The Clearwater Beach Dogs Take the Field on Friday, August 24

Clearwater Beach Dogs Tickets
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The year is 2003. Around a table, Clearwater Phillies employees are discussing the rebranding opportunity that comes with opening a new ballpark - something they would be doing in the coming year. They wanted something new that would give them their own identity, and after over 100 suggestions poured in from a "Name the Team" contest, two stood out.
"The two that we kept coming back to," said Clearwater Threshers General Manager John Timberlake, "were some variation of the Sharks and the other was the Beach Dogs."
Clearwater Beach Dogs Gear & Jerseys

One staff member who particularly liked the idea of the Beach Dogs was Assistant General Manager of Sales Dan McDonough.
"I liked it because it's local," said McDonough, "I thought we needed something that had to do with the beach."
After doing some research, however, the staff in Clearwater found out that the name "Beach Dogs" was trademarked at the time by a Florida apparel company.
The team decided to go with a variation of the Sharks, more specifically, the thresher shark, known for stunning its prey with a whip-like tail before devouring it.
 The creative team liked the ferocity and competitiveness of the suggested moniker.
"It was something that really hadn't been done," said Timberlake, "It gave us something to sink our teeth into and said 'hey, we're competitive.'"
"We set Beach Dogs aside, saying, 'We can come back to that'."
The Clearwater Threshers have been swimming ever since. But, what would have happened if there hadn't been a clothing company named "The Beach Dogs"? What would Spectrum Field look like with fans walking around with surfing dogs on their hats instead of sharks?
Luckily, all of those questions and more will be answered. On August 24, the Clearwater Threshers are hosting "What Could Have Been" Night. For one game this season, the Threshers will become the Beach Dogs and bring to life the ideas discussed way back when.
Brandiose, the Threshers' branding partner, has previously facilitated teams taking on an alternate identity, and Clearwater jumped on the opportunity to live out the potential that the Beach Dogs had to offer.
"It was a throwback to another possibility." Timberlake said, "When you're thinking in terms of building a new park and branding… we were thinking in terms of "Who Let the Dogs Out" and having a "Dog Pound" section of the park, and all kinds of cool things we could do."

The beach theme will extend throughout the ballpark as Spectrum Field is transformed into the home of the Beach Dogs with branding and specialty concession items. Fans can 'woof' down an original Beach Dog Hot Dog creation and enjoy a 'pawesome' Beach Dog cocktail at the Tiki Bar.  

The Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce gets in on the action with Beach Chamber Night on the concourse. More than a dozen Clearwater Beach restaurants and businesses will be represented with giveaways and games.
Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce Night flyer
Stay after the game when the Threshers Summer Concert Series, presented by Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, continues with a rocking show from local favorites, The Black Honkeys.

Timberlake said something he is most excited about for What Could Have Been Night is the colors. "I think it's about the colors and the excitement… all the things we can do to play with that brand for one night."
The players won't be the only folks in the park sporting Beach Dogs apparel - hats, shirts and other Beach Dogs merchandise is available in the team store.  
"Ultimately, we're doing this because we think it's going to be fun, and it's going to be fun for our fans and patrons that show up to the ballpark that night," said Timberlake.
Gates open at Spectrum Field at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 24, for the 6:15 p.m. first pitch with the Charlotte Stone Crabs. Tickets are available at the BayCare Box Office at 727-467-4457 or ThreshersBaseball.com.
Clearwater Beach Dogs tickets
The Beach Dogs will return next season…