Riversharks Will Play At “Campbell’s Field”
CAMDEN, NJ, January 17, 2001 – An American icon is teaming up with America’s favorite pastime. Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB) announced today that the new Camden baseball stadium on the Delaware River facing Philadelphia will be named “Campbell’s Field” when it opens for the 2001 spring season.
“We are excited about this sponsorship and what it will bring to the Camden community, our employees, and the entire Delaware Valley,” said F. Martin Thrasher, Senior Vice President and President – Campbell North America. “Our Campbell’s brand is an icon on Main Street USA and I can’t think of a sport that has more main street appeal than baseball. This is a terrific opportunity to associate Campbell with a fun and affordable family attraction right in our own hometown.”
The Camden Riversharks minor league baseball team, which will play at “Campbell’s Field,” is a member of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Stephen Shilling, owner of the Riversharks, praised Campbell for its leadership in supporting the new ballpark and the Riversharks team. “We are pleased that Campbell, with its tremendous heritage and famous Campbell’s brand, is putting its name on this great new facility,” said Shilling.
As part of the naming agreement, Campbell will have its name in lights on 60-foot signage, visible from the Pennsylvania side of the river and the Ben Franklin Bridge.
According to Shilling, the stadium will be one of the country’s finest minor league baseball facilities. About 5,500 lower-deck seats will be served by a concourse with concession stands and a food court. Also, on the lower level there will be a 283-seat picnic area and a large supervised children’s play area. The upper deck will feature 200 “club seats,” 19 conventional sky boxes and one super oversized sky box. There will be an upper deck bar and restaurant with 215 outside seats.
Campbell products will be sold at the concession stands. “This new venue provides a great opportunity to showcase our products like V8 Splash juice, Pace salsa and Pepperidge Farm snacks to thousands of fans that will visit the stadium each season,” said Craig Rydin, President – Campbell Away From Home.
Construction for the new ballpark began in June 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in May 2001. “Campbell’s Field” will be located on the northern-most parcel of the waterfront development, adjacent to the Ben Franklin Bridge. The ballpark is being built by Quaker Construction Management of Voorhees, N.J. Upon completion, Rutgers University will own the stadium and lease it back to the Riversharks. The Rutgers Camden baseball team will use the ballpark for its home games. The facility will also be used for other community events. The developer of the ballpark is Cooper’s Ferry Development Association, master developer of the Camden waterfront.
“The Campbell’s name on this beautiful structure is a wonderful addition to the development of the Camden waterfront,” said Tom Corcoran, President of Cooper’s Ferry Development Association, of which Campbell Soup is a founding member.
“Campbell’s Field represents a bright, new symbol of our community spirit and our support of the future growth of the Camden waterfront,” added Thrasher. “We’re confident it’s going to be a homerun for all and look forward to opening day this spring.”