by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com

Welland Jackfish president and CEO Ryan Harrison wears a lot of hats, even for an energetic 29-year-old entrepreneur. In addition to his majority ownership of the Intercounty Baseball League’s most visible franchise on social media, the Burlington, Ont. native works tirelessly as the IBL’s marketing chair. The league named the Thorold, Ont. resident its 2019 executive of the year – he operates the IBL’s website, and recently was instrumental in launching the league’s new alumni association.

Harrison is also an OHL referee. Yet there’s a lot of baseball in the blood of this young IBL executive – especially for someone who rarely swung a bat or threw a ball during his youth. But even if Harrison had been a sandlot rat rather than a rink rat, that would not have changed his philosophy for marketing and promoting an IBL team.

“I’ll be honest, I never really played baseball, but it’s not exactly edge-of-your-seat excitement,” said Harrison. “You have to keep the fans entertained with other things. Our whole premise is not so much about the baseball on the field, because for the most part our casual fans don’t know who our players are. It’s more about what’s happening off the field. We’re keeping people happy, having a good time at the ballpark, so they tell their friends and then they all come back.”

Harrison was majority owner of the IBL’s Burlington Herd who relocated to Welland after the 2018 season. The Herd had played at Cosgrove Field beginning in 2011.

In October 2018, Harrison said, “Although continued park improvement efforts spearheaded by the Herd through community initiatives improved the facility, the facilities current set up has made it obvious that the economics would not lend themselves to a sustainable business model for an ever-growing Intercounty Baseball League operation.

“Through many meetings with key municipal officials, it was apparent that the complex we called home was not going to see many of the small upgrades that would be required to be successful and a tough decision had to be made,” Harrison said.

During their first year at Welland Stadium, former home of the now-defunct Class A Welland Pirates of the short season New York-Penn League (1989-1994), the Jackfish drew more than 15,000 fans during the short IBL season, and raised more than $11,000 for local charities. In addition, Harrison forged strong bonds with local businesses as he promoted baseball at the Pond (one of many nicknames and slogans he uses on social media) as multi-faceted fun for all ages.

In 2019, the Jackfish finished 19-17 and beat the heavily-favoured London Majors in a playoff opening series before falling to the eventual champion Barrie Baycats.

Welland Jackfish President & CEO Ryan Harrison (left) announces Open Arms Mission Welland as club’s premiere charity. Photo: Welland Jackfish

With an even larger backing of corporate sponsors, strong ties with the municipality who continue to make improvements to the Pond, an ongoing commitment to supporting the Niagara-area community and a solid image amongst local baseball fans as the place to be for sports and entertainment, the Jackfish 2020 pre-season came to a screeching halt when the IBL cancelled the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And while most of the IBL clubs cut back on their use of social media and concurrently their connection with their communities, the Jackfish jacked up their connection with fans to an even larger scale. What else would you expect from a young owner who already boasts a respectable sports marketing background?

Honing His Marketing Skills

A graduate of the Lambton College Sports and Recreation Management program, Harrison has worked as sports and entertainment associate with Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex; marketing manager with Spectra by Comcast for whom he was marketing manager with the Hamilton Bulldogs during their final American Hockey League season 2014-15 (his father was an AHL referee); and director of marketing for the Federal Hockey League.

Harrison’s IBL connection began when he worked as part of the game day team with the 2011 Burlington Twins. Two years later, he was named director of operations for the newly-named Burlington Bandits ballclub. He would eventually purchase the club, along with Jackfish COO Dan Pokoradi and executive VP, baseball operations and GM Jason McKay (both Jackfish minority owners), and rename it the Herd.

Harrison – who by his own statement was never a baseball nut – could dedicate his time to a number of other sports ventures. So, why the IBL and why Welland? As corny as it sounds, Harrison said he believes in the IBL and its potential to market to a whole-new generation of fans. But, he said not every IBL club has jumped on board that train – at least, for the time being.

“We market the Jackfish as a pro team,” said Harrison of what can be a daunting task, given the lesser image of the IBL in the eyes of the casual fan.

“Realistically, if you ask anyone involved with the league, it’s not far from (pro). The Jackfish don’t pay our players. But when you look at the calibre of our players, we’re the only league of its kind. Not only have we had former Major League Baseball players in the IBL, but a lot of former minor league players, and up and coming NCAA Division 1 through III players. There’s no other summer league like ours. And if I was looking for a summer league to play in, I would take ours.

“If you come to Welland, you would think you’re at a minor league pro game,” Harrison said. “Our show is above and beyond what you would expect. Our whole premise is not so much about the baseball on the field, because for the most part our casual fans don’t know who our players are. It’s more about what’s happening off the field.”

League Needs To Aim Higher

No other baseball executive in these parts has understood that entertainment-first philosophy more than John Kuhn, the former GM of the London Werewolves who played in the Independent Frontier League from 1999-2001. Labatt Park would be a circus with a ballgame in its centre during Werewolves games – a stark contrast to London Majors IBL games during that time period which offered a great calibre of semi-professional ball, but nothing more.

That doesn’t wash when it comes to marketing an IBL team, according to Harrison. He doesn’t criticize his fellow owners; rather, he speaks out of tough love in order to better the league as a whole.

“No matter what city we’re playing in, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have at least 500 fans every game,” Harrison said. “In our league, every team should have at least one full-time staff member and make it a year-round business. That’s what it’s missing at this point. And it might be the reason why you’re not getting larger crowds.

Harrison doesn’t mince words when applauding what he and his staff have done to promote the Jackfish, saying the club is “right at the top” of the IBL in terms of forging partnerships, engaging fans and offering game-day entertainment. He said for him, “This is a full-time business. Some other teams don’t have a business model. But we do. And we hope that other teams will follow suit.”

Other league executives, including Commissioner John Kastner, and Kitchener Panthers president Bill Pegg, have called Harrison a breath of fresh air for the 102-year-old IBL.

“Developing a fans first, fun always approach, the Jackfish held many unique theme nights including Tropical Night and Major League Night,” read the IBL news release announcing Harrison’s 2019 executive/year award. “Beyond providing their fans with affordable family fun on a weekly basis, the Jackfish organization is also committed to giving back to the Niagara community. The organization does this through a number of different initiatives that impact many different organizations in their area.”

“In regards to demographics, we’re a real mix,” Harrison said. “Thursday nights we do a $3 beer night, so that’s a younger adult crowd. But on Saturdays it’s a lot more families and kids.

“I think the one thing the IBL we’re missing the boat on, and even MLB is missing the boat on, is, how do we get younger fans to come out to our games and get them excited about our game? We’re in the days of iPads. You have to keep the fans entertained with other things, whether it’s an on-field contest or players on top of the dugout dancing, or fireworks.”

“No matter what city we’re playing in, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have at least 500 fans every game.” – Ryan Harrison

Harrison points to how some IBL clubs are not engaging their fans during the off-season as a detriment to not only growing the game, but also to hurting attendance, and ultimately the bottom line.

“We’re a new team so we have to use social media,” said Harrison, whose slogans include the Bait Shop team store (including online sales), Get Hooked social media marketing and, of course, the coolest logo in the IBL.

No-Name League?

But surprisingly, and for sure drawing some criticism, Harrison said when pursuing corporate partners, he won’t even name his players – let alone the IBL – unless he is asked about them.

“We don’t really push the baseball aspect. We push entertainment. That’s why people come to our games. We’re going to get our baseball fans, no matter what. It’s the other people we’re trying to get to our games. And when we go after sponsorship, we don’t really talk about what league we’re in unless we’re asked. We push family fun, and the fact we’re the only baseball team in the area,” he explained.

Meanwhile, as the municipality continues off-season improvements to the home of the Jackfish, the club hopes to sign a new five- or 10-year agreement with the City.

In 2021, the club will introduce a new rooftop bar created from a shipping container resting on the first base line. This summer, Edmonton-based CNTNR announced it would hire up to 200 workers in Welland to transform shipping containers into pre-fabricated homes.

With the Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games postponed until 2022, Harrison still hopes to see a new scoreboard erected at the Pond for use during Jackfish games.

And in late-September, the Jackfish announced Open Arms Mission Welland as the club’s premier charity.

No doubt, by the time this story is published, Harrison will have arrived at a score of new initiatives to not just keep his team afloat, but to also see it as the big fish of marketing in the small baseball pond which is the IBL.

It’s a boat which shouldn’t be missed.

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Award-winning sports journalist Jeffrey Reed has covered the IBL as a print, broadcast and new media reporter since 1980. In 1994, Reed founded the IBL media relations office and operated it for three seasons before pitching and coaching with the London Majors. Reach him at jeff@londonontariosports.com.