American Idol's Celena Rae new Riders in-game host

FRISCO, Texas (March 27, 2018) - The Frisco RoughRiders, Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, are excited to announce American Idol semifinalist Celena Rae as the new RoughRiders' in-game host for 2018, the franchise's 15th Anniversary Season.

 

"I was the batgirl for my high school varsity baseball team, so my love of baseball runs deep," Celena Rae said. "I love the energy of the ballpark and love entertaining, so to have the ability to combine both is a dream come true. I'm so honored to be a part of this organization and looking forward to an amazing baseball season with Riders fans!"

 

Celena Rae, a Fort Worth native, is already an established talent on the local pro sports scene as the NHL's Dallas Stars' in-game host and national anthem singer since 2005. She was also a semifinalist on American Idol in 2005, and has since toured the country singing and performing with various artists while pursuing her music career.

 

Michael Gruber, a.k.a. Grubes, returns as the Riders official "Ambassador of Fun," along with PA announcer Sean Heath. Special appearances are also planned by the DJ EJ, the Dallas Cowboys' premier DJ.

 

The RoughRiders open the franchise's 15th Anniversary Season on Thursday, April 5 at Dr Pepper Ballpark by throwing the biggest party in North Texas - the Deep Ellum Brewing Party @ The Yard. Single-game tickets, season tickets, group and hospitality packages for all 70 home games are available by calling (972) 731-9200, emailing [email protected] or visiting RidersBaseball.com.

 

About the RoughRiders

The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their games at beautiful Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas. The team was founded in 2003 and has finished first among all Double-A franchises in attendance in each of the last 12 seasons (2005-2016). In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. The new ownership group, together with the city of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise improvements over the past two seasons, investing more than $7 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a new state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, InTouch Grille, Riders Outpost Team Store, and the newest and biggest creation, the 174-foot Choctaw Lazy River. The upgrades made prior to the 2015 season earned the Riders and the City of Frisco "Best Ballpark Renovation" of 2015 by Ballpark Digest. The same publication also honored the Choctaw Lazy River as the best ballpark improvement over $1 million for the 2016 season. More than 140 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball, including All-Stars Chris Davis, Adrian Gonzalez, Ian Kinsler, and Nelson Cruz, as well as current Rangers stars Elvis Andrus, Rougned Odor, and Nomar Mazara. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders and Dr Pepper Ballpark, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact Art Garcia at [email protected] or Ryan Rouillard at [email protected].