Cementing an intimate connection between a city and its regional sports team, the Portland Sea Dogs have become more than just a baseball team, they’ve essentially become a part of Portland’s community fabric. It’s fascinating to envisage how aptly Portland serves as the ultimate pick for the pilot episode. The Sea Dogs’ athletes rapidly grasp the strong bond that thrives between the town and the team. Drew Ehrhard, the team’s catcher, voiced his admiration for the passion that the entire city holds for the baseball team after being elevated to Portland in the previous July.
In detailing his experiences, Ehrhard illuminated, ‘I was genuinely astounded by the level of commitment the entire city has towards this organization. They often fill the stands to the brink and show unwavering dedication. My signing sessions happen frequently and fans are deeply involved with each player. Their knowledge about everyone on the squad is unparalleled. They are extremely attentive, creating a unique, shared experience.’ The question that then arises is: why wasn’t this cohesive relationship recognized earlier?
The concept of Grass Routes was inspired from a book project that Mayo and his spouse, Sara Stock Mayo, are in the process of completing. The focus of their work is an exploration into the connections small cities foster with their minor-league teams and arts settings. The draft title of their book is ‘Something Worth Saving: Finding America’s Soul in Small Cities and Towns.’ Portland naturally emerged as an initial city to delve into given its relationship with the Sea Dogs.
Consequently, Mayo and a film team from the MLB Network toured Portland during summer when the Sea Dogs welcomed the Altoona Curve. Further testament to the symbiosis of this relationship was captured last fall when Sports Business Journal distinguished Portland as the foremost minor-league sports market across the nation. The city also boasts a dynamic array of food vendors, breweries, and an energized arts scene.
The Sea Dogs saw Marcelo Mayer, a top prospect of the Red Sox system, spend a significant part of the previous season with them in Portland. Grass Routes includes fan interactions in the Old Port and within the baseball stadium. In addition to Mayer, another highlight of the season was the presence of Roman Anthony, another top prospect who spent the bulk of the 2024 season in Portland.
Indeed, while each player aspires to minimise their time in the minor leagues, Mayer agreed that—if required—Portland is an idyllic place to spend that transition. While sitting in the High Roller Lobster Company and having a chat with Mayer, he shared that if they were to step outside, within a span of two minutes, they could easily spot a good ten fans donning Sea Dogs headgear.
Emphasizing the community spirit, Mayer added, ‘Our stay in Portland is pretty remarkable and sometimes it’s that awesome you can overlook why we’re actually here.’ Grass Routes also delves into the Sea Dogs’ association with the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, substantiating this connection with moments of their mascot, Slugger, visitations to children under cancer treatment.
Given that the central theme of the proposed book revolves around baseball and also arts, the Grass Routes episode makes it a point to visit Mayo Street Arts and the Guster on the Ocean music festival. During the event, the drummer of Guster, Brian Rosenworcel, equated minor league clubs and their enthusiastic fans to bands and their respective fan bases, underlining the significance of nurturing this reciprocal relationship.
Sharing insights from his personal experience, Rosenworcel stated, ‘Minor league baseball has to facilitate this rapport because the belief that fans will simply crowd the stadium banking on star power alone is misguided.’ Bringing fresh perspectives to the mix, outfielder Caden Rose, originally from Alabama, treated the recently joined Portland team as an entirely novel world but found it a supportive environment to advance his baseball career.
Rose reflected with anticipation, ‘This is different territory for me, but I welcomed it. The city crowd and its fan fidelity here are truly engaging. Despite temperatures dropping to freezing cold, the spectators are still turning up. The chilly late game on Thursday night witnessed a lot of fans making noise and that makes going out to play for a city that backs you up truly exhilarating.’