Tampa Bay Rays minor-league affiliate's Ladies Night promotion causing a stir

The Tampa Bay Rays Hudson Valley (N.Y.) minor-league team has a promotion planned for Tuesday that has turned into a bit of a battle of the sexes.

The (aptly named) Renegades planned Tuesday’s promotion to honor women by keeping men outside the gates for the first five innings, dressing their male employees in ladies clothing and offering spa treatments.

The idea, hatched by Tyler Tumminia, a female executive with the ownership group, was to spotlight women in baseball (Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman will throw out the first pitch) and salute the purchasing power of female fans.

But then the naysayers started squawking, with Duchess County officials requesting the promotion be canceled due to human rights issues and a sponsor, the New York Lottery, asking out (though several others bought in just for the night).

“It’s gotten a bit overblown,” said team president Jeff Goldklang, who has no plans to cancel. “We’re a bit surprised. We were trying to have a little fun, create a unique kind of Ladies Night and poke a little fun at the political correctness that’s taken over.”

Goldklang said the short-season Class A team won’t violate any laws or bar anyone. And if a male fan really wants in, he can have in, though it will be “strongly suggested” he wait.

The complaints, Goldklang said, “are coming from the vocal minority. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive.”

There also will be promotions during the night to encourage the team’s pitchers to throw more strikes and prizes given when there are no balls thrown.

Comments

[joemaddonsucks.com]

If it was reversed, guarantee the women would have a fit over the political incorrectness. Whatever happened to just going to the game and having fun, needing to dress up men like women is so wrong and shouldn't be forced on any employee. Sounds like they are trying to promote pride week instead of their baseball team.

[WTF]

The only problem I see with this, is that although it's a good strategy to play to women as your target audience, the majority of sports fans are men...and the majority of those men are "sports guys" who are just too macho to appreciate some of these promotional ideas.

For the rest of us that are secure in their own masculinity, who don't find women threatening and who are not homophobes...I say good for you gals and good luck!

[shogun]

For all who wonder why men dont like women around during sports!! Mars & Venus baby.
Couldnt she do her weirdo "executive" act at a woman's sports function & find some girly-boys to dress up for her & the 10's & 10's & 10's of thousands of women who obviously keep the Renegades in business??
I think its disgusting & demeaning to the male employees,, & GREAT ROLE MODELS for the boys attending the game -Not.