4 PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL COVER STORY CACTUS LEAGUE IMPACT OFTEN COMES DOWN TO 1 TEAM, 1 TOWN BY MIKE SUNNUCKS I [email protected] For Tim Carlos, it's a 20 percent bump BIG DRAW in business and double the foot traffic. TheCubs, which trainin Mesa,andScotts­ For Danielle Feroleto and Stein Koss, dale, home to the San Francisco Giants it offers a chance to entertain and land in Old Town, are the two biggest draws new clients and deals in the Cactus League. For Bill Jabjiniak and Danielle Casey, The Cubs drew close to 252,000 fans it's a chance to land jobs and investments. to its spring training games in Mesa last Thething that brings them alltogeth­ season, by far the most of any team. er is the Cactus League. Major League The Giants attracted slightly more than Baseball's month-long preseason offers 182,500 fans last spring training, accord­ more than its $600 millionannual infu­ ing to the Cactus League. sion into Arizona's economy and a boost The Giants and Cubs accounted for in tourism. Cactus League games - like 36 percent of the total Cactus League other big sporting events in the Phoenix attendance last year. region - are prime business and eco­ Scottsdale also benefitsfrom the Ari­ nomic development drivers. zona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rock­ "We look forward to the games every ies training next door on the Salt River year. This is the perfect venue for client Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. iners in Peoria,draw fairly large crowds, opened in 2014 in Mesa to host tourists entertainment, networking and the out­ The D-backs rank third, the Rock­ but most of the remainder of the Cactus and Chicago transplants. doors," said Feroleto, president of Small ies fifthand Oakland Ks, which train in League is farther down the list. "They create a huge economic impact Giants, a Scottsdale-based marketing Mesa, eighth in attendance. If they are The Cubs have a die-hard national for the whole state, just the Cubs, because and public relations firm. added in, Mesa and Scottsdale account fan base and rank as one of the most they travel so well," said Jabjiniak, Mesa's While the Cactus League brings 15 for 46 percent of Cactus League atten­ popular baseballteams in the country economic development director. teams andl. 9 million fans to metro Phoe­ dance. Arizona's spring training stretch­ along with the New York Yankees and Cubs also boost attendance at oth­ nix, a look at attendance numbers and es across the Phoenix metro area with Boston Red Sox, both of which train in er Cactus League parks when they play influence forits economic benefitsreally 10 stadiums. Florida. The Cubs also have the larg­ away games. spark from just one team - the Chicago Other teams, such as as the Los Ange­ est spring training stadium in Arizo­ Jabjiniak said Mesa uses spring train­ Cubs - and one town - Scottsdale. les Dodgers in Glendale and Seattle Mar- na, the 15,000-seat Sloan Park, which ing as an economic development tool, WHAT THEY SAID------------------------------------------ DIFFERENT PITCHES, "We love taking clients to "Watching a baseball game spring training games ... together is a great way to get SWINGS AT SPRING We try to attend fiveto to know someone. There's TRAINING seven games a year with a lot of down time Baseball can be boring and slow, but our team. Visitors are between pitches that's sometimes that can be good for business. both local and out of state. good for conversation Spring training baseball and Arizona's warm winter weather makes for a good Out-of-state visitors love and gettingto know business development, sales and networking going to games." someone or catch up with tool to take clients, prospects and professional friends. CRAIG COPPOLA, a long-time friend or Commercial real estate brokers and principal, Lee client." other professionals said the time between & Associates pitches and baseball's leisurely pace offers Commercial DARREN lltlTTS, opportunity to talk to clients and prospects Real Estate executive vice more, get to know them and even close Services president, Velocity deals. Retail Group / MARCH 2, 2018 5 ► MAKING THE SALE Claire Perry, 7, of Sierra Vista, gets her ball signed by Chicago Cubs outfielder Wynton Bernard at Sloan Park in Mesa during a recent Spring Training game. JIM POULIN I PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL Jay Saitenspiel, regional vice president with Spectra, readies the New Era team shop for opening day at Sloan Park in Mesa. JIM POULIN I PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL hosting prospective and existing compa­ cybersecu.rity--operations in Mesa and nies as well as the consultants, site selec­ plans to move other operations and jobs tors and brokers. there. "Last year we had 34 home games between the two teams, and I personal­ SCOTTSDALE'S AMENITIES ly attended 26 of them," Jabjiniaksaid. Casey, Scottsdale's economic develop­ Mesa has hosted data center provid­ ment director, uses Giants games to pro­ MIKE SUNNUCKS I PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL JIM POULIN I PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL ers at spring training games as well as mote her city The Cubs are the best-selling team Michael Head, a cook at Sloan officials from existing employers such "Scottsdale Stadium is unique in at Just Sports and other stores near Park, serves up some street tacos. as Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA), Jabjiniak said. Cactus League ballparks. Boeing has helicopter production and CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 "We look forward to the games every year. "Spring training is the perfect Thisis the perfect venue for client place to build business --· entertainment, networking and the relationships. Unlike a large outdoors ... For Small Giants, we primarily venue where business guests see this as a great opportunity to bring the might have a broadarea to employees out to the ballpark to enjoy a explore before they join you relaxing day together. The Cactus League for a drink or meal, spring games are so popular with our clients, training is an intimate setting. both local and out of town, that we You're sittingand relaxing invite them to join us, but oftensee in close proximity for a set many of them out there." period of time." DANIELLE FEROLETO, president and BRIAN ACKERMAN, senior vice founder, Small Giants president, JLL 6 PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL / / / / /, / /� /// / ///�/ / / / 2017 CACTUS LEAGUE TEAM-BY-TEAM ATTENDANCE Team, Ballpark Total attendance 50K 100K 150K 200 Chicago Cubs, Sloan Park e...---. San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale Stadium ,�ra 182,518 Arizona Diamondbacks, Salt River Fields A 176,883 Los Angeles Dodgers, Camel back Ranch i. 165,911 Colorado Rockies, Salt River Fields 152,985 � Seattle Mariners, Peoria Sports Complex 135,401 Los Angeles Angels, Tempe Diablo Stadium • A_ 114,780 Oakland A's, HoHoKam Stadium FJ 102,212 Cleveland Indians, Goodyear Ballpark 101,517 Texas Rangers, Surprise Stadium " 98,934 1.9 million Total attendance at Cactus League &I ' • games during 2017. Kansas City Royals, Surprise Stadium 98.487 San Diego Padres, Peoria Sports Complex " 92,245 � 36% Share of total attendance at home games of Chicago Cubs and San Chicago White Sox, Camelback Ranch 91,698 \. Francisco Giants combined . Milwaukee Brewers, Maryvale Baseball Park 80,285 46% Share of total attendance for games Cincinnati Reds, Goodyear Ballpark • 72,852 @ held in Scottsdale or Mesa. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 games. The Charros have been around is close to Scottsdale Fashion Square and Other Cactus League ballparks don't since 1959 and have a 550-seat loge to the Scottsdale Waterfront area. have the same kind of amenities nearby. Arizonaas you can catch a game and then entertain guests at Scottsdale Stadium. "It is an attractive environment for Only the Peoria Sports Complex has any­ within blocks walk to dozens of restau­ Ackerman also said the Giants' ball­ tourists and for companies looking to thing approaching Scottsdale, with the rants, clubs, galleries, shopping and a park benefits fromits proximityto Old entertain business clients and pros­ city'sP83 District and Arrowhead Towne number of nearby hotels and resorts," Town's shops, bars and restaurants and pects," Ackerman said. Center, but it is a far cry fromwalkable Casey said. That makes the Giants' spring home appealing to commercial real estate bro­ kers and other professionals who use base­ ball's preseason to schmooze and network. "I prefer Scottsdale Stadium because of the social atmosphere and proximity to town," said Koss, a principal with Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Ser­ vices. "It's oftensold out, and in that case my secqnd choice is Salt River Fields." The Salt River ballpark, home to the D-backs and Rockies, is at Indian Bend Roadand Loop 101 adjacent to Scottsdale. The economic and business develop­ ment side of the Giants and X s games are aided bythe teams being fromSilicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. 1 That's ne of Arizona's top recruitment areas fif r jobs and business investment. Bria Ackerman is a senior vice pres­ ident fpr JLL (NYSE: JLL), a commer­ cial real estate firm.He's also part of the JIM POULIN I PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL Scottsdale Charros - the community From left, Scottsdale CharrosPresident Todd Peterson, Baseball Chairman Brian Ackerman and Executive Director Dennis group that hosts events and raises money Robbins bring in and fundraising at Scottsdale Stadium. for charities at Giants spring training business ) MARCH 2, 2018 7 -:- --.-!=--� =-/·,,f E�. ;:,� · z.��=� � VALLEY VOICES PRESENTS SOURCE: ACTIVATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMEt\T 250K CACTUS LEAGUE Tuesday, April 17, 2018 j 9.00 - 10.30 a.m. Musical Instrument Muse-um 4-:.,: E :i 51. iJ Phoen:, 65[•5: 251,899 '\�= .. CII· ..::.-=-- -..-, --- . .. CACTUS LEAGUE ATTENDANCE 2013-17 Year Total attendance Games Average 2013 1,732,075 255 6,792 www.phoenixchamber.com/valleyvoices 2014 1,686,908 219 7,703 2015 1,902,903 233 8,196 2016 1,884,150 228 8,264* 2017 1,941,347* 255 7,613 *RECORD Senior Accountant - 40 hrs/wk., Phoenix, AZ.