied to theme night on same night
April
4 - First Pitch Poster - Independent Graphics (10,000)*
5 - Magnetic Schedule (5,000)
6 - Greg Legg Bobblehead - PNC Bank (2,500)
20 - Welcome Mat (2,500)
May
9 - Team Logo Socks (1,000)*
11 - Pet Water Bowl - Emergency Vet Hosp. (500)*
12 - Flowers (1,000 mothers)*
25 - Grill Set (1,500)*
26 - Mini American Flags (5,000)*
June
8 - Porcupine Pillow Pet (1,000)*
22 - Baseball Bat (2,500)/Cowboy Monkey Rodeo Appearance
July
4 - PA Lottery Tickets (Fans 18 & over)*
6 - Car Magnet (2,500)
20 - Holiday Ornament (2,500)*
August
3 - Aluminum Water Bottle (2,500)
10 - Houdini Paperweight (2,500)*
17 - Replica RailRiders Jersey (2,500)*
24 - Metal Lunch Box (1,000 12 & under)*
Daily Promotions
Sunday - Family FunDay (Player autographs, clowns, postgame run the bases for kids)
Monday - $1 Hot Dogs
Tuesday - 2 For Tuesday (Buy one lawn ticket, get the second free)
Wednesday - Kids Eat Free (12 and under)
Thursday - Thirsty Thursday ($1 beer and $1 Pepsi products; Pregame band)
Friday - Postgame fireworks (pregame block party and band)
Saturday - Giveaways (pregame band)
Contact the writer:dcollins@timesshamrock.com