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Minor League Scorecard: Bethesda Big Train
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Would the Lerners pay to keep Le Grand Choo Choo? (USPS)
The Bethesda Big Train plays in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League and is celebrating its tenth season at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Regional Park . The revenue generated by the team was used to construct the ballpark (which is shared by Georgetown University 's baseball team) and is now used to build and maintain local baseball and softball fields.
The team plays about two dozen games a season at the ballpark. Seating is limited but comfortable, as the majority of seats are of the top-of-the-line style more often found in a big league park. My seat had more legroom and width than comparably priced offerings in the upper deck of Nationals Park. Funding for the seats was made possible by a personalized seat nameplate sale, which is indicative of the creative fundraising techniques employed by the team on a regular basis. Multiple raffles offering appealing prizes combined with upscale giveaways from team sponsors like $10-$20 worth of gift cards from Dave & Busters appears to keep the interest and revenue flow coming in from the community.
The ballpark's edible offerings have a distinctive local flavor, as the team features ice cream from Gifford's along with pizza and subs from Ledo's. The items from Ledo's averaged about $6.25 each, and calorie counting Bethesdans can get a grilled chicken for $7.75. The quality of play was understandably below what the local pro teams showcased, but that didn't detract from the fan experience whatsoever. There's no reason that other communities who host teams in the league can't follow the model of the Big Train and have that same community-oriented operation themselves. Those localities ought to take a page out of Bethesda's book and run similar fundraising campaigns in order to upgrade current facilities or build entirely new ones. Doing so would not only give local youth and families another worthwhile entertainment option over the summer; it would help pay for the creation and maintenance of fields in tough economic times.
For more info: Bethesda Big Train website
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