Quad Cities River Bandits - Class A Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals

Modern Woodmen Park – Davenport, IA

Address: 209 South Gaines Street, Davenport, IA 52802

Opened: 1931 with major interior renovations completed in 2004

Capacity: 4,024

Ticket Prices: $5 – Berm, $7 – Bleachers, $9 – Lower Box, $12 – Club

Parking: $2 in large, paved lot next to ballpark on South Gaines Street. An additional, unpaved overflow lot is located underneath the Centennial Bridge.

Dates Visited:
June 25 – Box Score & Summary

Overview

Location, location, location. What holds true in real estate holds true in baseball as well. In no sport is stadium location as important as it is to baseball, where the backdrop of a ballpark can be as recognizable as the ballpark itself.

When done right, a stadium’s surroundings can provide aesthetics while also interacting with the playing field in ways that create lasting memories. Whether it is the memory of fans swimming after a Barry Bonds home run ball in the Bay of San Francisco’s AT&T Park, or the image of “2,131” being unfurled on the brick warehouse overlooking Camden Yards in Baltimore, some of the most iconic moments of modern baseball were enhanced because of stadium location.

And while the Major Leagues have their share of famous backdrops, one visit to Davenport, Iowa proves that the big leagues do not have a monopoly on stadiums with a view.

Modern Woodmen Park, home of the Low-A Quad Cities River Bandits, offers one of the most unique vistas in all of

The Centennial Bridge provides a unique backdrop for baseball

professional sports. Situated underneath the Centennial Bridge on the banks of the Mississippi River, Modern Woodmen Park combines classic stadium architecture, modern amenities, and dramatic river views to create a ballpark experience that is one of the best in all of Minor League Baseball.

Ballpark Features

Literally and figuratively, the star of Modern Woodmen Park is the Centennial Bridge. The iron bridge, with its graceful arcs, dwarfs the stadium below as it connects Iowa and Illinois, giving fans a dramatic view of the structure from nearly any seat in the ballpark. At dusk the bridge lights up, providing illumination that further accentuates its curves. It’s that view that had Hollywood calling in 2008, when producers picked the stadium as the main shooting location for the movie Sugar, a “fish out of water” story that portrayed life in the minors through the eyes of a Dominican pitcher.

On the ground, Modern Woodmen Park successfully combines old and new elements. The exterior of the park was constructed in 1931 and, aside from a few name changes to the front of the building, its classic red brick exterior and white concrete accents are still present in their original form – no small feat considering that the park was victimized by major floods in 1965, 1993, 2001, and 2008.

The interior of the stadium was gutted and redone as part of a massive $12.5 million renovation that was completed prior to the 2004 season. As part of the upgrade, the 78-year old ballpark now boasts a concourse that circles the entire ballpark, two outfield berm seating areas, a picnic and kids play area, a sky deck, 20 luxury suites, two souvenir shops, covered batting cages, and a pair of new scoreboards. The renovation has paid dividends at the gate, as attendance has increased nearly 56% since 2003.

In addition to the modern amenities, Modern Woodmen features two quirky, if not conflicting, twists.  The area beyond the right field wall is home to Tiki Village, a three hut establishment where fans can relax and enjoy Mississippi Mai Tais

The Modern Woodmen Park Field of Dreams

amid a tropical setting. While Tiki Village does have a water view and lounge beds, it feels somewhat out of place thanks to its neighbor across the field – 10 rows of Iowa corn that inhabit the area next to the left field bleachers.

Seating options at Modern Woodman range from $5 to $12 and include club seats, box seats, bleachers, and berm, with the best spots – those that offer a view of the Centennial Bridge and the Mississippi River -residing along the third base side.

Stadium Atmosphere

For a stadium that has a tiki-village in right field and a fully functioning cornfield in left, the atmosphere at Modern Woodmen Park is surprisingly low-key. Between inning entertainment, a staple at most Minor League parks, is kept to a minimum and is unobtrusive. Even the mascot Rascal, a tall raccoon decked out in a bandana and a cowboy hat, was scarcely seen in the seating bowl on the night I was in town.

The fans at Modern Woodmen were on the older side, with fewer kids at the park than I had encountered during other stops in the Midwest League. As a result of the older crowd, the action on the field seemed to be the number one attraction. This was especially true for two of the gentlemen seated next to me. One was a season ticket holder who was capable of giving scouting reports on every Cardinal farmhand who was playing with Quad Cities, and the other was a gifted heckler who found plenty of opportunities to hone his craft during the lopsided 12-3 affair. Even as the score grew out of hand early in the game, few fans left the stadium – a further testament to the high-level of interest River Bandit fans bring to the park.

I also had the chance to chat with an usher, Dave, who gave me an impromptu history of the ballpark as well as details on the filming of the movie Sugar. After one evening at Modern Woodmen, I left convinced that the park never has a shortage of friendly, Midwestern folks ready to talk baseball.

Conclusion

The turnstiles have been clicking at a rapid pace in 2009 for the Quad Cities River Bandits, and for good reason. Modern Woodmen Park is a complete baseball experience in a one-of-a-kind setting. Fans who find their way to this diamond on the Mississippi will not be disappointed, as it is one of the gems of the Midwest League, if not all of Minor League Baseball.

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Beloit Snappers - Class A Affiliate of the Twins

In professional sports you have big market teams and small market teams. And then you have the Beloit Snappers, a Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, who play in a market so small, it almost warrants classification as a micro-market.

Indeed, if there were a baseball franchise version of life-support, the Snappers would be on it.

What exactly has the Snappers gasping for air?

For starters, the Snappers play in a stadium that was built in 1982, long before owners and stadium architects realized they could print money by constructing luxury boxes and club seating.  Aside from the addition of patio areas down the left and right field lines, Pohlman Field is largely the same as it was when it was constructed nearly thirty years ago.

And while many baseball fans find Pohlman Field to be a charming throwback to a less-commercialized era of Minor League Baseball, the stadium’s lack of modern amenities was largely responsible for ending Beloit’s twenty-three year affiliation with the nearby Milwaukee Brewers, who dropped the city and moved to a newer ballpark in Charleston, West Virginia following the 2004 season.

Beloit's Pohlman Field Remains Largely Unchanged Since Constructed in 1982

Then there’s the city itself.  Beloit, a town of 37,000 just beyond the Illinois border in South Central Wisconsin, has no radio or television outlets. With no local media available, coverage of Snapper baseball must come from the neighboring cities of Rockford and Madison, which each have their own teams – the Madison Mallards participate in the Northwoods League, a summer collegiate baseball league, while the Rockford RiverHawks play in the independent Frontier League.

No media coverage. An outdated stadium. A small fan base. To say that Beloit is a challenging market would be putting it lightly.

Good thing Beloit General Manager Jeff Vohs enjoys challenges.

Vohs began his baseball career in 1999 when he served as a Scouting and Baseball Operations Intern for the Milwaukee Brewers. His hopes for a career with the Brewers were dashed after a front office shuffle saw many of his bosses leave the organization after the 99’ season. Undeterred, Vohs found his way to Beloit, where he worked his way from up from intern to General Manager over the course of five seasons.

Like many Minor League GM’s, Vohs wears a number of different hats. When I caught up with him at his ballpark office on a sunny Friday afternoon in late June, he was wearing his groundskeeper’s hat, watching the weather radar on his computer for rainstorms that might threaten that evening’s game against the Quad Cities River Bandits.

Rain is a familiar enemy in the Midwest League, where teams schedule 140 games a season, but usually only end up playing around 135 due to inclement weather. “In an environment like this, where a lot of fans are local, rain definitely hurts,” Vohs said, “if people think the weather is going to be bad, they’ll just stay at home.”

On this day, rain not only threatened the game, but also the cancellation of one of the team’s most popular promotions – a postgame fireworks show.

“We try to stick with what works,” Vohs said, explaining his back-to-basics promotional philosophy, “in this market, fireworks and beer promotions work. We could do like Kane County and schedule Myron Noodleman or Zooperstars, and those things might do well after two or three years, but as a non-profit team, I can’t justify spending $3,000 to $4,000 a night on those performers and not have it make an immediate impact at the gate.”

In addition to overseeing the club’s marketing efforts, Vohs is also heavily involved in baseball operations, communicating with the Twins front office regarding baseball matters on a regular basis.

His acumen as a baseball guy has not gone unnoticed. In 2006, the Twins arranged for Vohs to attend Major League Baseball’s Scout School, an intensive ten day camp designed to teach the intricacies of scouting major league talent.

Someday Vohs may trade in his job behind the desk for a job behind the radar gun, but for now, he is content with the Snappers. “It’s never dull,” Vohs said, “you’re always working on something different. Everyone here has a title, but everyone also helps take care of whatever needs to be done, whether it’s selling tickets, serving food, or cleaning the stadium.”

Despite the best efforts of Vohs and his grounds crew, baseball and fireworks were not meant to be on the day I visited, as a rain storm drenched the area about an hour before game time.

It’s not all dark clouds for Beloit, though. According to Vohs, the team is “in the process of finishing up a site plan and engineering study on some land in the Gateway area at the intersection of I-43 and I-90.”

Not only would a new stadium be a boon for the Snappers, it would also ensure the future of baseball in Beloit for decades to come.

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With so many teams in such a small area, it would be easy to see how a small Minor League franchise like the Cougars, a class ‘A’ affiliate of the Oakland A’s, could get lost in the shuffle.

Instead, the Cougars are navigating their way through the crowded Chicago sports scene just fine.

Kane County General Manager Jeff Sedivy has been going head-to-head with the big boys for 18 seasons – and succeeding. “When you’re going up against them (White Sox, Cubs, Fire),” Sedivy said, “you’ve got to have your pencil sharpened and be ready to go.”

Fans Line the Berm at Elfstrom Stadium

Based on the numbers, the Cougars are more than ready to go. Last season, the team averaged 7,160 fans a night, placing them second in attendance in the Midwest League (behind the Dayton Dragons), and 17^th among all of Minor League Baseball.

Although Sedivy doesn’t have the marketing budget of the Chicago White Sox or the brand equity of the Chicago Cubs, he does have one formidable weapon at his disposal – one of the best atmospheres in all of minor league baseball.

Fans that find their way to Elfstrom Stadium, located in the West Chicago Suburb of Geneva, are treated to the sight of big league hopefuls playing in front of near-capacity crowds of knowledgeable fans while the smell of Elephant Ears and Roasted Corn-on-the-Cob fills the air.

It’s an environment that is equal parts county fair and baseball.

And then there are the promotions.

Sedivy has packed the Kane County home schedule with a variety of events, including a Jimmy Buffet theme night, 30 postgame fireworks shows, and in-game performances from acts like Myron Noodleman, the Zoopsters, and Rubber Boy. According to Sedivy, the effectiveness of Kane County’s promotional schedule is due, in part, to the amount of variety that it offers. “We try to create promotions that everyone can take part in, so there’s something for everyone – mom, dad, and the kids.”

Cougar Players Toss Logo-Balls to Fans Prior to the Game

This “something for everyone” approach led to a World Record in 2008 as the Cougars set the Guinness mark for World’s Largest Pillow Fight, a 3,800 person, feather-infused melee.

Kane County Cougar Fans Participate in the World's Biggest Pillow Fight

Despite being one of the best draws in the Minors, Sedivy has no plans to rest on his accomplishments, especially in a down economy. “A lot of people say that Minor League Baseball is recession-proof, but I don’t believe that,” Sedivy explained, “We do a lot of group sales, and right now, groups are hurting.”

For those groups that are feeling the pain of a recession, the Cougars have the perfect cure: an affordable nine-inning vacation to the county fair that is Kane County Baseball.

Young Cougars Fans Getting Autographs

Related posts:

1. At Elfstrom Stadium, Kane County Cougars Fans Make the Difference (Ballpark Review)
2. Micro-market Beloit Tries to Snap up Fans by Sticking to Basics
3. Lessons from the Bush Leagues: Applying the Minor League Mindset to High School Athletics (Part I)