51s Announce 2016 Schedule

                 LAS VEGAS: The Las Vegas 51^s professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the 2015 National League Champions New York Mets, will begin their 34^th season of play in the Silver State against the defending PCL & Triple-A Champions Fresno Grizzlies, Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, on Thursday, April 7 at Cashman Field. Las Vegas will begin the 2016 campaign with an eight-game homestand against Fresno (April 7-10) and the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, from April 11-14.

                The 51^s, which will begin their fourth season as the top farm club of the Mets, compiled an overall record of 77-67 (.535) in 2015 under manager Wally Backman. Las Vegas has compiled a three-year record of 239-193 (.553) as a Mets affiliate which has included two playoff appearances (2013 & 14). The 51^s recorded back-to-back 80-win seasons for the first time in franchise history from 2013-14 (81-63, .563, records in both campaigns).

                The 144-game schedule (72 home, 72 road) will once again feature many promotional nights that will include 51^s jersey giveaways, Budweiser Dollar Beer Nights, Kids Carnival and highlighted by the traditional "Fireworks Extravaganza" on Monday, July 4^th against Salt Lake at Cashman Field.  

                The Las Vegas franchise reached the 300,000 plateau in attendance at Cashman Field for the 33^rd consecutive season (1983-2015). In 69 dates, Las Vegas' total was 333,520 for an average of 4,834 which included four sellouts. The season-high crowd was 11,007 vs. Fresno in the home opener and the all-time attendance total now stands at 10,977,729.

                In 2015, Minor League Baseball remained an attractive form of affordable family entertainment. The regular season attendance surpassed 41 million fans for the 11^th consecutive year. The total of 42,561,445 marked the third-largest single-season total in the organization's history, which currently consists of 176 teams in 15 leagues. A total of 83 teams posted attendance increases over 2014, which included the Las Vegas 51^s.

               The 51^s will host the Southern Division of the Pacific Conference opponents: Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado Rockies), El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres) and Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels) for eight games each. The 51^s will also host the Northern Division (Pacific Conference) for eight games each: Fresno Grizzlies (Houston Astros), intrastate rival Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks), Sacramento River Cats (San Francisco Giants) and Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners).

                The Southern Division opponents of the American Conference comprised of the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals), Nashville Sounds (Oakland A's), New Orleans Zephyrs (Miami Marlins) and Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers) will visit Cashman Field for four games each.

                The 51^s will travel to the Northern Division opponents of the American Conference comprised of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Milwaukee Brewers), Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs), Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals) for four games each.

                2016 season tickets and mini-plan packages (11, 22, 36-game plans) are available by calling the 51^s office at (702) 798-7825. Individual game tickets for the 72-game home schedule will go on sale in March.  

                All standard home night games during the 2016 season will begin at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday games at 12:05 p.m. in April, May, June and 7:05 p.m. in July and August.