At Home With the Cyclones

In this, the final installment of "At Home With," we speak with Brooklyn Cyclones media relations director Dave Campanaro. Since their inception in 2001, the Cyclones have ranked among the top drawing teams in all of Minor League Baseball.

MiLB.com: How would characterize your team's fan base? Has it grown or changed in recent years?

DC: Brooklynites are extremely passionate about baseball -- and about anything that is distinctly the borough's own -- so we're fortunate in that we meet both criteria. When the Cyclones were born in 2001, the fan base was starved for professional baseball. It had been 44 years since the Dodgers left for LA and Brooklyn's heart still hadn't healed (and probably never will). That first year was all about baseball returning to Brooklyn, but it was also about introducing the Minor League atmosphere to a Major League market. Most New Yorkers had very little, if any, experience with Minor League teams -- the promotions, the wackiness, the between-inning contests, the zany antics. In those first couple of years, I think we introduced a whole new world of baseball to the New York market, and we've been building on that ever since.

As time has gone on, our fan base has become much more familiar with and knowledgeable about, the brand of entertainment (and baseball) we offer. They have come to love the Cyclones for who we are and what we do, rather than seeing us as a potential replacement for the Dodgers (which are super-sized shoes that no one can fill). We still have our share of baseball purists and historians, but every year we see more and more families, kids and casual fans who enjoy not only the game itself, but all the entertainment that surrounds it.

The fact that we can appeal to both is what makes the Cyclones experience so special, and what makes our fan base so diverse.

MiLB.com: What type of marketing strategies do the fans respond to?

DC: We really focus on the fact that we provide unique, affordable fun for the whole family. Most Minor League teams do that, but that value becomes even more magnified when placed in the context of the New York market. There aren't many other avenues for entertainment in the Big Apple in which you can bring a family of four for less than $40 (including parking) and get free giveaways, interact with players and mascots, dance on the dugouts, watch fireworks, dress up in costume, get autographs, win prizes and still get home in time for the nightly news.

At a Glance: Brooklyn Cyclones

• First season: 2001 • Affiliation: New York Mets (2001-present) • Stadium: KeySpan Park (2001-present) • League Championships: 2001 (declared co-champions after Championship Series vs. Williamsport was canceled due to Sept. 11 attacks) • City Population: Approximately 2.5 million • Notable Brooklyn Alumni: Nick Evans Mike Jacobs Scott Kazmir Joe Smith • People who've called Brooklyn home: Mel Brooks Benjamin Hill Harry Nilsson Jay-Z Mike Tyson

MiLB.com: Has your team staged any notable promotions in recent years? Any that just didn't work?

DC: We pride ourselves on having something crazy at the ballpark just about every night. More than anything, we've found that when we, as a staff, have a genuine energy and interest in a promotion, it gains momentum, and fans really get involved. Our Superhero Night was a fan favorite, as was our Medieval Times Night (especially when the sword fights and jousts became the only entertainment thanks to the game being "fogged out"). This year, we are extremely excited about our Baracklyn Cyclones promotion, in which we are changing our name and uniform for the night to honor our president. We introduced our own stimulus package (discounted tickets), health care plan (free band-aids) and exit strategy (free flags for fans as they leave the ballpark) and are giving away limited edition bobbleheads, in addition to other events and surprises throughout the night.

We've had a few promotional nights that never really took off (dnim ot semoc thgiN sdrawkcaB). Editor's note: Hold the previous five words up to a mirror. But when that happens, we try to have as much fun with it as possible, and to learn from it ... even if that means learning to never do it again.

MiLB.com: How has the internet affected the way your team is run?

DC: The internet has changed the whole game for us. In 2001, we had a Web site that consisted of about 15 pages, and we updated it a few times a week (a few times a month in the offseason). Now, our Web site is the focal point of our marketing efforts, and we've supplemented it a variety of additional online entities, like an email newsletter, a blog, a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, live streaming audio, online chats and a branded multimedia center. Thanks to all these uses and more, our online reach is well into the millions.

Our online presence is also the most controlled and effective way for us to convey our messaging, and to keep our fans interested and entertained. Our Web site has become a destination and our social network has become an online community. Our blog has become a cult favorite with questionable humor and way too much inside information).

MiLB.com: Does your concession stand serve any regional specialties or otherwise remarkable items?

DC: Our ballpark is located just down the block from the original world-famous Nathan's, so naturally we serve those hot dogs at our concession stands, and they are among our most popular items. We have also served several other Brooklyn-centric and diverse items like cheesecake, Brooklyn Brewery beers, kosher foods, Brooklyn-based dumplings and more.

MiLB.com: What type of merchandise sells the best at the team store? Are there are any unique items available for purchase?

DC: Items that are branded with the word "Brooklyn," particularly those with a nostalgic feel, are big sellers for us. Our on-field home cap is still a classic seller as well, incorporating the "Brooklyn B" of Dodgers lore with an interlocking "Cyclones C" to blend the past, present and future. Our uniform's color scheme is also largely focused on the red, blue and gold colors that dominate the Coney Island landscape and make us identifiable within the community.

MiLB.com: How large of a role does your mascot play, both at the stadium and within the community?

DC: At our level (Short-Season) in particular, the players on our roster change with great frequency. Not only are there very few players who are here from year to year, but in some cases, from week to week! With that being the case, it's virtually impossible for us to market a player with any consistency, and as such, our mascots -- Sandy and Pee Wee -- are truly the most recognizable faces of the franchise. Fans may not always know who our manager is or who's playing third base ... but they know those crazy seagulls!

In addition, on-field personnel are in Brooklyn for just about three months, but our initiatives in the community are year-round, so it is Sandy and Pee Wee, more often than not, who fly in to visit schools, hospitals, street fairs, parades, little leagues and anywhere Cyclones fans may be gathering. The Brooklyn birds are synonymous with the Cyclones and vice versa.

MiLB.com: Minor League stadiums often vary greatly from one another. What are the positives of playing in your facility? Any drawbacks?

DC: KeySpan Park is fortunate enough to have one of the most unique and historic locales in all of baseball. We are located in the heart of Coney Island, with neon lights, roller coasters, ferris wheels and freak shows over the left-field wall and a boardwalk, beach and panoramic ocean view over the right-field wall. The ballpark itself seems to capture the energy of the borough, from an intense and vibrant color scheme to the one-of-kind neon lights that circle our light towers and draw us into the amusement parks that we neighbor. The towering Parachute Jump is one of Brooklyn's most recognizable landmarks (often referred to as the borough's Eiffel Tower) and looms in the right-field corner, almost becoming a part of the park because of its size and proximity.

The park is accessible by car, subway and bus (and even boat), and has been visited by over two million fans since its inception. Our plot of land may not be as large as that of a ballpark in a more rural area, but truly being a part of the Coney Island landscape is what gives our field its identity.

MiLB.com: What have been some of your favorite moments since you've been with the team?

DC: My favorite on-field moments occurred in 2001. In the first game ever played at KeySpan Park, Edgar Rodriguez hit a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie up the game, before Mike Jacobs hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th to win it. That Opening Day crowd saw a classic game that couldn't have been scripted to end any better. That same year, the Cyclones came back from an 0-1 hole to win two games against Staten Island in the playoffs in front of probably the most raucous crowd I've ever seen.

Off the field, my best memories are of the players and coaches who call Brooklyn home for a few months, and how they really become part of the Cyclones family. Their interaction with each other, our front office and fans has created some of the most special and lasting memories for me.

That, or the time Relish won his first hot dog race!