Toledo, Ohio enjoys major minor league success
Sports Business Journal has a list of the 50 greatest minor league American towns and markets. 18th on that list is Toledo, Ohio. Toledo is home to one of the most famous Minor League baseball teams the world over, the Toledo Mud Hens. Thanks to actor Jamie Farr, a Toledo native, waring a Mud Hens hats on the famous MASH TV show. Now Toledo is adding to their success.
Toledo recently built a brand new indoor arena downtown to house a new Minor League Hockey team, and a team in the AFL2. The hockey team will be called the Walleye and in a recent ranking of ECHL Jerseys it ranked in the top 25%. The ECHL is essentially Double A hockey and the Walleye will be an affiliate of both the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Walleye will begin play later this fall.
The Toledo Bullfrogs will share the arena and will begin play in the AFL2 starting net summer. The AFL2 is the surviving arm of the Arena Football League and is centered around placing teams into smaller markets. Toledo is betting that these new teams combined with the draw of the Mud hens will bring in big tourist dollars year round.
As a resident of the City of Detroit, i often make the 50 mile journey south to attend sporting events in Toledo. The cost is half as much as the cost of a major sports event here in Detroit and are often more enjoyable. These Toledo stadiums are fan friendly, and built with sports fans who have children in mind. With that in mind it is a little surprising Toledo was a little higher on this list.
