DBAP to host 2012 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park will be the host site of the 2012 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game on Tuesday, September 18th. Minor League Baseball's premier event will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network at 7:00 PM. The Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game pits the winner of the International League's Governors' Cup against the Pacific Coast League Champions in a one-game, winner-take-all championship. It is the first time a Triple-A Championship Game has been played east of the Mississippi River since the 1983 Triple-A World Series in Louisville, KY.

"It's a tremendous honor for Triple-A Baseball to select Durham as the first International League city to host this amazing event," Durham Bulls General Manager Mike Birling said, "The revitalization of Downtown Durham is something that needs to be showcased to the entire country, along with the rich baseball tradition here in the Triangle."

The Bulls became the first International League team to win the Triple-A National Championship in 2009 when they defeated the Memphis Redbirds, 5-4 in Oklahoma City, OK.

Several Major League players have participated in the Triple-A Championship including Dusin Ackley, Allen Craig, David Freese, Jeremy Hellickson, John Jaso, Jon Jay, Desmond Jennings, Elliot Johnson, Matt Joyce, Ian Kennedy, Ryan Ludwick, Micah Owings and Fernando Salas.

The Gildan Triple-A National Championship also serves as a gathering for the leaders from all 30 Triple-A teams that attend for the joint International League-Pacific Coast League meetings. According to the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, the event could generate around $2.5 million of economic activity for the city.

Tickets for the 2012 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game are available online at durhambulls.com, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or in person at the DBAP ticket office.