Miracle set 2016 schedule, promotions, giveaways
Opening Day for the Florida State League and the Fort Myers Miracle is just three weeks away, prompting the Miracle to release its 2016 schedule.
The Miracle begin the season with two home games against the Bradenton Marauders on April 7-8 at Hammond Stadium.
The Miracle schedule features 140 games over 151 days, including 70 games at Hammond Stadium. This season marks the team’s 25th in Fort Myers.
Miracle staff has come up with its usual slate of celebrity appearances, fabulous promotions and special giveaways for fans to enjoy.
“We are really stepping up our promotion game for the fans for our 2016 All-Star season with our most exciting schedule in years,” said Miracle owner Jason Hochberg. “We’ve kept many of our old favorites, but have added some exciting new weekly promotions like Mug Club Wednesdays. The Miracle have something for everyone ranging from celebrity appearances by professional wrestlers, Greg Brady and Seinfeld’s “Soup Nazi” to new giveaways like the Miguel Sano-globe. We’ve got live music along with the best fireworks displays in Southwest Florida and, of course, some great baseball where fans can see the stars of tomorrow today!”
The first 500 fans through the gates for the April 7 opener receive a pair of sunglasses courtesy of the Snead Eye Group. On April 8, the Miracle host Opening Night ceremonies at 7:05 p.m. followed by the first of six fireworks shows scheduled throughout the summer.
Wendy’s and MetroPCS have teamed up with the Miracle and acquired tickets to Opening Night and will distribute them at no cost to their customers. Fans can pick up a general admission ticket at local Wendy’s nd MetroPCS locations in Lee and Collier Counties beginning March 31. For $2, fans can upgrade a complimentary ticket to a box seat at the Hammond Stadium ticket office starting on April 4 at 9 a.m.
The first 5,000 fans to enter the gates for Opening Night receive a 2016 Miracle magnetic schedule.
Five more fireworks shows are on the schedule for Memorial Weekend on May 21, the mid-summer fireworks show on June 4, two weeks later on June 18 when the Miracle host the 2016 FSL All-Star Game, a patriotic fireworks display on July 3 for Independence Day Weekend, and finallhy on Aug. 13 for Beer, Baseball & Boom.
While fireworks may light up the sky this summer, the stars still shine brightly with four special celebrity appearances during the year. On April 23, the Miracle welcome former wrestling stars Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. Then, on May 6, the Miracle salute 1976 with a Bad News Bears throwback night. Actor Gary Lee Cavagno, who played Mike Engelberg in the hit move The Bad News Bears, will attend to sign autographs and posing for pictures. The Miracle will wear Bad News Bears-themed jerseys that will be available for auction during the game.
A second celebrity appearance highlights the May schedule when Greg Brady, actor Barry Williams, arrives on May 20. Williams, who portrayed Greg Brady for five seasons on The Brady Bunch, will meet with fans and sign autographs.
Fans will need to tread lightly and stay in line in June because the infamous “Soup Nazi” from Seinfeld will be at Hammond Stadium. Larry Thomas played Yev Kassem in the 116th episode of Seinfeld.
When stars aren’t shining at the CenturyLink Sports Complex, fans can take home a souvenir with seven giveaway nights on the schedule. After the sunglass giveaway on April 7 and the magnet schedule on April 8, the next handout takes place on July 2 with a Miguel Sano-Globe. In 2015, Miguel Sano slugged 18 home runs in half of a season in his rookie year with the Minnesota Twins. Sano was a fan favorite and FSL All-Star with the Miracle in 2013. The first 500 fans at the games on July 2 receive a globe with a likeness of Miguel that they can shake up in a Sano blizzard.
Later in July, the Miracle plan back-to-back giveaway nights. On July 29, the first 1,000 fans receive a Miracle cap. On July 30, the first 500 kids ages 12 and under get a Miracle backpack filled with supplies and great deals from local businesses.
Two more giveaway nights are listed in August. On Aug. 19, the Miracle will pass out a custom-designed stein to the first 500 fans through the gates. Six days later, fans have an important decision to make who to vote for in the Bobblection. An election year tradition, the Miracle will give away bobbleheads of two presidential candidates to the first 500 fans to cast their vote for either candidate.
The Miracle play 12 home games in April, but also hosts an NCAA collegiate game on April 5 between the FGCU Eagles and Miami Hurricanes. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for a 6:30 first pitch.
Also in April, the Miracle host the first of six Dog Daze on April 22. Fans can bring their puppies to the park to have a barking good time. The other five Dog Daze dates are May 26, June 22, July 8, Aug. 12 and Sept. 2.
Miracle Health and Wellness Day is scheduled for April 23, and Sway’s first birthday party on April 24.
In May, the Miracle host 13 games beginning with Cinco de Miracle on a Thirsty Thursday, May 5.
Highlighting the rest of the promotions are the inaugural Community Celebration of Israel Independence Day on May 12 and Irish Heritage Night returns on May 26. The first morning game of the home schedule is May 23 against the Tampa Yankees in the annual Education Day game.
June begins with the traditional of Islands’ Night on June 1, featuring the businesses and residents of Sanibel and Captiva.