Browns Injury List Getting Longer
September 23, 2010Fausto’s New Face
September 23, 2010
If you are one of the few thousand people to roll through the Progressive Field turnstiles over the last few home games, you may have noticed a new decal on the wall in right-center field. Though a bit vague, the decal represents what the Indians hope will be a successful family-friendly atmosphere as well as a way to utilize the 16-year old facility during the winter months.
Dubbed the “Coolest Place in Cleveland,” the Indians will roll out the inaugural season of “Snow Days,” a winter playground of sorts that will provide attendees with the chance to participate in a range of winter-like activities, ranging from fireside hot chocolate on the home run porch all the way to 10 lanes of snow tubing in right field.
Creatively called “Snopening Day,” Progressive Field’s Snow Days will open up on November 26th – several weeks after the MLB’s World Series is set to come to a close – and will feature a fireworks show as well as a tie in to Cleveland’s Winterfest Celebration that takes place one day later. It will operate from 12 noon until 10 PM and is expected to run until after the New Year.
Looking for something to do when the kids are on their holiday vacation? The Indians hope to have you covered as Snow Days will be open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve (featuring more Fireworks) and New Year’s Day.
The team has made an attempt to add baseball-like names to each of the activities; the snow tubing area will be called “The Batterhorn,” there will be a walking trail called “Winter Haven,” and a kids play area in left field will be titled “Slider’s Snow Mountain.” For a team in dire need of revenue generation, the Indians hope that this will provide the city with an opportunity to participate in a “first-of-its-kind” attraction.
The team is currently giving away 100 free passes for Snopening Day on their website. Judging by public relations VP Bob DiBiasio’s comments, the team will also be creating ways for local companies to participate in after-work events. Group daily discounts and private party opportunities are front and center on the Snow Days website, including the use of the Progressive Field Terrace Club, Champions Suite and Field Level Dugout Suites.
Given the planning that has gone into this initiative to this point, we will likely be hearing a lot more about Snow Days in the coming weeks.
42 Comments
oh. my. god.
Any plans for, you know, fielding a team next year?
How long until they realize what a bad idea this is?
Am I the only one who is actually impressed with out marketing department? Talk about a tough job, try marketing for the Cleveland Indians. People are going to make their comments, but this doesn’t bother me at all. Go ahead and turn an unused baseball stadium into a winter fun-park.
If they spent this money on some players…
@4 – That is a good point…the shock value of this is tremendous though. It seems so utterly minor league just like the ball team we field.
Isn’t this close to the plot of caddyshack 2? except you know…baseball not golf?
Might as well use the place for something huh? I understand maximizing the place for use but I think this is just more ammunition for people to make fun of the city of Cleveland.
You know what…we should leave it empty for the entire winter. They are trying SOMETHING to bring in money. It is amazing when you think about the money that is spent by taxpayers to build these places that sit empty all the time. This is a great idea and can only help. They just need to work on some cross ticket promotions with the Monsters…
Jimmy DiMora will be the greeter!
Well, we’re not really a professional baseball organization anyway, so why pretend?
@6 Lol a great point and I totally understand where you are coming from.
My thought is, the stadium is dark and empty during the winter, might as well do something with it. The Tribe wouldn’t be doing this if they couldn’t turn a profit on it, I’m sure the attractions will be big blow up things that they can rent on the cheap. They’ll wrap it all in a nice presentation and charge $10 bucks ahead. They’ll make some money. Will it effect payroll spending, probably not. But its nice marketing and the Indians are playing in a market where they have to (and should) get a little gimmicky to make a buck.
This looks like a blast!
is the Bullpen going to be responsible for keeping the fire going every day?
@13 They are actually using Lebron jerseys to keep the fire going
I really don’t understand how you could be upset about this. The only possible concern I would have is will it tear up the field, but even then they can re-sod in the spring. They give Clevelanders another option for their entertainment dollar, and they provide some off-season jobs. Seriously, how can you be against this? Do you really think that they are going to lose millions of dollars on this and not sign someone because of it?
remember 455 straight sell-outs? I don’t think the tribe needs gimmicks; they need a winner. or at least the disguise of one. 10 snow tubes are a lot cheaper than a couple of cy young winners though, right?
Desperation is a stinky cologne, and the dolans reek. I dont know if anyone has been outside in Cleveland during the winter, but it sucks; it sucks real bad. Maybe if the tubing runs went from the upper deck down or something quasi extreme that would be cool.
Here’s an idea, Make a ice rink-field-pitch and play some Cbus jacket games here? It would be nice to see some NHL in Cleveland, and to have a real team play at the Jake again
This is really a pretty good idea. Can’t see a down side.
Maybe the Brownie’s should think about doing this too… Since… Y.Know… there is little chance of them playing meaningful football in the winter anytime soon.
This looks pretty cool, actually.
@Max – You make funnies.
@17 Now that is a good idea.
Totally agree with Rick. Don’t understand at all how you can be upset by this. It’s creative, it’s outside the box thinking, it’s providing downtown entertainment in a city that everyone always complains has “nothing to do”, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the baseball side of things. It’s not like Chris Antonetti is going to be riding the Batterhorn instead of working on a plan for the team……at least, I hope not anyway.
It’s not that I am upset about it…it just feels like a bit of a sideshow act. I’ll probably go down and check it out to be honest…it just seems a little too different to me.
“It’s not like Chris Antonetti is going to be riding the Batterhorn instead of working on a plan for the team……at least, I hope not anyway.”
Awesome
How could anyone possibly complain about this – kids will love it, it brings people downtown, and generates revenue at a time when there isn’t any.
@Rick and Andrew: This is the internet and no matter what you say, someone will be opposed to it.
For my part, Snowdays seems like a good idea. Would anyone be surprised to see this cross-promoted with the Cavs, too?
Reminds me of the office… (tonight !)
‘Rumor has it a productive (baseball team) once (played) here’
That being said… I will be taking my niece there.
How can anyone be upset?? It’s simple. The Dolans have whored this team out as much as possible. Once upon a time, there were a few games a year with a free helmet or bat. Now every game has some ridiculous giveaway. That part is not so bad alone. Next came the marketing on the foul poles and car in center field. Again, not so bad alone. Then start adding the marketing on the outfield walls. Top it off with turning the stadium into a theme park and now you have yourself Rachel Phelps as an owner.
This organization is supposed to be about baseball and now it’s a business that is more about sideshows than it is about baseball. That’s why I’m upset! These guys have no clue about putting a winner on the field, but they do know about making money with a baseball team as its front. As business men, I have to give them credit. As a sports fan and a long-time Indians fan, I’m very angry.
In my opinion, it’s very simple. If you give the Dolans a pass on this type of activity then you lose your right to write or complain about the performance on the field. If you give the Dolans a pass, you’re saying it’s ok to support an owner that is not concerned about winning, but is concerned about making money. In a business sense, I get it. It’s about money to them.
The part that they miss completely, if I can steal from a classic movie, if you build a winner, they will come. Then, you don’t need the sideshow. I’m fine that people disagree with me. At the end of the day, I’m a baseball fan hoping for a championship and this ownership has little clue how to make that happen, but they do how to fill their pockets with our beloved Indians as the front.
Not sure why all the hate and vitriol. I think it sounds interesting and definitely worth checking out. The winters around here can be brutal and it’s nice to get outside to do something out of the ordinary.
Also, keep in mind, the Indians used to be masters of promotions back in the 60’s and 70’s. Remember, this is the team who hired a midget to play for them.
I would be much more in favor of seeing hockey played there in the winter. Ideally there would be major league baseball played there in the summer as well, but it seems like we gave up on that idea a few years back.
Anything bringing money into the Cleve is a good thing though, so hopefully this does it.
WON’T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!
Oh, the Indians did? Oh.
They are taking a facility that sits empty from October-April and doing something fun with it. Why the hate?
If I lived closer, I would definitely take the kids.
Whatever, dudes. Me and my kids are going.
It’s funny how this is not a “Baseball” thing to do. How about applaud the ownership group coming up with a way to use the stadium when it would never be used anyway. Bring families and money to downtown Cleveland oh that is such a bad thing. I wouldn’t be suprised other teams start ding this same thing in the coming years. Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cincy. All three can do this.
Lighten up people. The stadium is not being used. The front office staff is not there. The coaches and players are not there. The only people there would be maintenance people. What is wrong with using an empty building for something fun? I don’t see a problem with it at all. Actually, since I live closer to Columbus and Cincinnati, I wish the Reds or the Clippers would do this and I would go myself. lol.
I really dig the idea, but this seems like a pseudo-desperate move from a Clevlander’s perspective (my own), so I can imagine how it looks to someone in oh, say, Chicago.
Yes, it’s a fun innovative idea. Yes, I’m all for it. However, nit gives off the wrong type of vibe to America; mainly that we need to pull AA-level gimmicks to gross dollar one as a franchise.
Several people have mentioned the “what will everyone else think” mentality…why do we care what other people think? That’s part of our problem. We are so busy trying to impress the rest of the country that sometimes we forget to just be Cleveland…and be proud of it. Why should we do something (or not do something) based on what Chicago or NY thinks? We’re Cleveland…it’s cold and snowy for half of the year here…and if we want to put a temporary snow park in our baseball stadium, then we should do it and not worry about what the “neighbors” think. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the idea catches on in other small market, cold climate cities…
40+ years of hearing the city portrayed in nothing but a negative light will create quite the inferiority complex and increase sensitivity to things people say.
Sounds like a good idea to me. Nobody cares about MLB anymore so might as well do something with the place.
What would you rather have: An owner that sets up nice events for kids or one that puts together a winning baseball team? I understand this will be a fun thing for the kids and a pretty darn good marketing idea that will drive revenue. It will likely be copied in other cold weather cities. That being said, I’d rather be in the world series and share that moment with the kids rather than ice skating at Jacob’s Field with them. That’s just me. I understand the point of view that some would rather have the memory of ice skating with the kids. I’m not saying your opinion is wrong and mine right, I personally would prefer the owner that wants the ring.
GRUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE
CLEFAN4LIFE – You do realize that setting up nice events for kids and putting together a winning baseball team can be done at the same time right? The baseball people will still be doing what they can to put together a winner, and they had little to do with this event. Relax.
[…] Indians can’t run their baseball business and also use their facility for things like “Snow Days” and rock country concerts while the team is away in the summer time is […]