Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Welland Stadium 90 Quaker Rd Welland, ON L3C 7K6
Year Opened: 1989
Capacity: 3,241
Ripples in the Pond
Are they ripples, or are the Welland Jackfish making waves? A relative newborn in the over 100-year-old Intercounty Baseball League, at a mere five years old the Jackfish are bringing a different approach to the league and showing how successful it can be.
After moving to the Niagara city of Welland from Burlington in 2019, the ownership triad of Ryan Harrison, Dan Pokoradi, and Jason McKay decided to take a page out of Jesse Cole’s Savannah Bananas book and build an IBL team differently. Using the facility to their advantage, arguably the best in the league, the Jackfish have responded with success on the field (2023 Dominico Cup Champions) and success at the turnstile.
The home for the Jackfish is Welland Stadium. Part of the Welland Sports Complex, Welland Stadium has been home to the affiliated Welland Pirates of the New York-Penn League as well as several independent teams. Built in 1989, the City of Welland-owned stadium provides a backdrop for baseball that is consistent with what is found in the USA for the lower-tier affiliated Minor League teams. Nicknamed The Pond, Welland Stadium helps provide the Welland Jackfish with the best atmosphere in the IBL.
Food & Beverage 3
The concession options at Welland Stadium are not over the top, but they hit the spot. Ballpark favourites including pizza, hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, and nachos are all found at the lone concession window. Pepsi products are available for soft drinks in bottles.
The beer selection is far better than expected with some products from Newark Brewing to go along with OV and Coors The most popular beer, by far, is the Welland Jackfish Pond Water by Newark Brewing, a special product for the team. New to the 2024 lineup is Slippery Fish Light Lager also by Newark Brewing. Concession lines can be long at times, but additional concession points have helped.
Atmosphere 4
Part of the larger Welland Sports Complex, which also houses a few other baseball diamonds, Welland Stadium has a fairly nondescript exterior. With a low profile exterior with a light block and green siding roof, Welland Stadium is not intimidating at all and is deceiving as the playing surface is below the parking lot ground level. The grounds around the building are well maintained with shrubs and flowers, appropriate for a city nicknamed Rose City.
After entering the main gate at the southwest side of the stadium, fans enter an exterior concourse to the main stadium. Completely open, the concourse allows fans to travel in a widened horseshoe and ends with berm seating along both left and right field. The seating area has seven rows of brand-new plastic stadium seats, followed by four rows of steel bleachers with backs and supports for 2,500 fans.
Bar seating behind third base is an option for larger groups with high-top tables and stools and the new Newark Brewing Barge along the first base side offers a patio-like atmosphere. The Jackfish make the most of the stadium with plenty of Welland Jackfish markings and banners. Banners on light standards promoting team players are a unique feature in this league and the slogans “Hooked on Fun” and “Your 9 Inning Vacation” can be found all over the stadium.
The Jackfish also make use of an LED video board beyond the left-centrefield fence, another unique feature in this league. The highlight for the team is probably the 2023 Dominico Cup Championship banner that hangs in right field honouring the first championship in team history.
The Jackfish produce a gameday atmosphere unlike any other in the IBL. Following the Savannah Banana model, there is constant promotion happening. From races and contests to the 50/50 to the unique “Kiss The Fish” promotion, each half-inning has something happening. The mascot, Jacques, is found participating in promotions or interacting with fans.
The PA system at Welland Stadium is good and is used to not only play walk-up music for the home team but for the visiting team as well. Visitor walk-up songs are comprised of overplayed, maligned tunes as well as silly, kid songs. Overall, the experience in Welland is unlike any other in the league.
Neighbourhood 3
Welland Stadium is part of the Welland Sports Complex, a larger baseball facility. It is located on the edge of the city in a fairly residential area. The roofs of people's houses are seen beyond the right field fence. Welland only has a population of 55,000 but also draws from the Greater Niagara area including St. Catharines, Thorold, and Niagara Falls.
The Welland Sports Complex, where Welland Stadium is located, has a few other ball diamonds on it and is central to the local community baseball scene. There are a few spots for pre and post-game food and drinks on nearby Niagara Street. Large chain restaurants like Boston Pizza, Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, and Tim Hortons are all within a congregated area. A couple of unique spots fans may want to try include M.T. Bellies and Mr Mike’s Steakhouse.
There isn’t much in Welland as far as other sports options go. The Junior B Welland Jr. Canadiens of the GOJHL play in the winter months. The greater Niagara region also has other options. The Meridian Centre in St. Catharines is home to the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL and Niagara River Lions of the CEBL. Brock University also fields hockey and basketball teams. Other attractions include the iconic Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, as well as all of the other tourist attractions in Niagara Falls, and there are plenty of wineries in the region.
Fans who wish to stay near the park can hit the Travelodge on Niagara Street or head across the Welland River to the Holiday Inn.
Fans 5
The efforts of the Welland Jackfish have been rewarded at the turnstiles. Steady growth over time has brought the team to the place where they are the only IBL team that reports attendance. In the 2024 season, the Jackfish averaged over 1,900 fans per game and the game that was reviewed was a sellout. Anecdotally, this is the best attendance in the league and possibly by a significant margin. Welland fans are also atypical of Southern Ontario and are fairly boisterous and easy to get riled up. Chants of “Let’s Go Jackfish” are not uncommon and widely supported.
Access 4
Getting to the Welland Sports Complex is not difficult. A short drive off of Highway 406 will bring fans to the complex with ease. Welland is not that big to begin with so even getting through the city will not be difficult. Traffic should not be an issue. The complex has plenty of free parking, so finding a spot will also not be an issue.
For fans wishing to take public transportation, buses run on nearby Niagara Street. Fans should check out the Niagara Region Transit website for fares, maps, and schedules. Getting around Welland Stadium is not too challenging, although bigger crowds do mean more challenges getting around. The washrooms are adequate for the facility.
Return on Investment 5
The Welland Jackfish not only provide the best experience in the IBL, but they also provide the best return on investment. Reserved Seating is an option at Welland Stadium. Brand-new plastic stadium seats go for $15. Bleacher seats are $13 and lawn seating is also $13. Berm seating for kids 10 and under is $5. Walk-ups will cost an extra $1. The concession prices are very reasonable and the parking is free. The grand calculus shows an atmosphere that is second to none in the IBL and a top-notch return on investment.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the “Kiss the Fish” promotion where, out of East Coast tradition, one lucky fan must kiss a fish to be officially “hooked”. Truly an original promo.
An extra mark for the Jackfish thinking outside the IBL box and changing the face of the league.
An extra mark for the Jackfish branding. A Jackfish is a nickname for a pike, which can be found in the local rivers. The colours are bold and bright and plenty of fans are sporting Jackfish merchandise
Final Thoughts
The Welland Jackfish have taken a different approach to baseball in the IBL and have been rewarded at the turnstile. Taking advantage of Welland Stadium and having a more active environment for baseball has the other teams in the league taking notice. Changes could, and should be in the works in the future for the other teams in the league. Making ripples at the pond, indeed.
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