The Flying Squirrels snap photos for this year’s roster at Tuesday’s Media Day event. Photos by Jonathan Spiers.
After five years of sold-out season openers, the Richmond Flying Squirrels are looking to make it six straight on Opening Day this Thursday.
The minor league ball club will start its sixth season before a packed Diamond stadium, which as of Tuesday was about 500 seats shy of selling out, said Todd “Parney” Parnell, the Squirrels’ COO, vice president and general manager.
“Hopefully, we’ll sell out by tomorrow,” Parnell announced at Tuesday’s Media Day.
Parnell said in an interview afterward the business behind the team has become less cyclical, in that the “season” never stops as far as promotions, preparation and community outreach.
“People think we have an off-season, but we really don’t,” he said.
Todd Parnell
Parnell described half of the year, August through March, as “the preparation phase” – with sponsorship sales, ticket packaging and other planning – and the other half of the year as “the execution phase.”
“It’s almost like if our business was in the housing business,” he said. “The architecture is done August to March, and the actual contracting is done from April to September. And as you’re building that house, as you’re doing that contracting, you learn things that affect the architecture and drawings for the next house.”
In addition to his COO and VP duties, Parnell is serving as general manager this season, filling the role after the team’s original GM, Bill Papierniak, stepped down.
Parnell credited Papierniak and others for laying the groundwork for what he predicts will prove to be another successful season.
“If this summer is any indication, business-wise, of what this winter was, we’re going to be great,” Parnell said. “Sponsorship sales are up significantly.
“If we don’t go into this season thinking we could be better than last year, we haven’t prepared well,” he said. “We should absolutely be better than we’ve ever been this year.”
The Flying Squirrels snap photos for this year’s roster at Tuesday’s Media Day event. Photos by Jonathan Spiers.
After five years of sold-out season openers, the Richmond Flying Squirrels are looking to make it six straight on Opening Day this Thursday.
The minor league ball club will start its sixth season before a packed Diamond stadium, which as of Tuesday was about 500 seats shy of selling out, said Todd “Parney” Parnell, the Squirrels’ COO, vice president and general manager.
“Hopefully, we’ll sell out by tomorrow,” Parnell announced at Tuesday’s Media Day.
Parnell said in an interview afterward the business behind the team has become less cyclical, in that the “season” never stops as far as promotions, preparation and community outreach.
“People think we have an off-season, but we really don’t,” he said.
Todd Parnell
Parnell described half of the year, August through March, as “the preparation phase” – with sponsorship sales, ticket packaging and other planning – and the other half of the year as “the execution phase.”
“It’s almost like if our business was in the housing business,” he said. “The architecture is done August to March, and the actual contracting is done from April to September. And as you’re building that house, as you’re doing that contracting, you learn things that affect the architecture and drawings for the next house.”
In addition to his COO and VP duties, Parnell is serving as general manager this season, filling the role after the team’s original GM, Bill Papierniak, stepped down.
Parnell credited Papierniak and others for laying the groundwork for what he predicts will prove to be another successful season.
“If this summer is any indication, business-wise, of what this winter was, we’re going to be great,” Parnell said. “Sponsorship sales are up significantly.
“If we don’t go into this season thinking we could be better than last year, we haven’t prepared well,” he said. “We should absolutely be better than we’ve ever been this year.”
Parney is a great ambassador for the Flying Squirrels and for the RVA region. If you haven’t been to a Flying Squirrels game, I recommend getting out — you will be hooked! They do a great job entertaining their guest in a family friendly environment. Go Squirrels!