RailRiders General Manager Rob Crain just returned from the winter baseball meetings in Orlando Florida ready for round two with his AAA franchise here in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
"We're just going to put full effort into everything just like what we do. We're going to continue to really focus on our promotions, really focus on the customer service, and really focusing on the people who have come out and try to get new people out to have them experience it," said Rob Crain.
Going into opening day in 2013 Crain and his staff we're still finishing up the final details at PNC field including office space. 2014 is completely different for many reasons.
"I don't know what the number is now until opening day I mean April is going to be here quicker than you know it-I usually know it right off the top of my head-it's got to be under 100 days somewhere around there. Are you guys ready? Oh we are ready to go. We're anxious. A lot of our staff feels like we're ready for games-ready for the action. It's the games that we live for and seeing people come into the ballpark-saying goodbye to them when they leave. You know you miss that and I think we are ready for some warm summer nights too," again said Rob.
Having Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Curtis Granderson here on rehab assignments from New York helped attendance figures.
"You only get that with the New York Yankees and those nights we're super memorable. We we're very excited to have them. I hope they have a very healthy year in New York but if not we would be very excited to host them again," added Rob.
Nearly 436,000 fans came thru the turnstiles last year here at PNC field to see the first year RailRiders finish 12 1/2 games out of first place. The number of people who came here last year compares to the number back in 2008 of 485,000 fans that was the second year for the Yankees here in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but Rob Crain would like to see the number bump up to the 2007 number of 580,000 fans that was the first year the Yankees we're here in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
"We think that the passion of the minor league baseball fan here in Northeastern Pennsylvania will propel us to bigger and better things in the 2014," again said Rob.
Baseball digest voted PNC field the best new ballpark in baseball in 2013.