JERSEY SHORE – Spring is here and it’s time to play ball. The Jersey Shore BlueClaws rolled out the red carpet and a nice lunch to go over what is planned for this year’s season at the ballpark.
Members of the media were invited to the Blue Wave Bar at ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood, the home of the BlueClaws. Vice President of Communications Greg Giombarrese and BlueClaws General Manager Bob McLane were present to field questions pitched by reporters about the upcoming season.
Opening day is April 8, featuring fireworks after the game. “This is a very exciting time. Bob (McLane) has been here since September 2018. This is his second year as general manager. I want to thank our guys from the food and beverage department who put up this awesome display,” Giombarrese said.
That display even includes dessert with treats of fried Oreos and an ice cream sundae that you could house in a miniature BlueClaws batting helmet complete with logo. The BlueClaws have partnered with Marinella’s Italian Restaurant and Pizza to open the Crust Station by Marinella’s in the Food Court adjacent to the mini golf course down the right field line. Smokie’s Sausage and Dogs, located along the third base concourse features items like the Pork Roll Dog and Mac Attack that were showcased at the event.
Jersey Shore BlueClaws Vice President of Communications Greg Giombarrese stands beside a variety of new food choices available at the Blue Wave Bar at ShoreTown Ballpark. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)
McLane said “one of our goals every year is to make things better for fans in as many ways as possible. We feel we have that again this year with enhancements in ticketing, promotion, food and beverage and elsewhere. It is going to be a special summer once again. We are happy to be back and hopefully we’ll have a lot of good baseball weather this summer.”
“There is a lot of new stuff on the promo schedule this year,” McLane said. The BlueClaws unveiled their Locals and Bennys promotion, which pits the BlueClaws as the Jersey Shore Locals against Hudson Valley as The Bennys. BlueClaws staff members Craig Ebinger and Steven Guertin served as models for this during the afternoon. Ebinger donned a Locals jersey while Guertin sported the Bennys jersey. This will take place at three games this year: June 20, July 19 and August 21.
McLane said, “this has taken off like crazy and we are super pumped about the logos, imagery and art for it. We have a whole lot of people who come to the ballpark every year and we want them to take a three- or four-hour vacation while they are here. It will be a really good celebration of the tourism industry throughout the Jersey shore and it will be a lot of fun as well.”
The BlueClaws will celebrate their 25th year on June 15 when they play with an alternate identity as the Jersey Shore Shine Barons in a tribute to the Pine Barrens.
Bluey makes his first visit to ShoreTown Ballpark on April 26. Bluey is an Australian animated preschool television series which premiered on ABC Kids in October 2018. The series made its international premiere on Disney Junior in the United States and is released widely on Disney+.
Jersey Shore BlueClaws staff members Craig Ebinger at left and Steven Guertin serve as models for special merchandise jerseys during a pre-opening day event at ShoreTown Ballpark. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)
McLane said “I am honestly most excited about this. My kids love Bluey and it is a very good show for parents to watch with their kids. The content is perfect with a seven- or eight-minute episode with a theme but they are fun too.”
“We have a Pop Star ParTay on May 24 and we are hoping to get some ‘Swifties’ in the house,” McLane said. “Swifties” are the fandom of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and are regarded as one of the largest, most devoted, and influential fan bases.
Howell Night at the ballpark will be held on July 24 and the Farro’s Tees Summer concert series will expand to four bands this year featuring the Shantys on June 21, for Irish Heritage Night, Chronicles of Rock & Roll-on July 26 for Pride Night, Tequila Rose on August 9 for Country Night, and Splintered Sunlight on August 23 for Grateful Dead Night. There will also be two bobblehead giveaways to be announced.
McLane said, “baseball means a lot to us, the Phillies are a great partner but we do everything else to make sure that if you are a casual fan – or not a baseball fan period – that you can come to the ballpark, hang out and have a good time, stop at the stage to hear a band, stop and play miniature golf for nine holes and just sit and relax with your family and have a good bite to eat and know that you are coming to a safe space for families.”
Hot dogs are a ball game tradition and some new hot dog varieties were such as a Pork Roll Dog have been added to the menu of the Blue Wave Bar at ShoreTown Ball Park in Lakewood, the home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)
“We will try to entertain the heck out of you while you are here. There is something really special about minor league baseball and the connection it has with the fans. I look at our ballpark as the unofficial front porch of our community and to be able to bring people into the ballpark and be a kind of crown jewel for the area is really important,” McLane said.
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