MANKATO, MN. – Building on a series of successful partnerships and projects to bolster its ballpark, the Mankato MoonDogs, a member of the Northwoods League, has exercised its rights with the landlord, the City of Mankato, to lease the naming rights of Franklin Rogers Park to ISG. The ballpark will be named ISG Field after the professional design and engineering firm that was founded in Mankato in 1973. ISG Field represents the MoonDogs’ commitment to providing top quality local baseball and an enriching fan experience. This is the latest update for the team, which has unveiled a new logo and has implemented several renovations for the ballpark in recent years.
“As a lifelong fan of baseball, I can safely say that a top gameday experience is vital for the growth of the game. The newly named ISG Field represents our focus as a firm on supporting that goal by designing more engaging and accessible spaces for all users,” says Chad Surprenant, PE, Chief Strategy Officer and Board Chair at ISG and also President of Diamond Dreams, the LLC owning the Mankato MoonDogs. “We are excited to continue our relationship with the MoonDogs, which has demonstrated a commitment to providing just that for its fans.”
ISG has been the lead designer for a number of projects at ISG Field, starting with the implementation of a canopy for shade and shelter, accessible seating, and backstop fencing improvements. More recently, ISG led more robust stadium enhancements, including new concession stands, new restroom facilities and clubhouses, a new scoreboard in left field, and a 20×50-foot video board in right field.
Additional fan-focused elements ISG designed include casual seating and viewing from landscaped berms, the Dog Pound fan zone and the Dugout and Diamond Club hospitality areas, which allow fans to rent table seating above the home dugout and down first base line for the entire season and be treated with its own grill, private wait staff, and unlimited beverages and food. Enhanced sightlines and accessibility were prioritized throughout the ballpark, and the ISG team integrated new landscaping features around the stadium. Currently, a renovated parking lot is being constructed which features a new access point to the Caledonia and Long Streets intersection.
“ISG Field is at an exciting cross-section of three of my passions: baseball, giving back to Mankato, and innovative design,” explains Surprenant. “This partnership provides a great opportunity to showcase these design principles, provide a meaningful amenity and family entertainment to Mankato, as well as bring some of the brightest young baseball prospects to you. The opportunity to name it ISG Field is significant due to where we were founded, is still home to our largest office, and highlights one of our exciting, growing business units; the Sports and Recreation business unit.”
In 2018, Surprenant and Kyle Smith, along with the owner and management team of the La Crosse (Wisc.) Loggers, acquired the team. Later that year, the ISG-designed improvements earned the park the distinction of Best Renovation of the Year by Ballpark Digest. In 2020, ISG Field will undergo more improvements in time for the Northwoods League 2021 All-Star Game and events.
The Mankato MoonDogs are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Preparing for its 28th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Stars Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.mankatomoondogs.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the MoonDogs as your favorite team.
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