The Dayton Dragons held a press conference earlier this afternoon to announce what would be best described as a great idea. Cincinnati’s low-A affiliate, which plays at 8,200-seat Fifth Third Field, will host a game featuring the parent Reds against an all-star team comprised of the organization’s best minor league prospects. According to the team’s media relations department, the game “is believed to be the first of its kind in baseball in which a major league club matches up against its top prospects in a stadium that was once the home park for players of both clubs.” It will be held on April 4, two days before the Reds open the 2009 regular season at home against the Mets.
It should be noted that the Dragons are one of the most successful franchises in all of minor league baseball, having sold out every home game since the franchise started play in 2000. Among those to wear a Dragons’ uniform in recent years have been Jay Bruce, Johnny Cueto, Joey Votto, Devin Mesoraco and Drew Stubbs.
The timing surprises me a bit. Teams have been playing against their minor league affiliates for a long time, but this is a bit different. I'd be ticked if I was Louisville!
It sounds like this is almost intended to be a Dayton alumni game (though trades at upper levels negate that a bit), thus the Reds holding it at a low-A park. Louisville has less alumni.
The REDS played the Marlins in Dayton in '07 just before opening day. Dayton's about 50 miles North of Cincinnati, and the REDS always open at home, so logistics does have a lot to do with it.
Mandalay owns the Dragons, as well as other teams in Las Vegas, Frisco TX, and I believe Coney Island. The Dragons have been a resounding entertainment success, even under past regimes when the team was terrible.
It's actually a lot more fun to go to a Dragons game than a REDS game.
As a former Cincinnatian with a rooting interest in the club, I'm hoping that it's not an ugly Dayton day, 30 degree-ish, with all the injury risk that might come with said weather. I'd like the idea a lot better for the Diamondbacks at Tuscon or the Dodgers in Vegas, where weather is concerned.
I used to have second row season tickets to the Dragons. The place is a shrine and a wonderful baseball experience. Season tickets sales already make it a sellout - but it'll be SRO ... for a pre season Reds game.
Cinci should do even more to cross market to their rabid fan base in Dayton. Like offer free Reds Game vouchers as part of the Dragons Season ticket pack. Or sell a 20 game Reds/Dragons pack between the two parks. There are many large suburbs of Dayton to the south and south west of town, making them closer to Cinci than the listed 50 miles.
As a smaller market team I think the Reds should do something every year in Dayton and Louisville (a AAA attendance leader in their own right). They need to do everything they can to reach out to as much of their 'small' market as they can. They have all but abandoned Columbus to the Indians, even though Cincinnati is closer to Columbus than Cleveland. Apart from the Spring 'Caravan' tour, you'd never know there was a team to the south of Cow-town.
I think this a great idea and am ticked that I know I can't possibly get tickets for it.
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Baseball being baseball, what happens when the prospects beat the major leaguers? Gotta happen at least 15% of the time, right?