The Durham Bulls 2023 season wrapped with a 3-game championship series vs. the Norfolk Tides. After a short breather, CapCom checked in with a few staffers to ask a few questions looking both back and forward.
So, what did these Bulls employees love most about the 2023 season?
DBBC Digital & Social Content Manager Andrew Green found it tough to narrow down what he loved about it.
Tough question! There’s so many things I enjoy, including working with my co-workers in creating so many memories for our fans.
If I have to pick a singular moment from the season it has to be July 4, which is essentially our Super Bowl. We had over 11,000 fans in attendance, plus this year there were rally towels left on every seat to create a red, white & blue pattern that made the DBAP look extra special. Then the game itself ended in a dramatic comeback victory that saw the Bulls score six runs in the final inning to win it. It’s the loudest I’ve ever heard Durham Bulls Athletic Park and I think it’s a game everyone in attendance won’t forget.
– Andrew Green
DBBC General Manager Tyler Parsons spent his first season at the DBAP this year.
“My favorite thing was just getting to experience a Bulls season and meeting all the great fans, partners and supporters who make everything possible. The support the Bulls get in this community will never get old and it’s amazing to see all the Bulls gear around the Triangle and beyond.”
DBBC’s Tiler Dixon loved dressing as The Mandalorian for Star Wars Night during the Durham Bulls’ 2023 season.
DBBC Tickets Account Executive Tiler Dixon, also a newbie this year, said, “My favorite thing about the season was our Star Wars night and dressing up as one of my favorite characters for the night.”
Those nights will be what he missed most about the season being over, but he said, “I will, however, not be missing the 100-degree weather while out in the outfield.”
What will Green and Parsons miss most?
“This one’s easy, the fans,” said Green. “Talking with our players and coaches they all agree that Bulls fans create such a unique atmosphere at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. They’re not just into the games but when you come to a game almost everyone is wearing Bulls gear, which is not something you see at every minor league baseball stadium. I know I feed off their energy during the season, and I think a lot of our staff, players and coaches do too.”
Parsons answered, “I’ll miss gamedays and just the pace and rhythm of Bulls games. We plan and prepare all year for games and the payout is the experience and execution on gamedays. We have a lot of great events after the season, but nothing can replace Bulls games.”
Celebrating the conclusions of a great 2023 season at the Durham Bulls (l to r): DBBC’s Kelly Teseny, Patrick Norwood, Cole Reid, Andrew Green, Leslie Martin & Emily Goddard
And what will they not be sad to let go for a few months?
“What won’t I miss?” said Green. “Tarp pulls. Enough said.”
Parsons added, “As for things I will not miss – I won’t miss checking the weather radar constantly and the mental ups and downs that come with hosting outdoor events.”
Celebrating the conclusions of a great 2023 season at the Durham Bulls (l to r): DBBC’s Heather Hill, Jackson Faerber, Keaton Haack, Tyler Parsons, Crystal Rowe & Nick Bavin.
DBBC Director of Special Events Sasha Moore does not work the actual games in her role. However, she had some different highlights.
“My favorite parts of the 2023 season were hosting the ACC Baseball Tournament and the Savannah Bananas!” she said.
Moore will have a large role in an upcoming very special first-time event at the DBAP this holiday season. Wool E.’s Winter Wonderland will take over the ballpark in November and December.
“I am thrilled we are finally bringing some holiday magic to the ballpark!” she told CapCom. “This will be our first year doing an event like this at the DBAP, and I am so excited to be a part of it and see it all come to life. I must say, I’m most excited about the sledding hill and the igloos… ok, ok… and the train! It’s definitely going to be a long few months, but I think it will all fly by so quickly with so much going on and constantly being on the go. It’s going to be a great event, and I can’t wait to see everyone there!”
Dixon is also looking forward to this new adventure.
“I’m excited to see how the ballpark will transform to look like a Christmas movie, and I’m anticipating that this event will be the highlight of the winter for locals in the area,” he said.
Parsons is ready for the challenge; he had had some experience with something comparable.
“I’m most excited that this is another way for us to walk the walk when it comes to utilizing the DBAP for our community,” he said. “We’re a community gathering place and this month-long event is going to enhance Downtown Durham and offer families a cost-effective way to experience the holidays. Coming to the Durham Bulls from Lansing (Mich.), I’ve actually hosted a similar event in 2018-2019 and will certainly look forward to less cold/snow related issues here in North Carolina!”
Will it feel like having another baseball season at the DBAP? Both Green and Dixon say it will likely be different.
“I doubt that it will feel like another season considering the attendance won’t be in the tens of thousands at one time,” said Dixon.
Green said, “In some ways it might feel like another season (albeit perhaps a little cooler) yet it’s something completely different from what we’ve seen at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.”
Overall, Green is looking forward to the experience.
“I’m really excited to see Durham Bulls Athletic Park all dressed up for the winter!” he said. “It’s something that’s never been done before at the DBAP, and I think that alone will make it such a special experience for the community.”
Missing the Bulls already? Come to the DBAP on Saturday, October 7, for 2023 Durham Bulls Fall Fan Fest! Find out details HERE.
Thanks to DBBC’s Andrew Green, Kelly Teseny, Tyler Parsons & Tiler Dixon for these CapCom photos.
DBBC’s Andrew Green tries on Wool E. Bull’s hat for size. (Photo courtesy of DBBC’s Kelly Teseny)
DBBC’s Tyler Parsons (left) at the DBAP during the 2023 season.
DBBC’s Tiler Dixon loved dressing as The Mandalorian for Star Wars Night during the Durham Bulls’ 2023 season.
DBBC’s Tyler Parsons (l to r) on the field at the Durham Bulls with NC Governor Roy Cooper, Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal, and Durham Chamber President & CEO Geoff Durham at a game in the 2023 season.
