By Ben Rodgers
Staff Writer
The recent news from Ashwaubenon adds another strong asset to the already stacked list of things to do that make the village a great place.
Big Top Baseball, owners and operators of the Green Bay Bullfrogs along with three other Northwoods League teams, has struck a deal with the village to move the team from Green Bay’s east side into a new home in Ashwaubenon.
The main catalyst of the deal is a $10.5 million stadium that will seat 2,500 and have capacity for 4,000 for various athletic events.
It will be paid for with a combination of lease revenue from Big Top and tax increment financing revenues from additional projects located along the north and east ends of Oneida Street.
It took Big Top about a month to strike up this deal with the village, after working for years with the city of Green Bay to no avail.
In baseball parlance, the village of Ashwaubenon deserves a tip of the cap.
The team won’t officially relocate until the 2019, but this is positive news coming from a village that is focused on growth and giving residents numerous entertainment outlets.
While the Northwoods League is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, it is still a quality product for fans of all ages.
Top college players from around the country come to cities like Green Bay, Madison, Kenosha and Wisconsin Rapids to face off against each other.
In total there are 20 teams from Bismarck, North Dakota to Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Some of those who have played in the Northwoods League have gone onto stardom in the majors, including Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Curtis Granderson, Ben Zobrist and Andre Ethier, to name a few.
This will blossom into a great opportunity for the chance to see future stars up close before they make it to the show.
While the quality of play remains entertaining, one of the biggest draws is how much fun happens before the game and in between innings.
If it wasn’t for the Green Bay Bullfrogs, I would have never had the chance to be put in a headlock by Jerry “The King” Lawler.
Younger children relish in the chance to go on the diamond in between innings for a chance to win a free pizza or other prizes.
Jeremiah the mascot roams the stands to hand out T-shirts and other goodies.
The affordable deals on food and tickets make the Northwoods League a great place to spend a summer evening for the entire family.
As for the decision to relocate in Ashwaubenon, well it makes sense.
The new stadium will be located just south of the village hall on Holmgren Way. This is just a quick moonshot distance from the Stadium District.
Over the past few years the district has become the place to go in the area for fun and food. Adding baseball to the equation is a no brainer.
Again kudos to the village of Ashwaubenon for completing this deal and bringing something to the area that is the definition of family-friendly entertainment.