With the SeaWolves on the road this past weekend, I decided to and attend a minor league game in State College. Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, which is adjacent to Beaver Stadium, is a magnificent $31 million facility built in 2006 and shared by Penn State and the State College Spikes, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ short-season Single-A New York-Penn League affiliate.
I toured the entire park, and as I walked through the Spikes’ upscale team shop, I saw an elderly woman fork out more than $220 on several T-shirts and sweatshirts for her grandchildren. It reminded me just how big the sale of minor league baseball merchandise is.
Two Eastern League teams – the Portland Sea Dogs and Trenton Thunder – ranked among the top 25 minor league franchises in 2007 merchandise sales.
Minor League Baseball and its licensing agent, Major League Baseball Properties, recently released its top 25 list. Teams are listed alphabetically.
Batavia Muckdogs
Brooklyn Cyclones
Carolina Mudcats
Charleston RiverDogs
Corpus Christi Hooks
Dayton Dragons
Durham Bulls
Greak Lakes Loons
Greensboro Grasshoppers
Lake Elsinore Storm
Lakewood BlueClaws
Lansing Lugnuts
Memphis Redbirds
Midland RockHounds
Pawtucket Red Sox
Portland Sea Dogs
Rochester Red Wings
Round Rock Express
Sacramento River Cats
Salt Lake Bees
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
Toledo Mud Hens
Trenton Thunder
Tucson Sidewinders
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers