As the fifth-largest screen in all of minor league baseball, Canal Park's 26-by-68-foot video board offers fans a larger-than-life opportunity to show off their muscle, limbo moves or Johnny Manziel money signs. Marissa Forcina, former camera operator for the Akron RubberDucks, shares three ways to make it big.
Get Silly
"We love the fans that get into the music we play in between innings and who are crazy dancers," says Forcina, who still laughs about a guy last season who showed off his best dance club moves to a Miley Cyrus song.
Loud Props
As any college football fan knows, large witty signs are a good way to attract attention, like one last season with a big rubber duck drawing that read, "Release the Quacken."
Camera Shy
Forcina and her crew have an eye for kids who hide behind their parents or the couples who refuse to kiss. "If you leave them up there long enough, they end up doing it anyway."
Take A Pew
Snag a souvenir, hang with the in crowd or get all the perks with these three All-Star vantage points.
Lawn Seats
Fans spread out to cheer on the Lake County Captains from Ray's Landing, 40 yards of grass beneath Classic Park's scoreboard behind the right field fence. "You can really soak up the atmosphere of the entire park here," says Tim O'Brien, Captains ticket sales account executive. You can also try to snag one of the dozen or so home run balls hit there every season.
Barstool View
The walls of the Left Field Hall of Fame Bar at Huntington Park are lined with artifacts tracing Columbus Clippers history from the 1880s. The bar is open to ticket holders, but it's also a popular spot for pregame events. "The place is always hopping," says Ken Schnacke, the club's president and general manager.
VIP Status
The newly installed Diamond Club gives fans all-inclusive service at Eastwood Field to root for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. For $30 a ticket, guests choose from an all-you-can-eat menu of ballpark staples, waitress service and a promotional giveaway. "It's more than just a seat in the ballpark," says Scrappers assistant general manager of marketing Heather Sahli.
