Sold-out Diamond welcomes baseball back to Richmond

Lou DiBella led a group that purchased the Double-A Norwich Navigators in 2005 for about $10 million. During DiBella's five seasons as managing partner of the club renamed the Connecticut Defenders, there were only a handful of sellouts at 6,695-seat Dodd Stadium.

That's one reason DiBella said he looks forward to being at The Diamond tonight. Richmond's new Double-A franchise, relocated from Norwich and still owned by DiBella's group, will play its first home game in front of a sellout crowd. Reading, the Philadelphia Phillies' Double-A team, is the opponent of the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

"This is going to be a highlight of my years in minor-league baseball," said DiBella, a resident of New York City. "I'm thrilled. I'm pumped up. I can't wait to get there."

Bill Papierniak, the Squirrels' general manager, said that ticket sales for the remainder of the seven-game home-stand have been strong, with a sellout possible for Sunday's 2:05 matinee. DiBella referred to the franchise's general reception as "enthusiasm unmatched compared to anything I've ever seen in minor-league baseball."

Connecticut finished last, or next to last, among Eastern League clubs in home attendance each year that DiBella's group owned the franchise, and in 2009 was last (2,859) despite an 83-59 record.

Bleacher banners -- advertisements that cover the top nine rows of the upper deck -- and new box seats on the lower level have reduced The Diamond's capacity from 12,134 to 9,560. But the Squirrels sold out their first home game about a week after single-game tickets became available on March 15. That's a very encouraging sign of support for the new franchise, according to club management and Joe McEacharn, the Eastern League president.

Tonight's game represents the return of professional baseball to Richmond, which was without a team last year. The Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A club, played here 1966-2008, then moved to Gwinnett County, Ga., due to dissatisfaction with The Diamond.

New ownership and the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns the facility, during the off-season invested about $2 million in stadium upgrades. While the Flying Squirrels opened their season on the road with four games at Bowie and three at Altoona, work at The Diamond continued, and club operators maintained their marketing push that began Sept. 23, the day the franchise officially transferred to Richmond.

"If I had to give them a grade, it's a flat-out 'A'," McEacharn said. "They've absolutely met my expectations and probably even exceeded them."

Other members of the Squirrels' ownership group will be in attendance tonight, as will McEacharn and Tim Purpura, the executive vice president of Minor League Baseball. The Squirrels are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, who will be represented by Bobby Evans, vice president of baseball operations.

Clear skies and temperatures in the low 70s are expected. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with a 7:05 first pitch.