KALAMAZOO, MI – Growlers fans are going to be treated with a new element to the ballpark in 2018 with the recent announcement of a new video board display coming to Homer Stryker Field.
The Kalamazoo City Commission approved the purchase of a LED video display board from Daktronics, splitting the cost with its Northwoods League team. The Growlers have also teamed up with the Eaton Corporation, located in Galesburg, MI, to sponsor the board which will help provide cameras, staff, additional equipment, and an upgraded in-game entertainment experience for fans at all events in the ballpark.
“It really was an easy decision for us to make, the idea of helping to sponsor the new videoboard. We’ve seen how our employees have really enjoyed the Growlers events and activities and we see how that benefits the community as a whole, and we’re really proud to be a part of that in the Kalamazoo area.” said Allison Thomas, Global Product Strategy Manager at Eaton.
The 20×28 video board is part of the many recent stadium improvement made at Homer Stryker Field over the past 4 years. Recent renovations to the ballpark include a new left field party deck, premium 4-top tables located behind home plate, suites, updated restrooms and stadium sound system.
The Kalamazoo Growlers recently extended their lease with the city to play at the field through 2028. The team brought baseball back to Kalamazoo’s Mayors’ Riverfront Park three years after the Kalamazoo Kings stopped play in 2011.
Growlers Managing Partner Brian Colopy said, “I am thrilled we are able to bring this to our fans. We are all committed to making Homer Stryker Field one of the best ballparks in the country and partnering with the City of Kalamazoo and Eaton is the only way this would be possible. We can’t thank them enough.”
Almost 83,000 fans attended Growlers games at Homer Stryker Field in 2017, averaging 2,299 fans per game. The Growlers finished sixth in the nation in summer collegiate baseball attendance and Homer Stryker Field was voted the second best summer collegiate ballpark in the country in an online vote by Ballpark Digest.
The team begins play on May 29th at Homer Stryker Field. The video board is expected to be installed by the end of April 2018.
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The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 180 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.growlersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.