Newark Bears' 2011 season could benefit from city's revitalization

BY JOE FAVORITO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING

With The Prudential Center to its south and Red Bull Arena to the east, sometimes Bears and Eagles Stadium is forgotten in the mix of the resurrection of Newark as a sports and entertainment hub. The stadium has not lost much of its charm since it opened in 1999, bring baseball, of the independent variety back to Newark on a fulltime basis.

Since then, once bright stars looking for a chance to go back to the Majors have come and gone, some with success, others with a last gasp and a core of players who fell through the baseball cracks got a chance that affiliated organizations never gave them. The team has flitted between the Atlantic and Can Am Leagues, and switched owners and staff as the economy and the competition for the casual dollar rose and fell and rose again. Even on the minor league level in the area, new franchises arose, many affiliated with MLB clubs, bringing new dollars, new mascots and new stadia. There was talk of even adding a team to the ill-fated Xanadu project, which would have eroded the Bears heart as well.

However, with all the changes, all the uncertainty, and all the competition, the bears are back again, with some notable leadership in former Yankees Tim Raines and Jim Leyritz, former White Sox catcher Ron Karkovice, and former Met and Yanks pitcher Mike Torrez as the GM. All are baseball lifers given a chance to stay in the game, now on the player development side. The team has a refreshed look off the field, new faces on the field, and even a new summer sports partner, the WNBA Liberty, who are taking up residence down the street at The Pru, all of which may help a Bears resurgence in fan interest and sponsor dollars. The cost remains more than affordable, the venue clean and safe, and the sport timeless. Will the heartbeat remain?

Hopefully it will. Newark’s revitalization has begun to stretch its reach away from the Prudential Center and towards the Stadium, and the success of the Red Bulls just across the river can’t hurt in helping people take notice of the gleaming lights where baseball is played in the distance. An increased awareness campaign with the media, and the presence in the front office of multiple former MLB players can draw attention on more than one occasion to the team. The quality of baseball has always been somewhat above the level at most area minor league stadia, simply because the Can Am players are a little older, maybe a little more diverse, and not on the strict schedule that a player at Single A or Double AA will be at. They are more incented financially to win, and as a result, the determination and passion may be just a little higher every day. The promotions continue to come, the mascots and cheerleaders are entertaining, the food affordable and diverse. Unfortunately the mass media support has to come from within or from word of mouth from family to family, so filling the stadium or bringing consistent large crowds to Newark, remains a challenge.

Regardless as a brand that can symbolize a city and is committed to continue to be a staple of the community through the dog days of summer, few brands can top the Bears in their commitment. Minor league baseball continues to be a proving ground not just on the field but in the front office, and the sports ability to move people along the chain to competitive business careers is what keeps brands coming back. Like other years the Bears will again face stiff competition, but the hope is, like a revitalized Newark, that the spillover into interest in the team will translate into a positive experience for all who come out, and will keep them coming back for dinner, NJPAC, the Devils, Red Bulls and the Nets.

The Bears as a brand have worked hard to create a positive experience, now the test will be to see if those with the discretionary dollars will reward the effort. Time to play ball and enjoy the game.

Joe Favorito has over 24 years of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. Visit him at JoeFavorito.com.