Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1274048
wbjournal.com | August 3, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 13 Bravehearts' attendance The Worcester Bravehearts will play an unusual 2020 season: in Leominster, and with very few fans in attendance. In a normal year, the Bravehearts are one of the bigger draws nationally among collegiate summer league teams. Source: Ballpark Digest PHOTOS/BRAVEHEARTS 2,500 3,000 1,500 2,000 500 1,000 0 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19 2,574 2,107 10 12 6 8 2 4 0 '15 '16 '17 '18 '19 12 6 Average attendance National ranking Roughly 19,000 hats they bought in January for promotions this season are sitting in storage. A few weeks before the first home game, the team said Holy Cross wouldn't host them, forcing the team to use Leominster's Doyle Field, a city-owned park. "Right now, we're living in the moment. We're taking this one step at a time," Peterson said of what's been such an unusual year. e team is still hampered by technically not being able to allow in fans. But because the team is playing at a public park, anyone is able to come by and watch. e team isn't charging for admission and expects hardly any revenue this season. Like other Futures League teams, the Bravehearts have signed a contract with Kentucky-based BlueFrame Technology to allow fans to stream games online for $8 a game. "We've gone away above what we H O S P I T A L I T Y & T O U R I S M F O C U S thought we would do in terms of subscription services," Paolucci said. ere's also the possibility the Bravehearts give a tourism boost of sorts to North Central Massachusetts, which this time of year might otherwise struggle to draw people or keep residents from going elsewhere. Roy Nascimento, the president and CEO of Visit North Central Massachusetts, the region's tourism office, expects more visitors locally this summer from within a relatively short driving distance as people seek less-crowded destinations, such as Wachusett Mountain State Reservation in Princeton. Nascimento is hopeful the Bravehearts will help people get more comfortable with responsibly being out and about again this summer. "Recovery starts locally, so we need to get people comfortable going to restaurants and seeing sites," he said. "e region is really well-positioned to benefit." The Worcester Bravehearts are playing their 2020 season at Leominster's Doyle Field. W