Growlers 2016 Schedule Released

Growlers open against the Lakeshore Chinooks on Tuesday, May 31

KALAMAZOO, MI –The Kalamazoo Growlers and the Northwoods League released its complete schedule today for the 2016 season. The Growlers home opener is set for Tuesday, May 31 against the Lakeshore Chinooks.  The team also plans on hosting two major Independence Day shows this season, the 3^rd annual Red, White, and Boom show on Saturday, July 2 and the City of Kalamazoo’s only firework show on Monday, July 4.

The schedule includes 20 weekend games (Friday-Sunday) with 10 dates featured as the Growlers marquee nights. These 10 nights will feature the biggest and best entertainment acts, giveaways, and firework shows of the season. Also new this season, all Saturday night games will begin at 6:05pm and Sundays will have an assortment of afternoon and evening start times (1pm, 3pm, or 5pm). All Monday-Friday games will still start at 7:05pm, with the exception of two morning games on Wednesday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 7, both starting at 11:05am. Kalamazoo’s schedule features 10 teams, including the new Rockford, Illinois affiliate, includes 72 regular season games, along with a continuation from last season of scheduled doubleheaders and Inter-Division play.  

The team will announce the official promotions schedule later this spring but season tickets, company outings and the all-new Growlers 5-Game Packs are already being booked at www.growlersbaseball.com. For the 10 marquee nights, the only way fans can guarantee tickets to those games is by purchasing a Growlers 5-Game Pack, group outing, or season ticket. Each Growlers 5-Game Packs includes these featured nights.

The Northwoods League, the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, will begin its 23rd season on Tuesday, May 31, when all teams take the field for summer collegiate baseball’s most extensive schedule, at 72 games. The League, which plays two halves to determine playoff participants, will end the first half of play on July 5th with the second half beginning the following day.  The first and second half division winners from both the North and South divisions will meet in a best-of-three Divisional Playoff Series from August 15-17. The North and South Division Champions will then meet in a best-of-three series for the Summer Collegiate World Series from August 18-20.

The 2016 Northwoods League All-Star Game will be held on Tuesday, July 19. Additional details regarding the 2016 All-Star game location and festivities will be released at a later date.

“This 23rd schedule of Northwoods League games reflects the League’s continuing evolution as the leader in summer collegiate baseball, and thanks to the efforts of our teams is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to providing a wonderful fan experience in the 18 communities where we play, “ said Northwoods League President Gary Hoover.  “Our goal is to provide the best developmental experience available for players, coaches, umpires and staff, while continuing to innovate when it comes to how we do that.”

The full North and South printable schedules for the 2016 season can be found at www.northwoodsleague.com

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 22-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 140 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (KC). All league games are viewable via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.