Fans to gauge Pickles’ success in Year 3
By :Braden Johnson
The Portland Pickles Mascot
( Phot0 by: Tribune File Photo: Chase Allgood )
In only two seasons, the Portland Pickles have established themselves as a successful organization and entertainment option. But owners say the team has barely scratched the surface building its brand.
Heading into Year 3, which begins on Friday at home against the Port Angeles Lefties, Pickles co-owners Bill Stewart and Alan Miller hope to expand the fan experience at Walker Stadium.
The Pickles, a summer wood-bat baseball team, are the newest member of the well-established West Coast League. That will provide new and closer opponents, such as the Corvallis Knights and Bend Elks.
The Pickles also have revamped the concourse and concessions at their Lents Park stadium, added promotions and brought in new sponsors and partners.
“We have a really golden opportunity because we are the Pickles — MLB can’t tell us not to do something, and the only people who are going to judge us are the fans,” Miller says.
Stewart called 2017 a “learning experience” for the Pickles and their revised ownership group. The front office ramped up promotions, giveaways and entertainment acts, while adding right-field berm seating and the long-awaited field box seats.
The club averaged more than 1,600 fans per home game at Walker Stadium in 2017. That ranked 18th among all college summer baseball organizations, according to Ballpark Digest. It was a slight bump from the 1,561 average in 2016, the Pickles’ inaugural season as a member of the Great West League.
Miller, a Southern California resident and businessman who founded COLLiDE Agency and develops marketing campaigns, has focused on being more creative with Pickles promotions.
This year, the Pickles will bring back several popular theme nights, including Columbia Bank Night and Star Wars Night on July 1 and 21, respectively.
But the club is tapping different markets as well. The Pickles will have their first Pride Night on June 14 and will try some other ideas, such as Independence Day Hangover (July 5) and ’80s Night (July 11).
Miller is the mastermind behind the additions, “because I’m personally such a fan of minor league sports,” he says.
“A lot of nights are done around the country because it’s just a filler night. And I have a certain disdain for that, because it’s very uncreative,” Miller says.
Stewart and Miller, as well as co-owner/Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan, are excited to test out Mexican Baseball Night on June 20. Miller and Ryan have attended games in the Mexican Baseball League and want to bring that experience to Portland. The Pickles will play that night as a team from Mexico, with music from the league and Latin American food options at certain concession stands.
When it comes to merchandise sales, Stewart and Miller say premium giveaways, such as hats, T-shirts and bobbleheads, see the most traction. The Pickles are planning three 2018 bobblehead giveaways, including a Ryan-themed design.
Also on the schedule is a Hawaiian T-shirt giveaway on June 8 and Adventist Health scarf giveaway on July 27.
Stewart worked to expand customer service and increase in-game entertainment during the offseason. From talking to fans in 2016 and 2017, he says he learned there is a demand for more variety.
“We learned a lot, that if we invest back into our product, then fans will support it,” he says. “It also told us we can be a lot more creative.”
The Pickles have partnered with Oregon Food Bank and Hollywood Senior Center to add ushers on the concourse and in the pavilion and outfield seating areas.
Stewart says the front office also relocated concession stands to the edge of the left- and right-field berms to clear up congestion on the concourse and bring products closer to fans.
Stewart will bring back the ZOOperstars! and Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act for in-game entertainment, and the Pickles have added Birdzerk! for shows on June 29 and July 3.
Stewart expects group ticket packages to become more popular. The Pickles are opening up the Northside Ford Party Deck, which sits below the press box, to fans in 2018. It features a cook-to-order chef, and holds 20 to 30 people at $30 per ticket.
“I think it’s going to be popular,” Stewart says. “Not those first couple sets of games, but once people realize it’s only eight dollars more (than other private areas), it’s going to become a very popular area.”
Miller says his work at COLLiDE has a “lot of carryover” with creating new business partnerships with the Pickles.
Miller began working with New Era in and Baseballism to create new hat designs in 2017. This weekend, the Pickles are releasing a full New Era hat collection with three new designs.
Miller also helped create a partnership with the Trail Blazers. The Pickles attended a game at Moda Center in February and will have a Portland Trail Blazers Night on July 12.
The Pickles also are releasing a Blazers-themed merchandise line this weekend, including a “Dill City” hat that incorporates the teams’ logos.
They were really the first (sports) organization in the city to welcome us,” Stewart says. “They’ve bent over backwards to help us when they don’t have to. They’re creative guys who only want to see us succeed, and they come out to games.”
Nike has partnered with the Pickles to create new uniforms for the team.
And, the Pickles have added five day games to their schedule in attempt to continue bringing in youth groups and fans from retirement homes. The team played afternoon exhibition games on July 3 and 4 in 2017, and Stewart says it added a new element to the ballpark.
“It brings in a whole different market to us,” Stewart says, “and that’s exciting to see, because sometimes those people don’t want to come out on a Tuesday night. They want to come out on a Saturday afternoon.”
Even with changes made to the concourse, concessions and merchandise, the Pickles are leaving elements at Walker Stadium the same as they were in 2017.
League games Monday-Saturday again will start at 7:05 p.m., and Sunday games are still at 5:05 p.m.
The Pickles are retaining their weekday food and drink specials, as well. Their “$2 Tuesday” returns — with domestic beer, water, soda, hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy all for the same price. On Wednesdays, $3 craft beers will be offered, and $2 domestic beers, water and soda will be available on Thursdays.
Public-address voice Robert Jones is back for his third season.
“I really believe he’s one of the best in the business,” Stewart says. “He has a great command of what he has to do, and he energizes the crowd. He’s a real special guy.”
Miller says the goal is to continue to make the ballpark experience multi-generational and add to the fan experience. He says he expected to start from scratch in 2017, when he joined Rose City Baseball LLC, and was “blown away” by how supportive (Pickles) fans already were.
“The dads can sit back and drink any of the 22 beers we have on tap, and the kids can run around and get autographs. For the baseball fan, you can sit up close and watch a really good product, and then you have all the fun promotions and giveaways.
“We’re going to treat this like Portland’s major league baseball team.”
