Here’s how the State College Spikes are adapting to a summer that’s anything but typical

Baseball may be on hold for now, but the State College Spikes are exploring other ways to connect with fans.

General manager Scott Walker said Monday that the team is still preparing for the season to take place in some form, but the organization is “disappointed we won’t be able to see all of our friends, fans, season ticket holders, ushers and everybody at the ballpark this week and what would have been opening night on Thursday.”

The New York-Penn League last week announced the season’s start would be “delayed indefinitely” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, the team is planning other activities to draw people to the ballpark this summer. The first one is Father’s Day Family Catch on the Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $20 per family (up to four people; $5 per additional person). Each admission includes a $10 credit to the Off the Rack Outfitters team store valid Sunday only. Parking will be in the Porter North lot with entry at Gate A. Participants must register for a half-hour timeslot and purchase their admission in advance at www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=14305. The event will be free for 2020 season ticket holders, suite holders and sponsors. They can reserve their timeslot by emailing frontoffice@statecollegespikes.com.

Participants should bring their own balls and gloves and are required to wear masks upon entering and traveling around the ballpark. The field will be set up to allow for social distancing and capacity will be limited to 250 as per health guidelines.

“First and foremost, the health and safety of our fans, our staff, everybody that comes to the ballpark (is) obviously most important,” Walker said. “We are always keeping the fans at the top of our minds.”

The Spikes are also planning children’s activities as well as events that let fans reconnect with their favorite ballpark foods. Haven’t made plans for July 4? Two of the 4th Fest fireworks locations will be visible from Medlar Field, Walker said.

Save Our Spikes update

Walker also thanked fans for their support since the team launched Save Our Spikes in January amid reports the team was at risk of losing its major league affiliation. The “campaign was meant to really showcase how much our community cares about having an affiliated minor league baseball team here in Happy Valley,” Walker said.

“We were truly honestly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we saw from the entire community,” he said Monday.

The team urged fans to back the club by purchasing tickets for this season’s games, and sales rose significantly, Walker said, until COVID-19 struck and shut things down. He described that time as discouraging, after all the work that went into the campaign. “I think it’s a trying time for a lot of small businesses in this country and in our community, and we’re no different,” Walker said.

Walker and communications director Joe Putnam offered some other ways for fans to support the team this summer as the campaign returns:

• Rent out the ballpark for birthday parties, family reunions or to take batting practice with a few friends.
• Check out merchandise deals at spikes.milbstore.com, including Father’s Day packages.
• Bid in an auction that features game-worn jerseys from players such as Harrison Bader and Tyler Gaffney as well as themed jerseys such as Bark in the Park and Paint the Park Pink. The auction continues through June 26.

Walker said he’s looking forward to seeing fans back at the ballpark for Sunday’s event — “some of our friends, some of our family members, a lot of smiling faces.”

“We are focused on right now making sure that we can still provide something special for our community starting as immediately as Sunday and the rest of this summer.”

This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 5:28 PM.