is still a work in progress. We’re just getting catalogs from all our vendors for me to go through and figure out what’s new, are there new colors, and what I think is going to work for our market with the price points,” says Gravert. Her approach emphasizes affordability and inventory management rather than high margins.“I don’t want to overprice something and have it sit there. I’d rather be able to sell it out and reorder throughout the season,” Gravert notes, reflecting the reality of merchandising in smaller markets where price sensitivity often exceeds that of major league venues. Distribution includes the two team stores within the stadium and other outlets.“We currently have some of our stuff over at Lakemont for their Christmas event through a national deal. Lids and Dick’s both have hats and shirts and other merchandise,” adds Gravert.This multi-channel approach helps maintain brand visibility during the off-season. STADIUM UPGRADES People’s Natural Gas Field is in the final stages of a comprehensive renovation project that has transformed player facilities while setting the stage for future fan-focused improvements. “We are just about done after this fall with the renovation to the facility from the player’s point of view,” Bowen shares. “Prior to 2023, we redid the clubhouse, the training rooms downstairs, the weight room, and the kitchens downstairs as well.” Recent improvements focused on safety and visibility. “This off-season we extended the netting down the foul lines to cover the picnic area in the bleachers down the first base side. So now anywhere you sit in foul territory is covered by the netting,” explains Bowen. This safety enhancement mirrors a leaguewide trend of expanding protective netting to 97 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 04 ALTOONA CURVE
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