Akron RubberDucks announce promotional schedule for 2022 that includes 28 fireworks nights
There may be some question whether the Cleveland Guardians will start their season as scheduled amid ongoing labor strife.
But their minor-league affiliate, the Akron RubberDucks, plan to "play ball" as scheduled, with their home opener set for April 15.
The only challenge — as usual — is not the league commissioner or the labor union but a bigger disrupter: old Mother Nature. Heavy rain and even a snow squall can cancel a home opener in Northeast Ohio. And snow has already been an obstacle for the RubberDucks this offseason as they prepare to defend their championship.
How much money will the Canal Park project cost?
The team and the city of Akron are in the midst of an ambitious $2.95 million project to replace each and every seat in Canal Park ahead of the ballclub's 25th season.
And a couple of snowstorms that buried the city, with a few ice storms mixed in, have made this already monumental task even more daunting.
There are 7,630 seats in Canal Park.
RubberDucks General Manager and COO Jim Pfander said about a third of the new seats are already installed.
The weather did delay the installation some as workers had to shovel out sections of the seating area before they could install the seats.
But Pfander said he's confident the effort — along with renovations to the ballpark's suites and improvements to the heating and cooling systems — should all be done in time for the home opener.
"It's going to look like a whole new ballpark," he said.
Lockout won't impact Akron RubberDucks season
And the ongoing labor talks will not have an impact on the minors.
Pfander said the only effect on the RubberDucks is that any player on the Guardians' protected 40-man roster is not permitted to play or work out for the Akron Double A affiliate until a new labor agreement in the majors is in place.
"We're just geared up for the start of the season," he said.
RubberDucks unveil 2022 promotional schedule
And to that end, the RubberDucks on Monday unveiled their promotional schedule for the 2022 season.
There will be 69 home games, and each and every one will have some type of promotion, along with 28 fireworks nights.
The giveaways include seven T-shirt Tuesdays and seven bobbleheads including team mascot Homer, comedian Chris Kattan, fighter Stipe Miocic and former Browns player Eric Metcalf.
The schedule includes:
April
April 12: Union Home Mortgage Welcomes You Home – Opening Night – T-Shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) QUACK on Top – Postgame Fireworks
April 13: Trivia Night
April 14: Thirsty Thursday – Really, Really, Really Cold Beer – Winter Games
April 15: Cleveland Basketball Night – Postgame Fireworks
April 16: Scheduled Double Header 3:30 p.m. Game 1 start – Ringing in the New Season – Replica 2021 Championship Ring Giveaway – Postgame Fireworks presented by FirstEnergy
April 26: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – Straight Outta QuAkron – Hip Hop Night
April 27: Ginger Appreciation Night
April 28: Thirsty Thursday – Pro Football Draft Party
April 29: Rob Thomas Appreciation Night (RubberDucks season ticket holder) – Postgame Fireworks
April 30: “Just in case…” RubberDucks Tighty Whities Giveaway (first 1,000 fans) – Postgame Fireworks
May
May 1: Family FUNday – Where’s Walter?
May 10: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – NFT Night (Since no one knows what an NFT stands for … we are going with Nice Freakin’ T-shirt)
May 11: Bark in the Park, bring your dog to the game – Los Perros Calientes Night
May 12: Thirsty Thursday – Doing this for kicks – Soccer Night
May 13: Military Appreciation Night – Postgame Fireworks presented by Akron-Canton Airport
May 14: 25th Anniversary of Canal Park – Anniversary Pennant Giveaway Presented by Ohio’s 529 Plan, CollegeAdvantage – Postgame Fireworks
May 15: Family FUNday – A sensei-tional time – Karate Night
May 24: Education Day #1 (special 11:05 a.m. start)
May 25: Whine & Cheese Night (Karen Awareness)
May 26: Thirsty Thursday – “Toga! Toga! Toga!” Toga Party
May 27: Look! My Hot Dog is GREEN! $1K giveaway – Postgame Fireworks presented by KeyBank
May 28: QuAkron Comics Fest – Akron Homers – Homer Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) presented by WBNX-TV – Postgame Fireworks presented by KeyBank
May 29: Family FUNday special 6:05 p.m. start – 155 Days Until Halloween – Postgame Fireworks presented by KeyBank
May 31: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – I <3 Canal Park
June
June 1: Dinosaur Day
June 2: Pro Wrestling Night – A Rock Special Guest Appearance
June 3: Star Wars Night – Postgame Star Wars Fireworks
June 4: Fight Night – First Responders Appreciation –Stipe Miocic Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) – Postgame Fireworks presented by Summa Health
June 5: Family FUNday – Slice Slice Baby – Pizza Party
June 21: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – “Discounted Corn Dogs for All These People” Corn Dog Night – Los Perros Calientes Night
June 22: RubberDucks Disco
June 23: Tropic like it’s hot – Hawaiian Night
June 24: Youth SPORTS Night Presented by Handel’s Ice Cream Akron East End – Postgame Fireworks presented by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
June 25: Halfway to Christmas – Santa Hat and Beard Giveaway (first 1,000 fans) – Postgame Fireworks
June 26: Family FUNday – Mascot Birthday Bash
July
July 4: Independence Day – Postgame Fireworks
July 6: What Could’ve Been Night – Salute to the U.K.
July 7: Thirsty Thursday – Karaoke
July 8: ZOOperstars! Appearance – Postgame Fireworks
July 9: Salute to the Negro Leagues – Akron Black Tyrites vs. Jacksonville Red Caps – Black Tyrites Youth Jersey Giveaway (first 1,000 fans 12 & under) – Postgame Fireworks
July 10: Family FUNday – Los Perros Calientes Perfectos – Los Perros Calientes Day
July 22: RubberDucks Idol – Postgame Fireworks presented by National Interstate Insurance
July 23: Miami Relocation Night – Mystery Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) presented by Distillata – Postgame Fireworks presented by Bridgestone Americas
July 24: Family FUNday – Junior Fire Marshal Day presented by The Hartford – Jr. Firefighter Hat (first 1,000 fans 12 & under)
July 26: Big Splash Day (special 12:05 p.m. start)
July 27: Anger Management
July 28: Canal Park JoJo-nanza – Who has the best JoJos in Akron? ... QuAkron decides
July 29: The Akron JoJos – Postgame Fireworks presented by Miller Lite
July 30: A Night at the Ballpark – What is Love Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) – Chris Kattan Special Guest Appearance – Postgame Fireworks presented by Summa Health
July 31: Family FUNday – “The Sleepwalking Dead” Pajama Party
August
Aug. 9: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – Keep Calm and Keep Duckin’
Aug. 10: Akron Pride Night
Aug. 11: Thirsty Thursday – Hot Dog Night ($2 Hot Dogs … just like every other night!) – Los Perros Calientes Night
Aug. 12: The Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Celebration – Postgame Fireworks presented by Akron Children’s Hospital
Aug. 13: “It’s All in The Hips” FOORRREEE!!! – Mystery Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) presented by Mechanical Contractors Association of Akron (MCA) – Postgame Fireworks
Aug. 14: Family FUNday – Princess Tea Party
Aug. 23: T-shirt Tuesday (first 1,000 fans) – Farmers Only
Aug. 24: Blast from the Past – Aeros Night
Aug. 25: Thirsty Thursday – Irish Appreciation Night
Aug. 26: $1,000 Cash Dash presented by KeyBank – Postgame Fireworks presented by FedEx Custom Critical
Aug. 27: Cleveland Football Night – Eric Metcalf Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) presented by Cleveland Clinic Akron General – Postgame Fireworks
Aug. 28: Family FUNday – Women’s Equality Day
September
Sept. 13: Education Day #2 (special 11:05 a.m. start)
Sept. 14: Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice
Sept. 15: Thirsty Thursday – Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff – Los Perros Calientes Night
Sept. 16: STEM Night – Postgame Fireworks
Sept. 17: Life is a Peach – Salute to Women’s Professional Baseball – Tracy Reiner Bobblehead (first 1,000 fans) presented by Ruoff Mortgage – Tracy Reiner Special Guest Appearance – Postgame Fireworks
Sept. 18: Family FUNday 6:05 p.m. start – The Regular Season Finale – Fan Appreciation Night, prizes given away all night long – Postgame Fireworks
For more information or tickets, visit https://www.milb.com/akron.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron RubberDucks release 2022 promotional plans as Cleveland Guardians in limbo
