6 new things you’ll find at Charlotte Knights games when the season starts next week
Baseball season is just days away, and here in the Queen City that means the Charlotte Knights are back.
“Last year we were decent,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Rajkowski. “I feel good about where we are, but it’s only Spring Training, we’ll see what the Major League club sends down.”
In addition to a new crop of players, the Knights have a new manager in Mark Grudzielanek, a 15-year MLB veteran.
But there are a lot of changes off the field this year. The stadium itself is undergoing improvements to enhance the fan experience. Some upgrades will be easily visible, others not so much.
Here’s a quick rundown of all the changes you’ll see this season:
(1) Exciting new prospects.
We just recently found out who will be coming to Charlotte from their major league affiliate, the Chicago White Sox. The roster includes:
– Infielder Yoan Moncada, widely considered one of the best prospects in all of baseball and the highest-paid prospect in MLB history.
– Pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, who are both listed as top 45 prospects.
– Pitcher Carson Fulmer, the White Sox’s first-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, will also start the season in Charlotte.
(2) Interactive statue experience.
As the fans first enter BB&T Ballpark’s main entrance at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Mint Street, they will be greeted by a fairly new interactive statue experience. The statue was actually in place late last season, but the team has added the Charlotte skyline background this season. The goal here is to grab a picture next to the statue as you wait to get into the park.
(3) New food options.
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I do when I go to a game is find the food. This season, the Knights have teamed with Professional Sports Catering for the first time. There are new food options, like the Gouda mac and cheese hot dog and a corndog poppers plate, both shown below.
(4) Party tents.
Of course the spring and summer months can be challenging, weather-wise. With that in mind, the team has added a 40-foot-by-40-foot tent to the Miller Lite Party Zone down the right field line, covering the exposed back section of the upper terrace.
In left field, the Piedmont Natural Gas Picnic Area, which can hold up to 300 fans, will also get more coverage to block the elements.
“What we’re doing is extending the canopy down to cover around 100 more seats so that they are out of the weather, both sun and rain,” said Rajkowski.
(5) More fun for the kids.
There will also be an additions to the Kids Zone. The team will debut a massive new Homer the Dragon inflatable play area.
(6) A new team name. (For a day.)
On July 15 the team will rebrand itself the Charlotte Pitmasters, a nod to Carolinas barbecue culture.
“When you think of Charlotte and the Carolinas, what food do you think of? Barbecue,” said Knights General Manager Rob Egan. Fans will be able to purchase caps, shirts and jerseys with the Pitmasters logo on the night of the game. “We think that this has the potential to go beyond this season. If people really like it, it’s something we can bring back on an annual basis.”
I have long considered Minor League baseball to the the best fan experience in sports. With the nightly promotional events like Thirsty Thursday and Fireworks Friday, Rajkowski hopes to provide a family-friendly and entertaining experience, regardless of the outcome on the field.
“I hope when fans come to the ballpark, they are greeted by a friendly face, they don’t know whether we won or lost, and that they just had a great time,” he said.
The Knights open the season at home against the Norfolk Tide Thursday, April 6. First pitch scheduled for 7:05pm. For more information and tickets, check out the Charlotte Knights website.
Photos: Courtesy of Charlotte Knights; Jonathan Lee
This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 1:03 AM with the headline "6 new things you’ll find at Charlotte Knights games when the season starts next week."