Pivoting with Purpose
Q. BASEBALL GAMES ARE FOR SOCIALIZING, SO HOW HAS THE HOME OF THE YORK REVOLUTION DEALT WITH THE NEW NORMAL?
A. I’ve said for years that we’re not a sports business. We’re a hospitality and entertainment business that plays sports. We really prioritized two things. One, keeping our ballpark open for the community and two, creating new kinds of events appropriate to the COVID-19 era.
Q. WHAT SPECIFIC WAYS HAVE YOU PUT THE FACILITY TO USE THAT DIFFER FROM ITS INTENDED PURPOSE?
A. We played 62 games of amateur and youth baseball this summer. We had patio parties early on before most restaurants had outdoor dining. We showed movies on our video board that people could sit in our field an d watch. We had the Smash Bash, a rage room type of event. We partnered with a local resale store and gave people the opportunity to smash things for charity. We also hosted a number of business-style meetings, conferences, lunches, that sort of thing.
Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS SET FOR 2021?
A. Well, plan number one is to play baseball. I’m pretty confident we’ll be playing baseball in some form or fashion next year with limited attendance. Some of what we learned going through what we did this summer are things we’ll continue, like the movies and picnics.
Q. THE YORK REVOLUTION MOTTO IS THAT YOU’RE THE MOST WELCOMING PLACE IN YORK. IS THIS STILL TRUE?
A. It’s definitely still true, and it’s more important than ever. We really try to make sure anybody from any walk of life feels welcome, regardless of politics, race, religion, sexual orientation or whatever label people put on others. I don’t think there’s ever been a more important time for that.
Downtown York Perspectives
How do you feel supported by the York community this year?
“The silver lining to the great disappointment of not playing Revolution baseball this summer was all the ways we were able to bring the community into our building. It started with our “drive through” on what would have been the opening night of baseball, and continued through patio parties, movies, batting practices, concerts, Little League games and dozens of other activities that brought people from across the York community into PeoplesBank Park. The reaction from Yorkers to all those events was very gratifying.”
– Eric Menzer, President, York Revolution
- 5 BROOKS ROBINSON WAY YORK, PA 17401
- 717.801.4487
- 5 BROOKS ROBINSON WAY YORK, PA 17401
- 717.801.4487