For the Racine County Night at Miller Park committee, though, the biggest save possible went to the Milwaukee Brewers’ ticket offices.
The committee, which purchased 1,500 non-refundable tickets to Saturday’s game between the Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates for Racine County Night at Miller Park, had 300 tickets unsold as of Thursday. Racine County Night at Miller Park raises money for Koos for Kids – a charitable foundation started by Brewers bullpen catcher and Racine native Marcus Hanel – and Racine Youth Sports. The cost of the unsold tickets would reduce the amount of money the two charities would receive. Mark Eickhorst, co-chairman for Racine County Night at Miller Park, said in the past the Brewers allowed groups to turn unsold tickets back in up to 30 days before the event. This year, the Brewers changed their policy and the tickets were non-refundable. Despite brisk sales early, ticket sales cooled off and the committee was left with 300 tickets. Community members like Racine Mayor John Dickert and Frankie Jaramillo – brother of Pittsburgh Pirates catcher and Case High School graduate Jason Jaramillo – stepped up and bought blocks of tickets, but the Brewers made the biggest impact. The team reversed its policy and took all the unused tickets back.
Tyler Barnes, the Brewers’ vice president of communications, said the goal of group ticket fundraisers “is to help groups raise money for a cause. We’re happy this worked out for them,”