Approximately 10,000 Fans Attend Blue Ridge League Games Over July 4 Weekend

The Blue Ridge League enjoyed its biggest weekend yet over the July 4 holiday, with approximately 10,000 fans taking in league games across multiple markets.

The weekend was highlighted by a record-setting crowd in Kannapolis, where more than 4,000 fans attended the July 4 matchup between the Queen City Corndogs and Carolina Disco Turkeys at Atrium Health Ballpark, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The Corndogs defeated the Disco Turkeys in what now stands as the highest-attended game in Blue Ridge League history.

Despite splitting their roster for two games in two cities on Independence Day, the Disco Turkeys also helped deliver another strong crowd later that evening in Winston-Salem. More than 1,200 fans attended Carolina’s home game at Wake Forest University’s David F. Couch Ballpark, where the Disco Turkeys defeated the Uwharrie Wampus Cats to earn a split of their July 4 split-squad effort.

The strong Winston-Salem turnout also continued a holiday tradition for the Disco Turkeys, marking the third straight July 4 that the club has drawn more than 1,000 fans at Couch Ballpark.

Two more Blue Ridge League games surpassed the 1,000-fan mark during the weekend. On July 3, the Greenwood Flying Monkeys drew a big crowd to Legion Field, defeating the Joanna Hornets in front of more than 1,300 fans, which topped their Opening Day turnout as the larges crowd yet for the new club. On July 5, the Marion Hungry Mothers capped the holiday weekend with a dramatic walk-off upset win over the Disco Turkeys in front of more than 1,400 fans at Marion’s home ballpark.

The Uwharrie Wampus Cats had their best crowd of the season on July 3 with their annual fireworks game, and the Davie Crocketts hosted fireworks as well as Rich Park brought back festivities for the first time in a few years.

“This was a major weekend for our league and a great example of what we believe summer baseball can be in these communities,” said Greg Sullivan, chairman of the Blue Ridge League. “To see strong crowds in multiple markets over the same holiday weekend says a lot about the work being done by our teams, our host communities and our players. We’re still early in our first season as a league, but weekends like this show the potential for the Blue Ridge League to become a major summer tradition across the region.”

The holiday weekend represented a major milestone for the Blue Ridge League during its inaugural season as a multi-team collegiate summer circuit, with strong crowds across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

The Blue Ridge League features collegiate summer baseball teams across the Carolinas and Virginia, providing affordable family entertainment, competitive wood-bat baseball and community-focused events throughout the summer.

Sold-out crowd on July 4 at Kannapolis Cannon Ballers stadium - Photo courtesy of Queen City Corndogs

Packed house in Greenwood on July 3 to kick off Independence Weekend - Photo by Blue Ridge League

Fans taking in a big night in Marion, Virginia on July 5 - Photo by Blue Ridge League