Snappers offer fans stadium naming rights
BELOIT—Ever wonder what it would be like to have a baseball stadium named after you?
The Beloit Snappers have the perfect answer for you.
For every home game played at Pohlman Field this coming season, the Snappers are auctioning off the ballpark’s naming rights in an effort to raise money for the Stateline Boys & Girls Club.
“The Brewers are not the only professional baseball team to have a new naming rights partner in 2021,” team president Jeff Jurgella said. “For the remainder of the season at Pohlman Field, fans will be able to buy the naming rights to the stadium for each game with the net proceeds going to the Stateline Boys & Girls Club.
“Our mission as an organization is to improve the quality of life in our community and helping the Stateline Boys & Girls Club is a great way to make an impact and help youth in our community grow, learn and succeed. The Stateline Boys & Girls Club broke ground on their new facility last week and while construction has commenced they still have a funding gap in their capital campaign that we would like to help close.”
Mark Rand, CEO of the Stateline Boys & GIrls Club, was on hand for the kickoff of the fundraising effort.
“The Snappers have always been a great partner,” Rand said. “The Snappers here locally have always felt the need to reach out in the community and help young people providing tickets, clinics and other ways. Our tagline for our project is building a better future for our community and the Snappers took that and ran with it. We are certainly grateful to Jeff and the Snappers for reaching out to be a part of our campaign. For me personally it is exciting to be out here again. I played a lot of games on this field in high school.”
Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the stadium’s naming rights through MiLB Auction leading up to each game held at Pohlman FIeld in 2021. Game dates went up for auction beginning Wednesday. The starting price for each auction is $500 and the auction for each game will end a week prior to the date selected.
The winning bidder for each game will be able to choose the stadium’s name for the night and will receive eight tickets to the game, two vinyl signs displayed at the stadium featuring their stadium name, public address announcements throughout the game, a radio interview during an inning, inclusion of their stadium name on the team website, the opportunity to lead the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch and a group photo with team mascot Snappy.
“We can’t do first pitch in May because of COVID-19 restrictions, but we’re looking forward to that possibly changing later on,” Jurgella said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help a great cause and to have fans become a part of the Snappers farewell season in a way that has never been offered by a team before.”
He said the motivation behind naming rights are endless: an unforgettable birthday gift, an exposure for a business, even a marriage proposal.
“Take her to ‘Will You Marry Me, Jessica? Park,’” Jurgella said. “There are so many fun possibilities and we’re looking forward to seeing them each night at the ballpark.”
Fan-submitted stadium names will be subject to a vetting process by Major League Baseball and the Snappers and potential names can be refused for any reason.
Jurgella said the club sought out the approval of Harry C. Pohlman’s family for the renaming and that his legacy would still be honored. Long-time baseball coach Pohlman was a member of the original Beloit Brewers board of directors.
“The stadium names will have the format of Pohlman Field at Your Name Here Stadium.” Jurgella said.
• UP NEXT: The Snappers begin the 2021 season on May 4 in Appleton against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The home opener is May 11 against the South Bend Cubs.
