BUFFALO (WBEN) - The Buffalo Bisons will begin their season in Trenton, New Jersey, at the home of the Trenton Thunder, while the Bisons and Toronto Blue Jays complete a joint renovation project to prepare Sahlen Field for Major League regular season games.
The key renovations include:
-Moving the bullpens off the field and behind the outfield walls
-New batting cages built beyond right field
-New weight room and renovated clubhouse facilities
-LED light bulb replacements plus two additional temporary lighting poles
Mike Buczkowski, president of Rich Baseball Operations, emphasized that these renovations exceed the requirements in the Major League Baseball Player Development League facility standards and will go a long way in ensuring the Bisons' presence in Buffalo well into the future.
"There are new facility standards for every minor league ballpark in the country, and there's a short timetable in which your ballpark needs to meet those new facility standards, otherwise, you jeopardize losing your license, losing your team," said Buczkowski. "When those came out, we knew this was going to be a challenge just because of the age of Sahlen Field - it opened in 1988.
"We came up with what I think is a great plan...we're fortunate to have partners like the Jays...and we said, 'Let's really turn Sahlen Field into more than just temporary improvements like we did in 2020, let's do something that leaves behind a legacy for what happened last year and what could happen this year, so ultimately, that we in Buffalo, have the long term viability and long term success of our franchise for years to come," he continued.
Bisons season ticket holders and fans with credits from the 2020 season will receive official communication from the team in the next few days outlining the several flexible options available to them. Fans are also encouraged to visit Bisons.com for more information on many of their ticketing questions.
The Bisons home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, May 4 against the Worcester Red Sox, and no date has been set for a Blue Jays move to Sahlen Field, as they've been playing the early part of their season in Dunedin, Florida.
