Baseball fans love their Seals
Seventy-year-old Sharlene Sommer loves the Seals because it reminds her of her childhood. 'I grew up in California in Sacramento and it was baseball, the Pacific Coast League is small like this.'
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Updated: August 11, 2009 10:37 AM
They're not out of it yet, but, even if the Victoria Seals didn't have a shot at first place the fans don't seem to care.
"I figure we'll get a one or two year reprieve before fans will want to see that winning team on the field," said president and owner Darren Parker.
"I once heard a stat that said 40% of fans who leave a baseball game don't even know the score," said Parker. "They're all about the experience."
If that's so, then perhaps fans won't notice if the Seals go six-for-six against the Vipers over this next six days and move into a first-place battle with the Edmonton Capitals.
Yeah right.
"Fan response has been fantastic. Just the other night I was watching a ball game at the pub when the conversation at the table behind me turned to the Seals. They were talking all about the team and it was a real testament to how this community has taken to the Seals."
"I wouldn't be surprised if they can pull nearer to first this week, even if they just take two out of three at home that will do a lot," said Parker, who is entirely happy with this year's success.
The Vipers are here for three games including tonight (Aug. 12) at 7:05 p.m., Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. and Thursday at noon.
Parker says there is no question the team will return next year. And with the sparkly new electronic sign in left field, some of the changes Royal Athletic Park has undergone aren't done yet. But adding seats for next year is unlikely, said Parker, despite the Seals averaging the third-highest attendance rate in the league with 64,790 fans through 31 games, an average of 2,090 per. The dynamic of RAP as a multi-use facility limits the team from putting bleachers in the outfield, but Parker hopes to upgrade some of the existing seating area to box seats.
There have been a handful of games, opening night, Father's Day, and fireworks night that have seen the team sellout. But to put an official number on a sellout is hard. Parker guesses the sellout number is around 4,000 tickets, the reason being the willingness of fans to sit along the bleachers of right field which extend onto the middle of RAP's soccer and football pitch.
The Seals are in the final stretch with 16 remaining games. The regular season ends on Aug. 31.
sports@vicnews.com
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