Last summer, I interned for a minor league baseball team that plays in my home area. Before interning there, I worked for the same team for several seasons as a game-day employee. Over the past several years with this team, I have watched plenty of minor league baseball games and – having always been a baseball fan – have gained a greater appreciation for the game's lower leagues. Here are just a few of the reasons why I love the minor leagues.
1. Value.
If you're looking for some entertainment but not looking to break the bank, minor league baseball stadiums are a good place to look. One could easily attend a minor league game and spend not much more than $20 on the outing. Ticket prices for minor league games are comfortably low. The food at the minor league parks is just as good as the food you'll find at the big leagues, but not at the sky-high prices. Overall, deciding to attend a minor league baseball game is a pretty good bang for your buck.
2. Entertainment.
When you go to a minor league baseball game, you're almost always unknowingly getting two shows for the price of one. Of course, you're paying to see the game, which is always entertaining as baseball's stars of tomorrow all play in the minor league at some point. The games can be quite exciting even at this level of play, and if the team you are watching has a strong fan base like the team I worked for does, it's very exciting to join in on cheering on the local team. However, the game is only half the fun. In order to draw crowds, minor league stadiums often get very creative with their promotional specials and in between inning entertainments. While working at a minor league park, I had the chance to meet some interesting D-list celebrities and got to see grown men make fools of themselves riding inflatable horses. These hilarious minor league antics are not something you'll get at a major league park.
3. Player accessibility.
The nice thing about the minor leagues is that those who play on the teams are still trying to work their way up to the top, meaning most of them are still humble. Not to say that all major league athletes are insufferable jerks, but a lot of them let the glitz of "The Show" get to their heads. At minor league parks, players are usually more than happy to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans. This means the world to the fans, especially young kids who could not care less about the difference between a big league star and a Joe Schmoe Minor Leaguer. Also, when you have to be in close contact with the players like I had to in my internship position, it's nice to not have to deal with giant egos while also putting up with barely out of their teens boy antics. I've even managed to make friends with several of these guys—something you would never find at a big league ballpark.
4. Fans.
The minor leagues are notorious for having some of the most passionate fan bases in sports. These people come to basically every game, know everything about the players, and support them unconditionally. This is really cool for someone working in this environment because you get to know a lot of these repeat fans and meet a lot of interesting people. Also, minor league games (and their crazy promotions) draw a huge variety of people, making these ballparks prime locations for some people watching.
5. #MILBprobs.
The minor leagues, just by nature of being the minor leagues, come with the stereotype of being lackluster and unglamorous. This unspectacular nature has led to minor league employees around the country affectionately drumming up the hashtag “#MILBprobs," which stands for Minor League Baseball Problems. For example, my having to stay at a rain-delayed, extra inning game until 1 a.m. and still having to report to the ballpark for work the next day at 9 a.m. is a hardcore example of an #MILBprob. Others include the fact that we were pretty sure a wild animal had taken residence under the stadium and that our fence around the main gate of the stadium fell almost daily. While these “MILB probs" seem horrible, they're mostly funny things you get used to, making the minor leagues just that much more entertaining. The major leagues, with all the glitz and glam and multi-million dollar facilities lack this aspect, and therefore lack a certain novelty entertainment.
