HODGETOWN To Host Two 2020 Texas Collegiate League Baseball Teams
Two 2020 Texas Collegiate League teams, the Amarillo Sod Dogs and Amarillo Sod Squad, will call Amarillo home this summer with HODGETOWN set to host 30 regular-season games spanning from June 30 to August 2. The Texas Collegiate League is Texas' first major collegiate summer wooden bat league and have
Two 2020 Texas Collegiate League teams, the Amarillo Sod Dogs and Amarillo Sod Squad, will call Amarillo home this summer with HODGETOWN set to host 30 regular-season games spanning from June 30 to August 2. The Texas Collegiate League is Texas' first major collegiate summer wooden bat league and have played 17 seasons. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, June 18.
A full game schedule can be found **HERE**.
"As we await baseball’s decision to restart professional, affiliated baseball throughout the country, today’s announcement gives us the chance to create positive news and excitement in our Amarillo community," said Tony Ensor, Sod Poodles President and General Manager. "Hosting two new Amarillo college summer teams allows our fans to witness some of the best collegiate talent in the nation at HODGETOWN. Alex Fairly helped us see the vision of what an incredible opportunity we had to help our community regain a sense of normalcy and return back to a quality of life with baseball that has now become part of our culture in Amarillo. We couldn’t be more excited than to partner with the Texas Collegiate League alongside other Minor League partners to not only create a tremendous summer playing opportunity for the nation’s top college players but also give these young men an opportunity to see the best and most exciting baseball environment in the country that only the Panhandle spirit and our fans can create here at HODGETOWN”.
“After the incredible fun the Sod Poodles brought to Amarillo in 2019, we had to find a way to have baseball in 2020,” said Alex Fairly, CEO of Fairly Group. “It’s time to open up, Amarillo - we can’t wait to see everyone at HODGETOWN this summer.”
The league comprises 10 total teams made up of active college players (upcoming sophomores to seniors) from different colleges and universities across the nation. Four teams already affiliated include the Acadiana Cane Cutters (Lafayette, LA), Brazos Valley Bombers (Bryan-College Station, TX), Texarkana (TX) Twins, and Victoria (TX) Generals. Joining the league in 2020 are five Minor League organizations including Double-A franchises Amarillo (two teams), Frisco and Tulsa, and Triple-A franchises San Antonio and Round Rock.
The teams will be divided into two divisions (North and South). The North Division will include Amarillo’s two teams, Frisco, Tulsa, and Texarkana while the South Division will include Round Rock, San Antonio, Brazos Valley, Victoria, and Acadiana.
Each team will have a roster size of about 30 players and play a total of 30 regular-season games – 15 in their home city and 15 on the road – followed by a postseason. The postseason format will begin with a three-game divisional series played by the top two seeds from each division. The winner of each division will then face off in a winner-take-all championship game for the Gerald Haddock Trophy.
Social distancing protocols will be in effect during all games at HODGETOWN. For more information on HODGETOWN’s COVID-19 Readiness Plan and protocols, click HERE.
Fans can purchase tickets online on Thursday, June 18 beginning at 12 p.m. at www.SodPoodles.com. For questions or more information, please call 806-803-9547.
Information on a game schedule and promotions will be announced in the coming week.
The TCL is currently represented by 250-plus players from 91 different colleges and universities. Some of the more nationally-recognized schools sending their standouts to the TCL include Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Cal State Fullerton, Dallas Baptist, Houston, Long Beach State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts, Pacific, Rice, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas-Arlington, Texas State, Texas Tech, and Wichita State, among others.
The formation of the Texas Collegiate League was announced on September 24, 2003. The league is owned and operated by the Haddock Foundation, a section 501(c)3 organization. Gerald Haddock, a minority owner and General Counsel of the Texas Rangers from 1989-98 and a passionate baseball fan, became the league's Chair and CEO. Since the league was established, 88 alumni with ties to the Texas Collegiate League have been drafted by Major League teams or signed by professional independent baseball squads.
ABOUT THE TEXAS COLLEGIATE LEAGUE:
The Texas Collegiate League exists to provide the best summer league experience for the best professional prospects from colleges throughout the country. The league will allow those players with eligibility remaining to showcase and improve their skills in a wholesome, minor league-type atmosphere using wooden bats. The league is committed to providing quality, inexpensive entertainment in a small-town, intimate atmosphere that is distinctively Texan, while helping promote the game of baseball in the communities involved. For more information, visit www.texascollegiateleague.com.
ABOUT HODGETOWN:
HODGETOWN, located in the heart of downtown Amarillo, is the newest sports and entertainment destination in Amarillo with state-of-the-art facilities and an unprecedented commitment to quality and service. It features a full range of programming that includes professional and affiliated baseball as well as community-based events like high school and college games, fundraisers, private events, and much more. The venue plays host and brings guests from all around the globe to downtown Amarillo annually. For more information, visit www.SodPoodles.com.