Spirit named CanAm Organization of the Year

Published on September 28, 2006 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
North Shore Spirit News Release


For the past four seasons, the Fraser faithful in the stands, the players on the field, and the staff surveying the landscape have all been privy to one undeniable fact that made everything worthwhile. The North Shore Spirit is truly a great organization and everyone who has supported the club and fostered its phenomenal growth was validated in their efforts today, when the CanAm League bestowed the North Shore Spirit with Organization of the Year honors.

"As General Manager of the Spirit I am extremely proud that our staff that was just awarded the highest honor in our league, Organization of the Year for 2006," said Spirit Senior Vice President/General Manager Brent Connolly. "Each staff member in the Spirit family should be very proud of their individual accomplishments and know that we did it as a team. For that, I wish to thank each and every one of them for the great job they did in this past season!"

The award was presented on Thursday to Spirit owner Nick Lopardo at the CanAm League meetings in Brockton.

"This award is a great testament to the success of North Shore Spirit and the city of Lynn," said Lopardo. "I feel thrilled and privileged that the rest of the league would select the Spirit for such a great honor. It proves that we truly do have a great club. I respect everyone who is affiliated with the organization and I would like to congratulate all of them and offer my sincere thanks for their dedication to this team."

The honor is more than just another feather in Lopardo's cap. It is proof that the Spirit has risen to the top ranks of minor league baseball.

In 2006, the Spirit qualified for postseason play for the third time in the four-year existence of the team. The club boasted the league's best overall record, winning both halves, and set a franchise-high water mark in victories. The Spirit also earned Manager of the year, Player of the year, and Rookie of the Year honors. North Shore sent five players to the midseason All-Star game in E Paso and claimed six spots on the Postseason All-Star squad.

Clearly, there was no denying success that the Spirit enjoyed on the baseball diamond. What's often overlooked and more difficult to measure is the success of a team off the field.

In 2006, the Spirit organization overcame the obstacles that threatened to stunt its continued progress. In the face of a parking crunch, average attendance per game actually increased as the Spirit faithful gamely stuck by their team. Innovative solutions and cooperation from the fans trumped potential parking nightmares.

For the fourth straight season, North Shore ushered more than 100,000 fans through the gates at Fraser Field, bringing the four-year total to more nearly 420,000. The Spirit also welcomed its largest-ever crown on Saturday, June 17th when 4,605 fans made their way to Fraser Field.

The Sponsorship base that has been the bedrock for growth and expansion once again came through for the team as sales revenue once again increased in 2006. Complimenting the effort of these companies were the season-ticket holders who continued to make an invaluable commitment to the club. Another key component of the Spirit success in 2006 was the concessions revenues. The Spirit took control of the concessions for the first time this past season and made a smooth transition without compromising trademark customer service.

The organization made considerable strides toward spreading the Spirit in 2006, broadcasting all of its games on 1510 the Zone Sporting News Radio. The Spirit were the first team in the CanAm League to call a major metro radio outlet their flagship station. North Shore also aired its first ever live telecasts courtesy of LynnCam TV in addition to continuing to foster its great relationships with the local newspapers.

Baseball is indisputably a team sport. The team on the field is just a microcosm of the entire organization. The players, the sponsors, fans and staff members must all work together to achieve any semblance of success. 2006 was the culmination of this cooperation and the CanAm League rewarded everyone with much-deserved accolades.

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Canadian American League Stories from September 28, 2006


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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