Well another home stand has come and gone and with a one day off day, the Omaha Royals are back at it for another 4 games with the Nashville Sounds.   I don't know if it is the aurora of Ty Cobb in Rosenblatt Stadium or something else, but the Royals are in first place and 3 games ahead of the Memphis Redbirds.  With the Royals playing good baseball and the weather starting to turn from winter to summer, it is starting to get exciting around ole Rosenblatt Stadium.  We are having a good number of fans come out since the season started, even with some games dipping down into the low 40s.  The promotions we have had are some of the best in Minor League Baseball and that is not counting the Rosenblatt Stadium Replica that is our giveaway this Saturday at 7:05pm!!  In all the season is really working on all gears and it is an exciting time to be in the park and the team winning.

For me it has been completing one task after another. Part of my duties is to get the schedule of the games events organized and put into an addendum.  That keeps me pretty well focused on what is happening around the ballpark, not just the game.  We have sponsors that have suites that I have to check on and see if they are getting what they need, we have community organization partners that have display tables and other special events that might happen during a specific game.  My main duties during the game are to capture the fans enthusiasm and fun through a device they call a camera.  The camera is basically another part of my body during the game, with me snapping everything that goes on during an Omaha Royals game. You will be able to view some of the photos from the games coming up on our website in the next couple of weeks.

One of my favorite promotions that we have had so far this season was our ExpressJet Paper Airplane Contest.  This was a promotion where fans received a David Cone Statue sponsored by ExpressJet and an entry form where they filled out the sheet and used the sheet as a paper airplane.  After the game we placed an ExpressJet sign on the field and the fans came to the first base dugout and tried throwing their paper airplanes to the sign.  The 5 closest to the sign won a FREE roundtrip ticket anywhere on ExpressJet.  Now if that doesn't make you wanna come to a game then I don't know what would.  The latter part of the promotion is the only part I do not like.  Try unfolding thousands of paper airplanes that have gone through the trash and entering them into a database, that, someone else could do but that is why I love doing what I do, working in baseball!!!

Well I can now tell you how it is to work behind the action of baseball.  We have just concluded our first home stand with the Royals blasting their way to a 5-2 record.  We have won the last 4 games and swept the shortened series against Round Rock.  We are supposed to be having a game today, but with the pouring rain coming down right now, we had to postpone the game and reschedule it for a doubleheader on July 20.  It has been pretty exciting and pretty busy around the ballpark.  My first game was not very interesting, which was due to the rain which also forced us to postpone that game.  It does not help that we had our Opening Day get rained out, but we were happy to know that a lot of Minor and Major League teams had to postpone their games as well.  That meant that I was not only going to work my first game as an employee of the Omaha Royals, but that it would be a doubleheader. 

The games are so entertaining that it kind of goes by quickly.  I have the responsibility to take photos during the games, whether it is our promotions, between innings events, or just anything that would help us communicate with people when the season is over.  With me taking pictures, I really do not worry about who is winning or losing.  That usually happens when I take my break and enjoy some of our wonderful CenterPlate concessions.  The first home stand could not have gone any smoother.  I got to experience how to deal with two rainouts, a doubleheader, birthday parties, suite guests and everything that a normal fan just not have a chance to do.

I can not wait for the next home stand to begin so the Royals can show the fans of Omaha that they are going to be competing for the PCL Championship.  The team is loaded with lots of talent, and the front office is ready for the warm weather to shine on Omaha and give the fans the experience that we have been giving them now for 40 seasons.

Now that I have been walking around talking with some of our fans, I realize that many of them have been reading my blog, and to them and everyone else who reads I wanted to say thanks and stop me during the game and chat if you want to, I could always have a little break!!! 

Well it is t-minus 72 hours until Opening Day!!! It is getting pretty hetic around here, finishing up wind screens, putting up signs and everything it involves in starting the season.  I have been getting video board design work done along with helping out with the wind screens.  They are an important part in advertising because it is easy seen when fans come to the games and when they are on television.  Today was suppose to be the Creighton vs. Nebraska game, but due to inclimate weather, the game had to be rescheduled for April 23.  Hopefully the weather will corporate with us and our Opening Night will be a success. 

Around the stadium, I can start to see the familar scenes that I am used to when I come to a baseball game.  The concessions, gift shop, signs and all the other items that make a ballpark are going up around Rosenblatt Stadium.  The players arrived today and had a short work out on the field, and tomorrow the headshots and media day will take place, all the happening of the season starting. 

It is getting interesting around here and I am taking it all in and getting ready to have a successful 2008 Omaha Royals season.  The next time I will write a blog the season might started!!!!

Opening Day April 3 vs. Albuquerque Isotopes