Another team with impressive attendance numbers is the Dayton Dragons of the Class-A Midwest League.
Truly, the crowds at Fifth Third Field are the envy of franchises at higher levels, as their 2004 attendance once again led all of Class-A baseball, outdistancing their nearest rival by more than 70,000 fans. They claim to have sold out every game in the team's history.
Little wonder that the Dragons are the only two-time winner of the PRISM Award, given annually to the best-run minor-league organization in any sport by Sports Business Daily.
The team places an emphasis on what every other minor league club likes to tout: affordability.
A number of games in 2005 feature a promotion known as “Friends & Family.” For $37.95, families will receive four lawn tickets, four value meals from McDonald’s and four ballcaps. I'm likin' it.
The team is part-owned by Mandalay Sports Entertainment which includes veteran Hollywood producer and studio executive Peter Guber (Mandalay Pictures) and partners Paul Schaeffer and Hank and Ken Stickney. Lakers legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and two-time Heismann trophy winner Archie Griffin are co-owners of the Dragons.
Mandalay's Hollywood roots show in their powerhouse marketing. Each team has logowear that sells big. Their Lake Elsinore Storm unit, which was sold several years ago, had one of the best known logos in baseball: The brooding eyes of the Storm. Dayton has its dragon. The Las Vegas 51s, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers have their alien.
MSE is a part owner of the Frisco RoughRiders (No. 7 Dr.Pepper/Seven Up Ballpark ) with Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks' Southwest Sports Group. They own the Hagerstown Suns, Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, and the Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.
