BIG LEAGUE WEEKEND IS BACK! WILL FEATURE “TWO WEEKENDS” OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING GAMES
BIG LEAGUE WEEKEND IS BACK! 2020 BLW WILL FEATURE “TWO WEEKENDS” OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING GAMES:
CLEVELAND INDIANS VS. OAKLAND ATHLETICS (SATURDAY-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 1); CINCINNATI REDS VS. CHICAGO CUBS (SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 7-8) AT LAS VEGAS BALLPARK
LAS VEGAS: The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics and 2019 Pacific Southern Division Champions, announced today the schedule for the 2020 Big League Weekend at Las Vegas Ballpark®.
Las Vegas Big League Weekend is back! In 2019, BLW took a one-year hiatus due to construction deadlines and completion of the Las Vegas Ballpark for the PCL season which began in April.
The Cleveland Indians will face the Oakland Athletics on Saturday-Sunday, February 29 – March 1. Game times for the Spring Training series are at 1:05 p.m. (PT).
The Cincinnati Reds will then face the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series on Saturday-Sunday, March 7-8 at 1:05 p.m. (PT). Times are subject to change due to TV. Big League Weekend ticket packages are available NOW by calling the Aviators office at (702) 939-7200.
Cleveland will make their third all-time appearance (1998, 2018) in Las Vegas for Big League Weekend. 2018 BLW featured a rematch of the 2016 World Series. The Cubs captured the World Series championship for the first time in then-108 years (1908) in a thrilling seven-game series against the Indians.
The Cubs defeated the Indians, 11-4, on March 17, 2018 before a sellout crowd of 10,651 at Cashman Field. The Indians then defeated the Cubs, 11-4, on March 18, 2018 before a sellout crowd of 10,774.
Oakland will make its sixth all-time appearance to Las Vegas (1994, 1997, 2000, 2015). The Athletics also played the first six games of the 1996 Major League Baseball season (April 1, 3-7) at Cashman Field due to construction delays in their home stadium. The games marked the first time ever that an MLB season opener was held at a minor league park.
The A’s last appearance was in 2015 in a two-game series against Chicago. The Cubs defeated the A’s twice: 5-3 on March 13, 2015 before a crowd of 8,007 at Cashman Field and 3-1 on March 14, 2015 before a sellout crowd of 10,375.
“We are excited to welcome back Big League Weekend to Las Vegas Ballpark,” Aviators President/COO Don Logan said. “This year will feature four great teams over two weekends of Major League Baseball for a total of four games.
“We welcome our major league affiliate, the Oakland Athletics, who will face Cleveland and the Cubs will be making their 18th all-time appearance in Las Vegas against the Reds. Las Vegas Ballpark will provide an outstanding atmosphere and environment for Big League Weekend.
“The fans, both locally and the tourists that visit during this event, will have a memorable time. The Cubs continue to have such a tremendous nationwide fan-base and Las Vegas has become a ‘second’ Spring Training home for them.”
LAS VEGAS STARS/51s/AVIATORS INDIANS CONNECTION: Sandy Alomar Jr., Cleveland First Base Coach, played for the Las Vegas Stars for two seasons. The catcher is the only player in franchise history to capture back-to-back PCL MVP awards in 1988 (.297, 16 HR, 71 RBI) & 1989 (.306, 13 HR, 101 RBI). Brad Mills, Cleveland Bench Coach, was the 2002 PCL Manager of the Year. He led the 51s to a franchise-best 85-59 record (.590) as the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
