Making it Phun

Phils hope to raise ballpark enjoyment through the Roof

 

By Joe Student

Philly EDGE Editor

 

It’s only April, but Phillies fans are gathering on a roof.

With 9,880 losses in franchise history (including Monday’s 13-5 Opening Day defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals), the Phils have pushed the boundaries of their fans’ patience – and sanity – in the past. This year, the organization is driving its fans to the top of the pavilion overlooking Ashburn Alley in Citizens Bank Park with enticements of cheaper beer and hot dogs, an inflatable pool and other activities.

The perks are part of Rooftop Thursdays, a new promotion geared toward 18- to 35-year-old fans whom the Philadelphia organization hopes to attract to its games. The first event, set for Thursday’s game (Apr. 6) against the Cardinals, has already sold out of its allotted tickets. Team officials say the new events, all of which are scheduled for Thursday home games, are designed to build on the Phils’ increased off-season efforts to make people more aware of all of the entertainment available at Citizens Bank Park.

“We can’t just hang a sign out in front of the stadium that says ‘baseball game today’ and expect a crowd,” John Brazer, Phils “Director of Fun & Games,” says in explaining reasons for the new promotional series. “We have to improve the experience.”

Brazer and others say the Rooftop Thursdays idea stems from the organization’s observation of the many younger fans the team already attracts.

“Our (audience) demo had changed,” Michele DeVicaris, entertainment rep for the team, says. “While walking around (the park) we noticed that there were a lot of people in their 20s and 30s. They have a lot of great places that they can go (in Philadelphia), so we wanted to make sure we had something to keep their interest here.”

DeVicaris and Rob Kazenski, Phillies sales rep, helped decide the types of events that Rooftop Thursdays would feature; both workers are in the targeted fan demographic.

“By being in the demo, we know the psychology of the demo,” Kazenski says. “We felt that (the demo) would like a big party every Thursday.”

Brazer says some of the new young fans are partly due to the appeal, and design, of three-year-old Citizens Bank Park.

“The Vet had dark concourses and tunnels that didn’t allow for a lot of connection between the fans and the game once the fan was out of their seat,” Brazer, who also blogs about the Phils at http://brazertime.mlblogs.com

, says about the team’s former home. “Citizens Bank Park is built for socializing. It’s developed its own social scene and it’s turned into a fun place to people-watch nearly every game.”

Brazer adds that the team’s young stars like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell have also helped attract a younger audience.

Tickets to the rooftop area of Ashburn Alley, which cost $15 for other games, are discounted to $12 for Rooftop Thursdays. Also included in the ticket price is a commemorative plastic pint cup, interaction with the Phillies ball girls, express admission to McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon after the game, food and drink discounts and the opportunity to participate in that game’s theme. Among the various attractions scheduled to be positioned on the pavilion during Rooftop Thursdays are a mechanical bull, an inflatable pool and a surf machine. Singles’, Ladies’ and College nights are also scheduled.

“On Singles’ Night (May 11), we’ll have Preston & Steve from WMMR (FM-93.3) (on the rooftop pavilion) and they’ll be doing their singles’ mixer. Singles who want to attend that night will be given a shirt with the words ‘Hello, my name is’ and a line under it and the back (of the shirt) will have space for their ‘stats.’ It should be a lot of fun,” DeVicaris says.

The staff entertained many different ideas and concepts when planning the series. Kazenski indicates that some ideas never made it into practice.

“It was a fun process. We had a lot of ideas… But you know you can’t have a ‘Disparage All Met Fans Night,’” Kazenski says. “You don’t want to incite anybody, or keep them from enjoying the game. We want this to be all-inclusive.”

Brazer says that though the main focus of Rooftop Thursdays is not the baseball being played on the field, the Phillies are content to seek additional ways to make fans remember their trip to the ballpark.

“Obviously, we want people to be (baseball) fans and enjoy the baseball experience, but we realize that if we give them a great entertainment experience, they’ll be more likely to come back again,” Brazer says. “For die-hard fans we have game stats, pitch speed, we teach them how to keep score… for others we have the Phanatic and other promotions like Rooftop Thursdays.”

The Phillies pursuit of new and different promotions is in line with other ball clubs who are competing with music, movies, other sports teams and other entertainment for audience share and fan support.

“It’s reality for us… We have to offer something more,” Brazer says.

The “something more” offered to Rooftop Thursdays participants this week is a T-shirt with the team’s “Red Means Go” slogan emblazoned on the front. A mechanical bull, free massages and more are set to follow.

“Thursdays are the day when people sort-of kick-off the weekend,” DeVicaris says. “(Rooftop Thursdays) will let them get it started at the ballpark.”

 

Rooftop Thursdays Schedule

 

April 6 at 3:05 p.m. vs. St. Louis Cardinals

• "Red Means Go" T-shirt giveaway (sold-out)

 

April 20 at 7:05 p.m. vs. Washington Nationals

• College Night

• Mechanical bull

• Jimmy Rollins Knit Beanie Cap giveaway

 

April 27 at 3:05 p.m. vs. Colorado Rockies

• College Night 

• Surf machine

 

May 4 at 7:05 p.m. vs. Atlanta Braves

• College Night 

• Surf machine

 

May 11 at 7:05 p.m. vs. N.Y. Mets

• Singles Night 

• Mechanical bull

 

June 15 at 1:05 p.m. vs. N.Y. Mets

• Pool Day

• Inflatable pool party

 

July 6 at 7:05 p.m. vs. S.D. Padres

• Ladies Night 

• Additional drink specials

• Massages

 

July 27 at 1:05 p.m. vs. Arizona D’backs

• Pool Day

• Inflatable pool party

 

August 17 at 1:05 p.m. vs. N.Y. Mets

 

Tickets:

215.463.1000

www.phillies.com

 

So, what else is new?

 

In addition to Rooftop Thursdays there a ‘phew’ other new things at Citizens Bank Park in 2006.

 

The Bull Dog – Served up by former Phillies slugger Greg “The Bull” Luzinski at his Bull’s BBQ stand inside the park, this new sandwich is a barbecued piece of kielbasa offered up on a roll.

“It’s a generous portion of kielbasa,” Luzinski says. “It’s a quality sandwich that fits in well with the rest of our menu.”

It sells for $6.75.

 

Red Soul Line Dancers – Until Saturday’s exhibition game against the Red Sox, Matt Wilkinson says he had never seen a major league game before.

By the fifth inning, he was dancing on the dugout under his alias “Silky Wilky,” as one of the Red Soul Line Dancers, a new dance group that entertains the crowd between innings at Citizens Bank Park.

“I’m a little nervous,” Wilkinson said prior to his debut. “But I think it’ll be fun.”

The Indianapolis-native says he relocated to Philly after finding out about the new group via ESF summer camps.

 

Left Field Wall – The Phils increased the height of the left-field wall from eight feet to 10.5 feet and moved the angle of the wall to take its measure to 374 feet from 369 feet. “(This) will subtract another 15-18 home runs in year three,” Larry Shenk, Vice President of Public Relations for the Philadelphia Phillies wrote on his Baron’s Corner blog. “One of the goals in building the park was to have a fair park for pitchers and hitters. It didn't play that way the first two seasons...”

-Joe Student