Blue Crabs kick off Backfin Buddies Club

Friday, Jan. 11, 2008

The club, which is open to kids ages 12 and younger, offers families the opportunity to attend a dozen specified home games throughout the season at a discounted price.

“Everything that we do with the baseball team really has a central theme: Family and kids,“ Blue Crabs General Manager Mark Viniard said. “I grew up loving baseball, but not being close to a team who would have something like this. To me, being part of a youth-oriented program would have been great while growing up with a team. And as a team, we wanted to be able to offer a program like this to the community, and we wanted it to be affordable.“

In addition to tickets to 12 Blue Crabs games, membership to the club, which costs $15, also includes a 2008 limited edition Backfin Buddies cap, a team lanyard and a backpack designed to look like the Blue Crabs jersey.

Members also receive exclusive offers, such as opportunities to run the bases after games at Regency Furniture Stadium and to attend team autograph sessions, as well as a 10 percent discount on all baseball clinics.

According to Viniard, the 12 games, all of which are on Saturday and Sunday nights, will often coincide with prime giveaway events, fireworks shows and family-oriented entertainment performances.

As the team searched for a sponsor, Viniard approached Chick-fil-A, with which he had worked while with another minor league franchise, the Charlotte Knights. Viniard described Chick-fil-A as a natural fit for the Blue Crabs and is encouraged by the enthusiasm of John Flatley, the Chick-fil-A representative working with the organization.

“Chick-fil-A has always been focused on family and kids,“ said Flatley, the owner of two Chick-fil-A locations in Waldorf. “That is our market, so we try to get involved in the community as much as possible. I think that a kids club with a minor league baseball team offers a great way for families to spend time together.“

Flatley intends for Chick-fil-A to play a large role in Blue Crabs home games and specifically in Backfin Buddies nights.

“Each kids club game will be an event,“ Flatley said. “Chick-fil-A will go onsite and work closely with the Blue Crabs to make each night special. And the best part about it is that it will be right in our own back yard.“

The Blue Crab organization hopes that the establishment of the kids clubs will help ensure the future of the franchise in Southern Maryland.

“Kids growing up with professional sports teams still have that loyalty to teams 10, 15 and 30 years later,“ Viniard said. “As far as minor league franchises go, the more that we can do with youth to develop that fan base, the more we know that they are going to continue to grow up with the Blue Crabs and be a part of our fan base for a long time. And that is a key part of what we are trying to do.“

E-mail Stephen Demedis at sdemedis@somdnews.com.