Dear Larks Fans,

Season 10 is in the books.

Every year around this time, the ballpark goes quiet in a way that takes some getting used to. The lights are off, the concourse is empty, and the only thing left to do is look back at what the last three months added up to. This year, it added up to a lot.

Thank you to the 59,339 of you who came through the gates this summer. Thank you to our 2,091 Flock Members, who turned up not just for games but for the events and socials we run all year. And thank you to our host families, who open their homes every June and send players from all over the country home with a second family in North Dakota. There is no season without you.

Our corporate partners and ticket holders deserve more credit than they get. They do not just buy a sign or a seat. They put real resources behind a mission they believe in, and this community is better for it. Our seasonal staff members show up night after night, many of them coming straight from another job, and take care of our fans without anyone ever seeing the effort behind it. Our front office team and interns carry a workload most people would not believe. There is a tremendous amount that goes into pulling off a season. Every time we asked, they showed up.

When I look back at what I will remember most, it will not be a statistic. It will be the nights that capture our mission: to connect, celebrate, and contribute to our community.

We celebrated one of our own when Britta Curl-Salemme came home after helping lead Team USA to gold at the Winter Olympics. On City of Bismarck Night, we put the spotlight on the people who keep this city running behind the scenes, most of whom never get one. Then, there was Governor Kelly Armstrong guest-coaching the Dakota Ditch Chickens. That night ended the only way it could have: a three-run, walk-off home run against our in-state rival, the Badlands Big Sticks. And on 701 Community Night we recognized 9 local non-profits, the work they’re doing, and why it matters throughout the game and ultimately one of them winning $1,000!

We hope those nights, and many others, made you fall a little more in love with the city and state you call home.

The rest of the scorecard holds up too. Six walk-off wins. Nineteen wins at home. Two All-Stars. Both the Petroleum Pennant and the Railroad to Roosevelt trophy.

Ten seasons ago, this was an idea and a dream. Ten seasons later, it is a summer tradition for tens of thousands of people in Bismarck-Mandan. That is your doing, not ours. We are the ones lucky enough to open the gates.

We can’t wait to see you at the ballpark next season, but until then, THANK YOU for another great season!

With Gratitude,
Rob Williamson, President, Bismarck Larks