Thursday, May 21, 2015

Bradenton Marauders name new General Manager

According to a recent press release, the Bradenton Marauders have promoted Rachelle Madrigal to the position of Director, Sales and General Manager.
Madrigal has worked for the Pirates since 2007, most recently holding the title of Manager, Sales and Marketing. In addition to taking point on the day-to-day operations of the Bradenton Marauders, she will continue to oversee all sales and marketing initiatives for both Pirates Spring Training and the Marauders.

Madrigal is also a highly accomplished employee.
Madrigal was recognized as the Female Executive of the Year in the Florida State League in 2014. She is currently the only woman to hold the general manager title in the league. She is a 2007 graduate of UMass Amherst.

Of course, there is a significant difference between the general manager position in the Major Leagues and the general manager position. While a big league GM is responsible for player acquisition and the talent side of the team, general managers at the Minor League level are responsible for the business side of the team. They have little to no impact on player decisions, but instead make the operational decisions that make the ballpark go.

Since their first game in 2010, the Bradenton Marauders have had their ballpark renovated and had a considerable attendance increase. Attendance has been between 100,000 and 120,000 total every year since 2011. As of May 19th, the Marauders were averaging 1,937 fans per game and are on pace for 135,590, which would easily be a franchise record.