News release from the TinCaps:
TinCaps Celebrate 2011 Season
Team excited by fan response to AAA series and 3rd year of ballpark(September 2, 2011) – The Fort Wayne TinCaps played their last home game of the 2011 regular season Friday night in front of a sellout crowd of 8,050 – the 22nd sellout of the season. The crowd enjoyed Fan Appreciation Night festivities that included Parkview Field replica ballpark giveaways, in-game player thank you videos, special in-game promotions, and a season recap video, all followed by a spectacular fireworks display. The team’s win bolstered both the TinCaps confidence and playoff hopes as they now head to West Michigan for a three-game series to decide the final Midwest League Playoff spot.
The final regular season home game, and the electric atmosphere of the ballpark, capped off an amazing third season at Parkview Field that included unique promotions, the first AAA games ever played in Fort Wayne, and the continuation of great partnerships and events.
“This has been another great season for the TinCaps,” said team President, Mike Nutter. “The support this team and ballpark continue to receive has been remarkable. This spring and summer have seen record-breaking weather, from the wettest May to the hottest July in Fort Wayne history, and the fans continued to consistently embrace Parkview Field. They show how much they love to support their hometown team.”
Despite extreme weather conditions, including the first three rain cancelled games in Parkview Field history, nearly 400,000 fans enjoyed professional baseball in Fort Wayne during 2011.
Fort Wayne TinCaps games (67 openings) and the 4-game AAA series accounted for 399,272 total fans at Parkview Field. TinCaps games drew 376,022 total fans in 2011, an average of 5,612 per game. This is in comparison to per game averages of 5,408 in 2009 and 5,785 in 2010. The AAA series between the Tucson Padres and Las Vegas 51’s drew 23,250 fans to the ballpark, an average of 5,813 per game.
“We are encouraged by increased season ticket numbers in 2011 as well as more groups than ever enjoying outings at Parkview Field,” state Nutter. “We see the upcoming 2012 season as another strong year. We’ve already released next year’s schedule with a record 27 fireworks shows and we’ve received very positive feedback from fans. There’s every reason to think that 2012 will be another tremendous season for baseball at Parkview Field.”
The TinCaps continue their Midwest League playoff push this weekend. If the team qualifies, they would play Wednesday, September 7th at 7:05pm at Parkview Field. The game which would include a post-game fireworks display. Tickets are now available by logging on to TinCaps.com, calling (260) 482-6400, or visiting the Parkview Field Ticket Office.