Words & Photography by Flobo Boyce
If you have even a passing knowledge of minor league baseball, the Ontario Tower Buzzers’ story is already one for the ages. A brand-new Single-A team, affiliated with the current two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, seemingly has its work cut out for it. On one hand, any new sports club has to endear itself to the local community in a way that says, “Hey, [Ontario], we’re your new neighbors. Stop by for a little while.” The Tower Buzzers have this, but they are positioned only about an hour east of their parent club in Chavez Ravine.
The team, named as a reference to the nearby Ontario Airport, (and curiously was linked to the original ‘Top Gun’ film in marketing materials), had its fair share of detractors at the start. What is a Tower Buzzer anyway? In a recent conversation with General Manager Allan Benavides on the “In The Booth Podcast,” it was apparent they wanted a fresh name and identity for the club. And well, it’s as original as they come:
“We came up with the Tower Buzzers, which was controversial for sure. When we got all the hate for it, I was like, yes. I’d rather have you hate the logo than not care about it,” Benavides said.
And so, on an absolutely gorgeous Thursday evening in late May, I wanted to see what the hype was about for myself. Having a baseball team that people would come to is a fairly easy assignment: People love baseball in Southern California. The question I had on my mind as I slipped onto the grounds of the brand-new ONT Field was, “How do you stitch yourself into the fabric of SoCal baseball?” Or perhaps more importantly, “How do you create a totally unique experience for fans with an identity that’s your own, while making sure the links to the Dodgers organization aren’t left by the wayside?”
“I want them to understand that they’re part of our community. We want this team to ingrain itself into the Inland Empire and be the Inland Empire’s community team,” Benavides continued.
ONT Field doesn’t hide its affiliation with the Ontario International Airport at all. Not only are advertisements for the airport festooned throughout, but the entire ballpark has an aviation theme. Whether it’s the aviation-inspired signage, the ushers dressed like flight captains, or the fact that the park itself looks to be carved out of a hanger, ONT Field has that kind of theme that ends up being a hit with families.
And then it kind of hit me. When it comes to baseball fandom, it’s been a goal of mine to make a new fan of the sport every year. And while that sounds noble, it can be an increasingly difficult endeavor if the people you’re bringing to the ballpark aren’t necessarily lifelong fans. My pro tip? Treat the day out like a picnic, first. Yes, of course, make sure you catch a couple of innings. For me, however, the mission is always to shake the rather incorrect stereotype that baseball is “boring.” And I realize that every trick I employ (sampling the food and drink, walking the concourse, or checking out the merch stand), the Tower Buzzers have already baked that into ONT Field. Baseball is perfect on its own, but some people need a gentle nudge into that world.
Varying (and more casual) seating options make gameday feel like more of hanging with your friends on the front stoop.
I think the one thing I appreciated the most from my trip was the teams, “Continental Collection.” When we saw the greatest World Baseball Classic ever this March, we all knew for a fact that baseball was a global game. This line of specialty merchandise is specially localized to about a dozen nations. It doesn’t matter if you claim American, Mexican, Chinese, or Korean heritage; there is something for you. And while I’ve seen Mexican and American themed merch at minor league teams before, other nations like Canada and India get some love too.
Have you ever seen Greenland baseball merch before?
“We’re in a weird time right now. People are scared of talking about their ethnicity and cultural stuff, but I think it’s what makes our country beautiful. In Southern California specifically, you get to see so many different types of folks from different cultural backgrounds — it’s beautiful to see, and we want to make sure they’re all welcome in our ballgames every night of the year,” Benavides said.
And so far, this is what being a team is all about. It’s not about just being transactional (though there’s that too, ha), but rather showing up for the place you decide to plant roots. You don’t have to do too much, as long what you’re doing comes from a place of earnestness. The aviation theme, the goofy name, the Dodger pedigree — those are the hooks. But the real draw is something simpler: a ballpark where a family from any background can walk through the turnstiles and feel like the place was built with the feeling of “come through, you’re all First Class.”
