The Padres play their home opener tonight following a “whirlwind offseason” in which rookie GM A.J. Preller “put together the first truly star-studded team" to call Petco Park home, according to a front-page piece by Chris Jenkins of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Padres Exec Chair Ron Fowler said, “We have players on the field that people actually have heard of. We don’t have to spend money to sell the players to fans because the fans already know these players, have expectations of them.” He added, “The fans now are saying, ‘These people (Padres) are finally doing something.’ I’m a fan, too. I get why they’d have thought it was going to be the same-old, same-old. It’s not going to be the same-old, same-old. There’s no more same-old, same-old.” Jenkins notes the Padres “helped break the Peoria Sports Complex’s record for Cactus League attendance” -- including a 30% increase in average crowd (7,091) over ‘14 -- so there have been "solid indicators that people are reinvesting in them." The Padres "had an unprecedented 40,000 people sign up for Fan Fest, nearly double the previous best.” Fowler said all four games of the home-opening series are “potential sellouts.” Fowler: “We used to do a lot more business with ticket brokers, but we’ve stopped that. The brokers contribute very readily to the Giants/Dodger thing at Petco. We want control of our own ballpark.” Jenkins notes season-ticket sales increased 33%, “up to 12,000 in full-schedule equivalents, and the team reports that individual-game tickets also are on the upswing.” The Padres “generally have ranked” 10th or lower in attendance among NL clubs since ‘07. They “averaged between 26,000 to 27,000 per game over the last five campaigns” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/9).
IN THE SPIRIT: Montalvo Spirits yesterday announced a deal for its tequila brand to sponsor the Padres. Activation at Petco Park will include The Rail presented by Montalvo Tequila and the Montalvo Tequila Bar on the rooftop of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field. The branded areas will feature in-seat waiter service (Montalvo). Meanwhile, SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Don Muret notes the Padres have signed an undisclosed sponsor for the new group hospitality area which "spans the width" of their 124-foot Daktronics videoboard in left field. The platform's "menu features items from The Patio Restaurant Group, a popular San Diego eatery, served in tandem with Delaware North Sportservice, Petco Park’s concessionaire" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/6 issue).
