The Biloxi Shuckers front office, which launched 2018 season ticket sales last week, is working on a plan to welcome more canines to MGM Park in the upcoming season.
“A number of days last season we had ‘Bark in the Park,’ where fans could bring their dogs to the games,” Shuckers General Manager Chuck Arnold said today. “We had a great response, and we also had fans say that they wanted to bring their dogs to the park more often. So that’s what we’re planning to do.”
As part of the season ticket packages, the Shuckers plan to soon announce a new mini-plan package geared for dog lovers. “This package will allow dog-owners to bring their dogs out to the park every Monday home game, which includes eight Mondays in the 2018 season, and we’ll offer a couple of items of Shuckers ‘sWAG’ for their furry friends.”
Arnold said the team is in the process of securing a sponsor for the dog days, and dog owners can expect to see such giveaways as branded leashes, dog bowls and other gifts.
Meantime, Arnold said, the Shuckers are expecting renewed interest in season ticket sales over the next few weeks as Christmas shopping picks up, and, as usual, a jump in ticket sales is also expected after the Super Bowl and when baseball spring training begins in February.
Season tickets, covering 70 home games at the city-owned MGM Park, went on sale last week and the Shuckers are aiming to increase the number of season ticket holders to 1,000, up from the current level of 800. For the 2018 season, the first game at MGM Park takes place on April 11, when the Shuckers host the Mississippi Braves.
For months, Shuckers staffers have worked to renew season tickets before putting the seats on sale last week. The ticket packages offer discounts of as much as 36 percent off game-day prices.
Said Arnold: “Each year, we coincide the on-sale date with the end of the World Series while baseball is still fresh on people’s minds. We will see a slight uptick around Christmas, but they really pick up after the Super Bowl and with the start of spring training in February.”
Most popular seats: Home plate is the place to be, close to the action and behind safety netting, Arnold said: “Last year, we added a half-season plan that includes all Friday, Saturday and Sunday games plus Opening Day. We had a great response to this package and expect it to really take off this season.”
By the numbers: Season tickets have been on par for the past two years, with about 800 season tickets sold, but, long-term, Arnold wants to see that number increase to 1,000. “We have added some additional price levels for 2018 with ticket packages starting as low as $8 a game,” he said. “We offer packages for every budget and a flex plan for those who may not be able to attend a large number of games. Our ticket packages are great for baseball lovers, families and organizations who want to reward and recognize their employees and customers.”
Get more information on season ticket packages
News and notes: Biloxi booth, Library Steak and Seafood Bar
Popp’s Ferry showcase: Visitors to the Mississippi Restoration Summit this evening from 5 to 8:30 at the Coast Coliseum and Convention Center will see a couple dozen booths showcasing proposals and projects involving BP Restore projects. Among the projects highlighted will be Popp’s Ferry causeway park. Robert Smith, a city engineer, will be on hand to answer questions about the project. To see photos of the booth, click here. To learn more about the restoration summit itself, click here.
Library steakhouse: The city’s Development Review Committee on Wednesday morning will hear about plans for Library Steak and Seafood Bar, which is planning to occupy the ground floor of the former city library on Lameuse Street. To see the agenda for the DRC meeting, click here.
