2024 FRONTIER LEAGUE SEASON PREVIEW
The 2024 Frontier League Championship season kicks off tonight with plenty of storylines to make this a season one to remember. The first pitch will take place at 6:35 PM EST as the New Jersey Jackals host the New York Boulders. Four more teams also debut Thursday with the Québec Capitales visiting the Florence Y'alls and the Evansville Otters traveling to see the Windy City ThunderBolts. The remaining teams launch their season's Friday, May 10.
But any talk of 2024 begins with this question: Can they three-peat ? The Québec Capitales are the two-time defending champions of the League besting the Schaumburg Boomers in 2022 and the Evansville Otters last season. Québec Manager Pat Scalabrini says, "We're trying to win a 3rd in a row and that would be very special obviously. More than that, this is our 25th anniversary year in Québec so we want to have a fun, special year. We know we're going to have a lot of fans and we want to put on a good show and have fun in the City for this special 25th anniversary." As part of that anniversary season, Québec will also be hosting the 2024 Frontier League All-Star game Wednesday, July 17 at Stade Canac.
Another great story of the 2024 campaign is the launch of a brand-new team, the New England Knockouts. The Knockouts will call Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts home, hosting the Ottawa Titans opening weekend. Knockouts Manager Jerod Edmundson says, "Having a Frontier League Team in a place like Brockton means everything. It gives the people something to get behind and Brockton is known as the City of Champions so having a championship mindset is sort of ingrained in our community. To have a professional team to get behind that has a stadium right downtown in a huge thing for Brockton."
New Faces in New Places: 2024 will see some new faces in familiar and new places, particularly in the Manager's seat. Along with hundreds of new Players, the League is featuring five new Managers this season including:
Bobby Jenks - Windy City ThunderBolts
Bert Gonzalez - New Jersey Jackals
Jerod Edmundson - New England Knockouts
Greg Tagert - Tri-City ValleyCats
Mike Pinto - Joliet Slammers
Of course, Tagert and Pinto aren't exactly "new" to the Frontier League. Both are long-time Frontier League Managers returning to the League in 2024, and both are in the top-10 for career Frontier League victories
New "Look" Ballparks: Along with the new Managers, some Frontier League ballparks will have a new look this season. The Schaumburg Boomers have a brand new Suite and Club level featuring (more-more-more) The Florence Y'alls have a new Front Office facility including a new Box Office, staff offices and a brand new clubhouse space. The Washington Wild Things have new extend netting to protect fans down both sides of the seating bowl and the Sussex County Miners have a new clubhouse building this season.
Yes, the 2024 Frontier League campaign, the League's 31st season, should be one of the best in history. Great baseball and great fun at affordable pricing. As Frontier League Commissioner Stave Tahsler says, "2023 will be tough to top with our record-setting attendance and League growth, but the appetite for Frontier League baseball is the strongest it's ever been. Who knows what this summer will bring, but you can bet it will be entertaining for fans in each and every one of ballparks."
