WooSox invite Western Mass. fans to Polar ParkDate: 7/5/2023 WORCESTER — When stars from the Worcester Red Sox step up to the plate at Polar Park on July 8, they’ll be going to bat for the Springfield Boys and Girls Club. The WooSox are hosting a Springfield Takeover of the park, donating $5 to the club for every ticket purchased by fans from Western Massachusetts.
“The number of folks we have from Western Massachusetts always amazes me,” said Steve Oliveira, WooSox vice president of marketing. “It’s great to see so many people coming to support the team, so it’s super important that we engage with local cities and towns outside of Worcester and make them feel like this is their community ballpark.”
There is a special charm for fans at minor league games, sitting so close to players who are so close to becoming big league stars. There’s action between innings too, when fans are called to the field for games and stunts. It is uniquely a minor league play, something you don’t often see at “the show” in the majors.
“We’ll be highlighting Western Massachusetts in different ways, picking random folks from the crowd to join the fun on the field. We’re focusing on people from the region to take part in these activities,” said Oliveira.
Connecting future big leaguers with communities that support them is one way to thank more than a half-million fans that will come to Polar Park this season. The WooSox are hosting 23 city and town takeovers, riling up fans and pitting communities against each other to see which one can coax the most fans into the stadium. The winning community receives special recognition later in the year.
Springfield Takeover is on a Saturday afternoon when the team has no problem attracting a crowd and hopes to raise hundreds, even thousands of dollars for the Boys and Girls Club.
“It’s important for us to pick a good date. We think a Saturday in the summer is a great time to come out to the ballpark, and knock on wood, we’re hoping for fantastic weather,” said Oliveira.
Red Sox greats from the past can often be seen at Polar Park, mingling with fans and telling stories about the old days. Former Sox relief pitcher Rich Garces played for Boston from 1996-2002. He’ll be on hand for the Springfield Takeover, posing for photos with fans and signing autographs.
“Rich had the nickname El Guapo and was a real fan favorite,” said Oliveira.
The average ticket price is around $20, a lot less than it costs for a seat at Fenway Park and most major league stadiums. Because this is a Triple A club — the last stop for players on the way to the majors — the quality of baseball is on par with what fans see at Fenway.
“This is a beautiful new ballpark with great views of the field. It’s important to us that we have family-friendly and affordable entertainment here,” said Oliveira.
There are several ways to benefit the Boys and Girls Club by purchasing tickets to the July 8 game.
Go to www.milb.com/worcester, select the Buy Tickets green banner, scroll down and click Buy Tickets on July 8.
Go to www.milb.com/worcester and select Theme Nights under Tickets, click on Town Takeover Nights.
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