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O’Brien Comes To Myrtle Beach As Pelicans’ New GM |
Matt O’Brien will take over as Pelicans General Manager on September 30th. |
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans have already started working on next season after winning the first half of the Southern Division of the Carolina League and playing in the championship semi-finals. The South Carolina team now has a new Vice President & General Manager. Pelicans’ parent company, Capitol Broadcasting Company, has announced that Matt O’Brien will take the helm later this month.
O’Brien comes to Myrtle Beach from a three year stint as the General Manager of the Long Island Ducks in New York. The Ducks play in the independent Atlantic League. As part of his Long Island responsibilities, O’Brien also managed the Rough Riders Professional Soccer Team of the United Soccer League.
The 31-year-old O’Brien has worked in professional sports for the past nine seasons, including stretches with the Somerset (NJ) Patriots of the Atlantic League and the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate) and the Kane County Cougars (Florida Marlin affiliate). He holds a BA in advertising from Drake University.
“I’m not a baseball guy, in terms of baseball management. I’m a minor-league baseball guy, and there’s a difference,” said O’Brien. “I’m more about the mascot, and the hot dog being hot, and the promotion on the field than I am about the product on the field. You’ve got to be able to entertain your fans and give them a product that, win or lose, they can leave the ballpark smiling.”
“I’m delighted that we’ve successfully recruited Matt to the Grand Strand,” said Capitol Sports Vice President George Habel. “He brings a wealth of experience to the Pelicans from several of the very best minor league teams in the Nation. We get solid Midwest community values and his major market background from Long Island. Matt has the perfect resume for Myrtle Beach where we strive to be the community’s hometown favorite and compete in a robust tourist market.”
O’Brien will take the Pelicans helm officially on September 30, 2002. O’Brien replaces Gary Saunders as General Manager and is the third GM in the Pelicans four season history.
