Shifting focus

More eyes turn to Spikes after winter moves

By Guy Cipriano

UNIVERSITY PARK — The State College Spikes spent their first three years as part of a three-team conglomerate, with one relative conducting business to the direct south and another one operating in the deep south.

CDT/Christopher Weddle

Spikes player Justin Byler loads bags onto a bus at University Park Airport on Monday, June 15, 2009 after the team arrived in State College for the 2009 season. CDT/Christopher Weddle

View larger

Even Chuck Greenberg, the ownership group’s managing partner, conceded the Double-A Altoona Curve, the closer of the two relatives, sometimes swiped attention from the Spikes.

“We cared deeply about State College,” he said. “But it was not our largest priority in Pennsylvania. The Curve cast a large shadow. That’s no longer the case.”

The central Pennsylvania professional baseball landscape changed on Dec. 1, when Green-berg’s group sold the Curve to the family of original owner Robert F. Lozinak. The sale left the group with two teams: the Spikes and Class A Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans.

The group assumed control of the Curve in 2002, and with help from eccentric general manager Todd Parnell, it developed into one of professional baseball’s most successful and innovative franchises, earning praise for attendance increases, clever promotions and relentless marketing efforts. Parnell remained with Greenberg after the sale and he now splits his time between State College and Myrtle Beach, where he serves as president of both teams.

“We certainly have a clarity of focus and that’s always a good thing,” said Greenberg, whose State College team opens its season Friday against Williamsport at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

“For what’s it worth, we’re not entering this season after spending two months worrying about the weather and the field draining in Altoona. We’re itching to play some baseball in Pennsylvania.”

Selling the Curve represented one of multiple big moves made by the ownership group since the end of last season. The group named Jason Dambach, who helped build the Curve through extensive broadcasting work and public relations efforts, as the Spikes general manager in January.

Dambach, 33, oversaw the team’s communications efforts despite a grueling schedule as the Curve’s play-by-play announcer.

Dambach replaced Rick Janac, the Spikes’ general manager since the team moved into a temporary downtown office in 2005. Janac stayed with the group as the Spikes vice president. He occupies the same Medlar Field office he moved into during 2006, but he now focuses on the team’s corporate sales.

The ownership group also promoted Chris Phillips, a State College High School graduate, to assistant general manager. Janac and Phillips have worked in the front office since the team’s inception.

The biggest change will be the daily presence of Dambach and regular appearances by Parnell at Medlar Field. The duo spent most of the past three years following the Spikes from Altoona.

“Todd Parnell is one of the brightest and best operators in Minor League Baseball,” New York-Penn League president Ben Hayes said. “He’s always been around. It’s not like he wasn’t around before. The same thing with Jason. But with them not having to worry about Altoona, the focus will be more on State College. They will do a fantastic job.”

The Spikes started planning for 2009 last September, and Dambach said fans will notice a cleaner show and a Medlar Field that will be in the “best shape it has ever been in.”

The Spikes, who are hosting the NY-PL All-Star Game on Aug. 18, altered their promotional schedule, shifting the emphasis from giveaways and entertainment appearances to daily value packages. The team also obtained control of their own concessions. The team’s food and beverage operations were handled by the food service company Ovations from 2006-08. Ovations also handled the Altoona Curve’s concessions.

“What we have said from Day 1 with the changes that were made and the sale of the Altoona Curve, the biggest winner has been the State College Spikes franchise,” Dambach said. “To be honest, the first three years of this franchise there were a lot of decisions that were made down I-99, not necessarily here at this ballpark. Every decision that has been made about the State College Spikes and the 2009 season has been made here at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, not at Blair County Ballpark. The Spikes are no longer the Curve’s little brother.”

The front office will try to build upon a solid base. The Spikes increased their total attendance for a second straight year in 2008 despite a woeful on-field performance. Medlar Field has aged nicely, and Baseball America named it the nation’s top short-season/rookie level ballpark in its April 6 issue.

Still, challenges exist as the team finalizes preparations for 2009.

An 18-56 record in 2008 marked the fourth worst mark in the New York-Penn League’s 70-year history. The Pittsburgh Pirates, not the Spikes, control the team’s on-field personnel. But the Spikes received calls from skeptical fans throughout the offseason.

Greenberg and Dambach said the 2008 performance by Bradenton of the rookie Gulf Coast League could be a sign of a better season in State College. Bradenton, one level below State College in the Pirates’ farm system, went 37-18 last year and 11 players who arrived in State College on Monday played for the GCL team during 2008.

“We’re about fun, affordable, family entertainment and we certainly prefer fun, affordable, family entertainment with a happy ending,” Greenberg said. “Fans in State College and Centre County like a winner. We understand and respect that the Pirates have to do what they have to do to get players ready for the major leagues. But operating in State College we made it clear we want good, competitive teams, and the Pirates understand where we are coming from.”

The Spikes are also trying to grow and expand their business during a difficult economic time. Greenberg said preseason ticket sales are down 10 percent, a drop comparable to the one Myrtle Beach experienced. But the Pelicans have increased their walkup sales by 35 percent over last season, and they were averaging 3,087 fans per season through 27 home dates.

“We have fewer people buying tickets in advance, but more people buying tickets on the day of the game,” said Greenberg, who purchased the Pelicans on May 31, 2006. “It will be interesting to see how that compares with State College.”

State College and Myrtle Beach feature some major differences — a university drives State College’s economy while Myrtle Beach depends on tourism — but Parnell said both teams are being operated with the same vigor.

“We have this insatiable desire to be better and to be the best,” Parnell said. “I don’t think we are ever fully satisfied. Are we confident in what Jason and the crew have planned? Are we confident in the management staff that we have here? Are we confident in what the fans are going to see and receive on a nightly basis at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park? Absolutely.”