CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies are starting their 78th season of spring training in Clearwater and their 20th season at BayCare Ballpark. This year, they want to make the fan experience extra special for locals and travelers alike.
The unanimous take around the ballpark is that spring training in Florida never gets old.
"Oh my gosh, absolutely. Because there’s snow in Pennsylvania,” joked Keystone State native Dianne MacDonald. "This is awesome. It’s totally unexpected. Everybody is so friendly, and the food is delicious.”
Dianne and her husband, Don, say they can’t wait to make their annual trip to soak in some baseball in the Tampa Bay area.
"It’s so casual. Everybody that works here for the Phillies organization and for the ballpark… they’re very kind, very helpful,” Don said during the team’s unveiling of new food and drink items at the stadium. "And it’s fun to watch the guys that you watch on television interact with the people. It’s really great."
BayCare Ballpark Food & Beverage Manager Justin Gunsaulus and his staff want to make Phillies fans feel like they’re at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. So his staff is bringing a taste of the north to Clearwater.
"We’re really passionate about what we do here. When people get excited about food, it just pushes us to get more innovative,” Gunsaulus said. "Have better quality, better consistency of product across the board. It just fuels us even more.”
The team brought in Philly-favorite Manco & Manco pizza, along with cheesesteaks and items from local vendors, to give fans a full-circle experience.
"We try to bring in local favorites and also have a Philadelphia flavor for our fans that come in mass down from the Northeast, Delaware Valley, Philadelphia area,” added Phillies Director of Florida Operations John Timberlake. "We’re always excited about the new items that we have at the ballpark."
Timberlake added that there are many moving parts involved in launching new items in time for spring training.
"It’s vendors, and it’s also corporate partners and all the things that you’re getting done and getting prepared,” he explained. "And the facility itself. Keep those just as clean and crisp as possible."
This spring, the Phillies want the ballpark itself to be as enjoyable as watching the games on the field.
"The ballpark is becoming more than just baseball. It’s becoming an experience,” Gunsaulus added. "I think that’s resonating with people that maybe really aren’t super in-tune with baseball. That maybe just want to come see it, to partake in it."
And it’ll be hard to find someone partaking more than Dianne MacDonald.
"It’s just unbelievable,” she said with a smile. "Everyone is so kind and nice. We feel like we’re back in the family again.”
The Phillies first home spring training game is Sunday when they host the Yankees.
