AUBURN - “Dollar Thursdays” have become a staple at Auburn Doubledays games over the years, with dollar admission fee at Falcon Park, dollar hot dogs and dollar beers.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Judy Bailey buys tickets for her and her two sons, Kyle, 9, right, and Ryan, 6, at Falcon Park's dollar night on a recent Thursday. Although certain food and drink items remain $1 for Thursday games, the ticket price has gone back to the normal $5 for general admission as one of the changes the team made in dealing with rising costs and the economy.
Judy Bailey buys tickets for her and her two sons, Kyle, 9, right, and Ryan, 6, at Falcon Park's dollar night on a recent Thursday. Although certain food and drink items remain $1 for Thursday games, the ticket price has gone back to the normal $5 for general admission as one of the changes the team made in dealing with rising costs and the economy.
But this year, the team made the decision to change the admission to $5 and keep the dollar prices on other items, something that has seen a mixed reaction from fans.
“There have been people that were upset about the $5,” Doubledays General Manager Carl Gutelius said. “But we just had to explain to them that we'd love to keep it at $1, but costs have gone way up even before the economy crashed #- costs for transportation went up, employee costs went up, minimum wage had practically doubled since we started Dollar Thursday. So basically it was go with this situation or not have Dollar Thursdays at all.
“We thought it was the better option to keep it for the fans, rather than get rid of it all together or to lose the team because we can't afford to do dollar night,” he added. “The most important thing to me is that this team stays financially viable.”
Like just about every other business, the Auburn Doubledays have had to make changes this year to fall in line with the current economic state, but few have been glaringly obvious to fans.
Some fans feel that the higher price of admission on Thursday nights is a positive change. Arguably the most popular promotion in Auburn, dollar night was packing 2,800 to 3,000 fans in the stands that comfortably seat about 2,800 before the change. Chairs were being pulled out onto the concourse to accommodate the spill of extra fans, and some felt that the environment became less fan friendly #) something that Falcon Park has always been known for.
“It was getting to be a little too crowded,” Gutelius said. “The season ticket holders didn't like it and I couldn't blame them. Now it's nice - everyone can find a seat and it's easier to identify the troublemakers, so it's good for the security people too.”
Plenty of fans agreed.
“I'm glad they raised the general admission price on those nights,” said Marilyn Young, of Weedsport. “There are less drunks now. If they want to have dollar beer so badly, they should take it somewhere else.”
To make up for the higher price to get in the park on Thursday nights, Gutelius and the Doubledays came up with a couple of ways that people can still save their hard-earned money. The Doubledays offered Thursday value packages, which include general admission tickets to all six Thursday night games, six vouchers for a free Coke and a ticket to opening night (which was rained out) priced at $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and children #) a savings of about $15.
The organization also offers a Thursday family pack, which included one adult general admission ticket, two for children, three hot dogs and three cokes for $12.
“We made a more conscious decision to appeal more to kids and families this year,” Gutelius said. “(The packages) are about as good of a deal as if it were still a dollar. That is our goal, is to draw families, because that's the future of us. We're a fun atmosphere here. We may not draw a lot more people, but those that do come have a lot more fun.”
Falcon Park is one of the smaller New York-Penn League venues, so it doesn't draw the nearly 7,000 fans per night that Brooklyn and Staten Island do at their home games. The Doubledays average about 1,700 fans per game, more than Batavia (about 1,000), Jamestown (about 1,500), Oneonta (800) and just under Williamsport (about 2,000).
Through Aug. 9, the Doubledays were right about on point with where they were last year at this time. If it weren't for Mother Nature, they might be doing even better. With several rainouts and delays, Falcon Park has seen a smaller profit on those nights.
“We're actually doing very well, thank goodness,” Gutelius said. “I think more than the economy, we're battling the weather. We're not doing out of this world, but we're solid. We've got solid attendance, with some nights bigger than others, but overall we're doing pretty well.”
In addition to the weather, the schedule has not been on the team's side this summer. There were only 11 home games in July, which is usually the best financial month, and 17 in August, the slowest. League attendance usually sees a steady decline as summer wears on and this year is no different, going from about 3,900 in June to 3,600 so far this month.
The team has managed to hold its own with sponsors. While some advertisers pulled out in the off season, several others were willing to slide in to take their place to make a seamless transition for the Doubledays.
“That's what we were most nervous about, the signs, advertisers and sponsors,” Gutelius said. “Those are the people that are really hurting for money and that's the first thing people cut. We lost some, but we had others come in, so there was no problem for us. It was nice and steady there.”
To save on costs, the Doubledays brought back slightly fewer employees and hired a full-time kitchen manager, which has helped to cut back on wasted food.
“It was the usual stuff you'd normally try to do,” Gutelius said. “We just tried to make it a finer point this year. We're not in an unusual situation here, but we're comfortable with where we are.”
Unlike some teams in the league, the Doubledays are not getting much of a boost from fans seeking a cheaper alternative. While the larger market teams like Brooklyn and Staten Island are competing with not only Triple-A teams, but the New York Yankees and Mets as well, Auburn has virtually no competition.
Other than the Washington Nationals#, Triple-A team in Syracuse, the Doubledays fans are going up against the local movie theaters for evening entertainment in the summer.
“In the great metropolitan area of Auburn, we virtually have no competition at all,” Gutelius said. “I think it's great for places like Brooklyn and Staten Island because people could choose to go to their games for $8, $9 a ticket versus the Mets for $30, $40. For them, it's great but it makes no difference to us.”
In an effort get more families, there is more for youngsters to do at Falcon Park this year. In addition to Abner the mascot milling around the stands and an area behind the bleachers where kids can see how hard they can throw a baseball, Falcon Park has set up an entire area near the visitors' clubhouse, where there are huge inflatable houses where they can bounce around. There are also a few games a season where kids can run around the bases after the Doubledays have left the field. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet the players #) something that not many other minor league teams offer.
“You can't talk to the players at Chiefs games,” said Young, who comes to the games with her son, Andy. “It's more friendly here #) I like to say that the players are very touchable. I met Seao Ochinko's dad, Brian Justice's parents and fiancÇ #) it's really nice.”
For Baldwinsville resident Nate Piccoli, it's the prices at Falcon Park that is the most appealing reason to come. General admission seats at Alliance Bank Stadium run at $7 apiece, and any other seat cost $10.
“I used to have season tickets for the Chiefs,” said Piccoli, who has been commuting to Falcon Park for 15 years and has been a Doubledays season ticket holder for the last decade. “Then I started coming here and it's cheaper out here. Everything is reasonably priced.”
Syracuse resident and die-hard baseball fan Don Sauerwein also prefers his season ticket holder view behind the Doubledays dugout. He makes the 40 minute trip to just about all of Auburn's home games.
“Everybody knows everybody here,” he said. “The food is a lot cheaper here than in Syracuse, but I come here to see a good ball game. Unfortunately, some times it's the other team, but these are our future major leaguers. I go to Syracuse when it rains out (in Auburn), but the week that neither of them are home in the summer #) I died for that week.”
Perhaps the most glaring result of the poor economy at Doubledays games hasn't been behind the scenes, but on the field. For the first time under manager Dennis Holmberg, now in his eighth season in Auburn, his team is struggling and in last place of the Pinckney Division. After six straight division titles and New York-Penn League championship in 2007, Auburn being in the basement is an unfamiliar spot, one that can be attributed more to who is not on the team than who is.
“The only (economic) difference with the Doubledays that I've noticed is with our player personnel,” Holmberg said. “We don't have our first, second or third round draft picks here and maybe that's affected the team.”
As a low level Class A short season team, players drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Major League Baseball draft in June often begin their careers in Auburn, but the Blue Jays organization has yet to reach a deal with their highest selected players. Recent successful players include former first round picks Brett Cecil (now pitching for the Blue Jays), as well as Travis Snider and JP Arencibia (now playing for the organization's Triple-A team in Las Vegas, one step below the majors). Cecil and Arencibia were key members of the championship team just two seasons ago.
“There is only so much money available now,” Holmberg said. “There are the economics of the money used to sign the drafted players. When you're a high draft pick, the expectations rise because agents set the bar so high. Locally, the Doubledays have run and continue to run a great organization. They have, I think, the best bang for the buck. On the field, we've lost some tough games, but Auburn continues to have that family connection.”
With its low ticket prices and free parking, attending a Doubledays game is cheaper than many other minor league teams. Many other New York-Penn League teams, for example, charge extra money if the tickets are bought on game day and have several different prices for the levels of seating.
The Doubledays have none of that. The team charges $7 for adult box seats and 50 cents less for seniors and children, with the $5 tag for adult general admission and $4 for seniors and children, no matter when the tickets are bought. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn, State College, Hudson Valley and State College are the priciest teams to see, priced from $10 to $15 for some seats, while Jamestown, Batavia and Oneonta are comparable to Auburn.
Teams are communicating with each other about the economy.
“There have been some mass e-mails sent (among minor league general managers) and sales are down, but everyone is pretty resourceful.” Gutelius said. “I think out of any sport out there, we're known for being able to draw people in, no matter the circumstances.”
“There have been people that were upset about the $5,” Doubledays General Manager Carl Gutelius said. “But we just had to explain to them that we'd love to keep it at $1, but costs have gone way up even before the economy crashed #- costs for transportation went up, employee costs went up, minimum wage had practically doubled since we started Dollar Thursday. So basically it was go with this situation or not have Dollar Thursdays at all.
“We thought it was the better option to keep it for the fans, rather than get rid of it all together or to lose the team because we can't afford to do dollar night,” he added. “The most important thing to me is that this team stays financially viable.”
Like just about every other business, the Auburn Doubledays have had to make changes this year to fall in line with the current economic state, but few have been glaringly obvious to fans.
Some fans feel that the higher price of admission on Thursday nights is a positive change. Arguably the most popular promotion in Auburn, dollar night was packing 2,800 to 3,000 fans in the stands that comfortably seat about 2,800 before the change. Chairs were being pulled out onto the concourse to accommodate the spill of extra fans, and some felt that the environment became less fan friendly #) something that Falcon Park has always been known for.
“It was getting to be a little too crowded,” Gutelius said. “The season ticket holders didn't like it and I couldn't blame them. Now it's nice - everyone can find a seat and it's easier to identify the troublemakers, so it's good for the security people too.”
Plenty of fans agreed.
“I'm glad they raised the general admission price on those nights,” said Marilyn Young, of Weedsport. “There are less drunks now. If they want to have dollar beer so badly, they should take it somewhere else.”
To make up for the higher price to get in the park on Thursday nights, Gutelius and the Doubledays came up with a couple of ways that people can still save their hard-earned money. The Doubledays offered Thursday value packages, which include general admission tickets to all six Thursday night games, six vouchers for a free Coke and a ticket to opening night (which was rained out) priced at $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and children #) a savings of about $15.
The organization also offers a Thursday family pack, which included one adult general admission ticket, two for children, three hot dogs and three cokes for $12.
“We made a more conscious decision to appeal more to kids and families this year,” Gutelius said. “(The packages) are about as good of a deal as if it were still a dollar. That is our goal, is to draw families, because that's the future of us. We're a fun atmosphere here. We may not draw a lot more people, but those that do come have a lot more fun.”
Falcon Park is one of the smaller New York-Penn League venues, so it doesn't draw the nearly 7,000 fans per night that Brooklyn and Staten Island do at their home games. The Doubledays average about 1,700 fans per game, more than Batavia (about 1,000), Jamestown (about 1,500), Oneonta (800) and just under Williamsport (about 2,000).
Through Aug. 9, the Doubledays were right about on point with where they were last year at this time. If it weren't for Mother Nature, they might be doing even better. With several rainouts and delays, Falcon Park has seen a smaller profit on those nights.
“We're actually doing very well, thank goodness,” Gutelius said. “I think more than the economy, we're battling the weather. We're not doing out of this world, but we're solid. We've got solid attendance, with some nights bigger than others, but overall we're doing pretty well.”
In addition to the weather, the schedule has not been on the team's side this summer. There were only 11 home games in July, which is usually the best financial month, and 17 in August, the slowest. League attendance usually sees a steady decline as summer wears on and this year is no different, going from about 3,900 in June to 3,600 so far this month.
The team has managed to hold its own with sponsors. While some advertisers pulled out in the off season, several others were willing to slide in to take their place to make a seamless transition for the Doubledays.
“That's what we were most nervous about, the signs, advertisers and sponsors,” Gutelius said. “Those are the people that are really hurting for money and that's the first thing people cut. We lost some, but we had others come in, so there was no problem for us. It was nice and steady there.”
To save on costs, the Doubledays brought back slightly fewer employees and hired a full-time kitchen manager, which has helped to cut back on wasted food.
“It was the usual stuff you'd normally try to do,” Gutelius said. “We just tried to make it a finer point this year. We're not in an unusual situation here, but we're comfortable with where we are.”
Unlike some teams in the league, the Doubledays are not getting much of a boost from fans seeking a cheaper alternative. While the larger market teams like Brooklyn and Staten Island are competing with not only Triple-A teams, but the New York Yankees and Mets as well, Auburn has virtually no competition.
Other than the Washington Nationals#, Triple-A team in Syracuse, the Doubledays fans are going up against the local movie theaters for evening entertainment in the summer.
“In the great metropolitan area of Auburn, we virtually have no competition at all,” Gutelius said. “I think it's great for places like Brooklyn and Staten Island because people could choose to go to their games for $8, $9 a ticket versus the Mets for $30, $40. For them, it's great but it makes no difference to us.”
In an effort get more families, there is more for youngsters to do at Falcon Park this year. In addition to Abner the mascot milling around the stands and an area behind the bleachers where kids can see how hard they can throw a baseball, Falcon Park has set up an entire area near the visitors' clubhouse, where there are huge inflatable houses where they can bounce around. There are also a few games a season where kids can run around the bases after the Doubledays have left the field. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet the players #) something that not many other minor league teams offer.
“You can't talk to the players at Chiefs games,” said Young, who comes to the games with her son, Andy. “It's more friendly here #) I like to say that the players are very touchable. I met Seao Ochinko's dad, Brian Justice's parents and fiancÇ #) it's really nice.”
For Baldwinsville resident Nate Piccoli, it's the prices at Falcon Park that is the most appealing reason to come. General admission seats at Alliance Bank Stadium run at $7 apiece, and any other seat cost $10.
“I used to have season tickets for the Chiefs,” said Piccoli, who has been commuting to Falcon Park for 15 years and has been a Doubledays season ticket holder for the last decade. “Then I started coming here and it's cheaper out here. Everything is reasonably priced.”
Syracuse resident and die-hard baseball fan Don Sauerwein also prefers his season ticket holder view behind the Doubledays dugout. He makes the 40 minute trip to just about all of Auburn's home games.
“Everybody knows everybody here,” he said. “The food is a lot cheaper here than in Syracuse, but I come here to see a good ball game. Unfortunately, some times it's the other team, but these are our future major leaguers. I go to Syracuse when it rains out (in Auburn), but the week that neither of them are home in the summer #) I died for that week.”
Perhaps the most glaring result of the poor economy at Doubledays games hasn't been behind the scenes, but on the field. For the first time under manager Dennis Holmberg, now in his eighth season in Auburn, his team is struggling and in last place of the Pinckney Division. After six straight division titles and New York-Penn League championship in 2007, Auburn being in the basement is an unfamiliar spot, one that can be attributed more to who is not on the team than who is.
“The only (economic) difference with the Doubledays that I've noticed is with our player personnel,” Holmberg said. “We don't have our first, second or third round draft picks here and maybe that's affected the team.”
As a low level Class A short season team, players drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Major League Baseball draft in June often begin their careers in Auburn, but the Blue Jays organization has yet to reach a deal with their highest selected players. Recent successful players include former first round picks Brett Cecil (now pitching for the Blue Jays), as well as Travis Snider and JP Arencibia (now playing for the organization's Triple-A team in Las Vegas, one step below the majors). Cecil and Arencibia were key members of the championship team just two seasons ago.
“There is only so much money available now,” Holmberg said. “There are the economics of the money used to sign the drafted players. When you're a high draft pick, the expectations rise because agents set the bar so high. Locally, the Doubledays have run and continue to run a great organization. They have, I think, the best bang for the buck. On the field, we've lost some tough games, but Auburn continues to have that family connection.”
With its low ticket prices and free parking, attending a Doubledays game is cheaper than many other minor league teams. Many other New York-Penn League teams, for example, charge extra money if the tickets are bought on game day and have several different prices for the levels of seating.
The Doubledays have none of that. The team charges $7 for adult box seats and 50 cents less for seniors and children, with the $5 tag for adult general admission and $4 for seniors and children, no matter when the tickets are bought. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn, State College, Hudson Valley and State College are the priciest teams to see, priced from $10 to $15 for some seats, while Jamestown, Batavia and Oneonta are comparable to Auburn.
Teams are communicating with each other about the economy.
“There have been some mass e-mails sent (among minor league general managers) and sales are down, but everyone is pretty resourceful.” Gutelius said. “I think out of any sport out there, we're known for being able to draw people in, no matter the circumstances.”
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