4
Minor Leagues: Sports Markets on the Rise.
www.m lnsportszone.com
The Minor League Renaissance.
The minor leagues are big business. Gone are the
run-down ballparks, run-down players, and small
groups of die-hard fans.
The new minors sport large, modern stadiums and
arenas, fan-friendly food and fun, and players that
are the stars of tomorrow or just hometown heroes in
growing metropolises.
Minor league athletics has also grown, from 385
teams at the turn of this century to over 635 active
professional teams today, with new leagues and
teams still in development.
Millions of Americans attend minor league sports
annually. More than 39 million in the affiliated
baseball leagues alone. 2005 will top that figure.
What is bringing fans out to the minor league
ballparks and arenas? Why is this a great marketing
opportunity for your products or services? How does
MLN capture this audience segment of sports for you
in a way that no other publication can?
The De-Centralization of America.
With the internet and effective overnight shipping,
companies just don't have to be in big metropolitan
markets to do business anymore. Populations shift
to medium and small market cities. They seek a
better quality of life, but they also want some of the
things that made up their standard of living in the
big city. Professional sports are one of those
standards.
When they arrive at a minor league ballpark or
arena, new fans are often shocked to find that
they can sit up close to the action, have fun with
their kids, and do it all for a fraction of the cost of
one night out at a major league facility.
A game at major league park can set a family of
four back $30.00 for parking, $160.00 for tickets,
and $60 for simple food. Particularly in the
suburban markets, a growing number of fans vote
for a night watching the game and family fun for
$80 or less and sit closer to the action.
The Leader in Minor League Sports
TM