Growlers games will bring together Bell's and baseball

Jeremy Martin | Thursday, February 6, 2014

Following a nearly three year hiatus, Northwoods League baseball is returning to Kalamazoo. The Kings, who made their home at Homer Stryker Park ceased operations in 2011, but the newly formed Growlers intend to pick up where its predecessor left off. Only this time around, the local club will be hitting the field with a little help from a big friend.

Bell's Brewing Company will be the primary sponsor for the Growlers as the brewery and the baseball team have agreed to a five year relationship to bring summer collegiate baseball to fans all across Southwest Michigan.

"We are thrilled to partner with a staple of the Kalamazoo community such as Bell's. It's another big piece to the puzzle in bringing our fans the best atmosphere possible at Growlers baseball games," Growlers President Brian Colopy says.

The "atmosphere" Colopy is talking about is bringing the easy going, fun vibe of Bell’s into the ballpark though giveaways, promotions, and of course plenty of locally produced craft beer.

"Bell's is a part of Kalamazoo. It's a popular place to go to; their brand is known not only in Kalamazoo but across Michigan,” Colopy says. "Craft beer is a big part of the city, having a brewery like Bell's becoming the official craft beer, it's a natural fit."

The Growlers intend to celebrate both baseball and craft beer though new found traditions such as "Ring the Bell’s," discounted Bell's beer on Tuesdays and "Bell's Beer Cave," an indoor/outdoor suite on the right field line that can be rented out for corporate events, parties or just be large groups looking for an unique ballpark experience.

"The Bell's Beer Cave is for group outings. As part of your ticket into the Beer Cave you’ll have numerous beers on tap. We’re going to do the Bell's homerun promotion, where there will be a Bell’s Bell rung every time we hit a homerun and Bell's beer will be discounted for the rest of that inning," Colopy said. "We're going to have some of the go-tos. Oberon is a big one, and we’ll have Two Hearted. They’re coming out with cans now too, so we’ll have the cans.”

The Growlers are hoping to lure people out to the park with the promise of locally made beer, but the team expects fans to stick around for high-quality baseball, as the Northwoods League is known nationwide as an incubator for high-end talent

Big leaguers such as Detroit’s Max Scherzer and former Tiger Curtis Granderson have made appearances in the league. More recently, the Battle Creek Bombers took the field with Dillon Moyer, a 2013 draftee of the Los Angeles Dodgers and son of pitching great Jamie Moyer.

"Everything we’re doing here is for fans of the game; great beer and great baseball go hand in hand,” Colopy says.

The Kalamazoo Growlers begin play on June 27, when the team hits the road for a three game stand against the Madison Mallards. The first home series begins Friday, July 30, versus Battle Creek.

Source: Brian Colopy, Growlers