Myrtle Beach Pelicans set to open season with lofty goals on and off field
.JPG "The Clark & Addison Grille, formerly the Ring of Fire Grille, is located down the right-field line of TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. The grille is named for the two cross streets, Clark and Addison, outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago. The new design features a black and white portayal from the corner of Clark & Addison on the front of the building as well as the iconic Wrigley Field Marquee, which sits high atop the structure. The side of the Clark & Addison Grille features a collage of former Cubs players (Ron Santo, Ryan Sandberg, Joseph Tinker, Billy Williams, Frank Chance, Johnny Evers, Billy Herman, Fergie Jenkins and Ernie Banks).")
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are set to open the season with a different look, feel and new personnel.
They are now affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, have made renovations to the ballpark and feature a whole new group of players and coaches.
Pelicans president and general manager Andy Milovich believes it will take the franchise to new heights.
“We feel like we’re poised to have our best season ever,” said Milovich, who is in his third season at Myrtle Beach. “We’re coming off a great year, but if the sales, the interest and the enthusiasm in the community is any indication – it should be a monster year.”
The Pelicans have reached the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, and Milovich wants to continue that success as a part of the Cubs organization. Also, the changes could be a plus for the tourism of the Grand Strand as Milovich plans to attract Cubs fans to the Myrtle Beach area.
“I think the Cubs affiliation represented kind of an opportunity to reinvent the Pelicans’ franchise and build on all the success that we’ve had and add in elements that tie into the Cubs’ heritage and brand and things that will resonate with the fan base,” Milovich said. “We’ve done some things around the ballpark to really take advantage and build on that relationship and hopefully make the Myrtle Beach area a more inviting vacation destination for Cubs fans across the Midwest.”
While fans can expect more of the same – like two-dollar craft beers on Tuesdays, dollar hotdogs on Wednesdays, dollar beers on Thursday and family-themed Sundays – they will also see some new wild promotions during the transition.
“We’re going to continue to build on the things that we’ve had,” Milovich said. “[We’re keeping] the two-dollar craft beer Tuesdays, Weiner Wednesdays, Thirsty Thursdays and family days on Sundays. We’ve got some fun unique twists on some other things and fun things that some of which ties in with the Cubs and some that doesn’t.”
Milovich said the transition has gone smoothly, and the main focus is still on the fans.
“The transition has been great,” he said. “The Cubs have a great organization with great people and we do everything we can to make sure we take care of them and the fans. The fans will always be our core. But it’s been great; we’re really enjoying the transition.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were only standing-room tickets available for opening day. First-year Pelicans manager Mark Johnson plans to once again provide an on-field product Grand Strand residents and tourists can be proud of.
“Fans are why we’re here,” Johnson said. “They support us and if there’s anything I can do as a manager to help them, I’m all in.”
Contact MAX McKINNON at 626-0302 or on Twitter @mmckinnonTSN.
Season opener
Who | Wilmington Blue Rocks at Myrtle Beach Pelicans
When | 7:05 p.m.
Where | TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark
Radio | 1450-AM
This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 7:59 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach Pelicans set to open season with lofty goals on and off field."