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Lake Elsinore Storm

Nothing but a baseball game

by Marc Viquez
July 6, 2005 - California League (CalL1)
Lake Elsinore Storm


What if I told you that I went to a baseball game and nothing happened? There were not any concessions or bathrooms opened, not a program being sold, no way to buy team merchandise and there were no in between inning gimmicks or promotions. Would you still believe me? Well it happened in Lake Elsinore, Calf., in a game between host Storm and the Lancaster JetHawks.

Welcome to Nothing Night where all fans who enter the game witnessed a ballgame where not too much went on besides the game on the field. If you want food or use the bathrooms there were temporary services set up outside the ballpark in the parking lot, if you wanted to purchase a scorecard you are out of luck and if you were hoping to rub heads with team mascot you would not be able to find him.

Admission to the game was free and so was the parking, which proved to have its pros and cons. Some people were unaware of the free admission and were hurrying calling friends and some had purchased tickets months in advanced. However team management was more than willing to take care of any inconveniences that may have occurred.

"We paid for tonight and were really upset when we learned it was free," said Kelly MacNeil of San Diego who purchased her tickets in May. "We talked to some people up there [Storm management] and they gave us reimbursements and so far we have enjoyed the game. So we were upset and they made it right."

It was the latest promotion by the Lake Elsinore Storm who also had Michael Jackson Night, complete with surgical gloves, Dr. Seus Night, where players wore striped red socks and announcement were in rhyme, and an April Fools night where the changed the name of the team to the Los Angeles Anaheim San Diego Storm of Lake Elsinore.

Promotions like this could have their advantages with mentions of certain nights landing their way to the New York Times and Wall Street Journals. Dr. Seus Night was picked up my thirty different publications and sometimes promotions elicit positive and negative feedback from fans. According to GM Chris Smith the Storm is the first baseball team to offer Nothing Night.

"We love Nothing Night. It's a great night and we think it should be advertised, because it's a great family night. If families knew about it they would have a great night out," added Kathy Harney who was with a group of people to watch Lancaster starting pitcher Matt Chico.

The ballpark had a welcoming calm of silence that resulted in fans singing the 7th inning stretch and making player announcements. Crashing sounds of foul balls were gone, so were player introduction music and in between inning contests of musical chairs and dizzy bat races. The video board was also not operating throughout tonight's game that added a little bit more of nothing.

"It was just a strange and weird experience," said Steve Gale of Corona, Calif., who had not eaten before the game. "We were looking to buy tickets and everything was closed, so we just walked through the gates."

Some fans were not to adamant about the concession stands being closed and only temporary concession stands outside the ballpark. Shirley Jones was one of the fans that had little time between work and the game to get her family ready and was looking at getting dinner at the ballgame.

"I don't have time to feed my kids and I am going to be feeding them off a roach coach? That's not good for me?," said Shirley Miller.

"It would have been better if they charged nothing and still had the concessions opened," added Jeff Leatherman from Canyon Lake, Calf. "I don't like it because we didn't know about and we were expecting to come to the ballpark to get a hot dog and a beer."

There was beer being served at one concession on the far end of the third base side of the concourse and hot dogs were available outside the main entrance. Also, temporary bathrooms were set up outside the ballpark; however, it could pose a little inconvenience for those who normally use the ballpark facilities and concession stands. Then again you could hear all the heckling from every corner of the stadium.

It was a night of nothing, a little twist on the trend of wacky minor league promotions that run rampant throughout the sport. To many it was a night of free baseball for friends and family, while to others a little bit of confusion. In the end Storm officials just wanted folks to go home have something to talk about.

Or did they want them to have nothing to talk about?

Check out the Lake Elsinore Storm Statistics

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California League Stories from July 6, 2005


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