Gold Sox rack up wins, draw new fans

Attendance at Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox home games at All-Seasons RV stadium has increased by 14.9 percent from 2005, according to the team.

Through the first 15 home dates of the current season, the team reported total attendance of 17,078 compared to 14,866 in 2005, an increase of 2,212.

Gold Sox co-managing partner Peter Bavasi said there are several reasons to explain the spike, including new concessions and the fervor caused by the team's 13-game winning streak.

He noted the stadium has gotten a facelift in the past year and that new stadium chairs have been installed to replace rusty ones. The women's restroom has fresh flowers and the men's room has framed baseball photographs.

“It's just like a nice restaurant.” said Bavasi of the stadium. “If the restrooms are sub-par, you won't go back.”

Art displays, crafts for children, and live music between innings has also been added.

“For the first time in history, we're combining baseball, artistry and music,” Bavasi said. “We're stimulating interest for reasons other than baseball.”

In upcoming events, the Gold Sox will offer a “$5,000 Cash Scramble Giveaway” in which 10 fans will be given the chance to compete for money strewn around the infield.

Later this week the stadium will open what Bavasi calls the “Excess Energy Zone” where kids aged 6-12 will have space to run around and play with plastic bats and balls.

Appeal-Democrat staff writer Amy McMenamin can be reached at 741-2400.