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EL1 New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Brenner Named Baseball Executive Of The Year

November 16, 2009 - Eastern League (EL1)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats News Release


Manchester, NH-Rick Brenner, the President/General Manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the President of the Bowling Green Hot Rods, Class-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, has been named the Baseball Executive of the Year by the editors of Ballpark Digest, the leading website covering the culture and business of baseball. The Fisher Cats received Honorable Mention for Organization of the Year and Ongoing Excellence.

"This prestigious honor clearly demonstrates how strong our front office structure is in both New Hampshire and Bowling Green," said Brenner. "The collective talent, work-ethic and creativity of the staffs of these two clubs made this award possible. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated people in our organizations, and I thank them for their efforts in 2009."

Brenner, the President of DSF Sports and Entertainment, recently completed his third season as the President/General Manager of the Fisher Cats, a team that saw its attendance jump by 23% in his first season at the helm (2007). In 2009, the Fisher Cats were named the Eastern League's top team for most outstanding promotional effort, community involvement and overall operation for the second consecutive year, earning the league's nomination for the Larry MacPhail Promotional Trophy. The club established seven franchise attendance records, including a club-record 386,991 fans for the season; an average attendance of 5,608 per game; a single-game mark of 8,903 set on May 26; and an amazing 18 standing-room-only crowds. It was the sixth straight year, and third under Brenner's guidance, that the Fisher Cats improved their attendance total.

Meanwhile, Brenner laid the groundwork for success in Bowling Green by hiring Brad Taylor, former General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of the Trenton Thunder, to serve as the Hot Rods General Manager/Chief Executive Officer. The Hot Rods welcomed 232,987 fans to their state-of-the-art downtown ballpark, averaging 3,530 fans per game in the South Atlantic League. The team, which gears up for a switch to the Midwest League in 2010, won Minor League Baseball's Promotion of the Year for its 'What Could've Been' Night.

"Anyone who's opened a new ballpark after relocating a franchise knows what a fantastically challenging task it is," said Kevin Reichard, publisher of www.ballparkdigest.com. "That Rick managed to open a great new ballpark in Bowling Green while setting attendance records in New Hampshire is a testament to his business talents."

"This past season was a rough one for many baseball teams," Reichard said. "Most would have been happy attracting the same number of fans as they did the previous year. That both the Fisher Cats and Hot Rods thrived in a bad economy says much about Brenner and his team."

Tickets are on sale now for the Granite State Baseball Dinner, presented by Northeast Delta Dental, scheduled for this Saturday, November 21, at the Radisson Hotel Expo Center in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2010 Full-Season Tickets, Half-Season Tickets and Mini Ticket Plans are also on sale now. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call (603) 641-2005 or visit www.nhfishercats.com .

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Eastern League Stories from November 16, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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