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Minor-League Baseball is Major Fun with the Renegades

Date Published: May 5, 2023

When you purchase a ticket to a Hudson Valley Renegades baseball game at Heritage Financial Park (formerly Dutchess Stadium), you get so much more than a seat at the ballpark. You unlock access to a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly experience that goes way beyond the game itself.  

The Renegades, the Class-A affiliate of the world-famous New York Yankees, are on the leading edge of the evolution of the modern ballpark experience and are constantly finding new and inventive ways to make every trip to the ballgame enjoyable, affordable and unforgettable. 

The Renegades’ season runs from April through September. Here is a glimpse at what you can expect when you visit Heritage Financial Park: 

 

Hudson Valley Renegades

The Ballgame 

The game itself is, of course, the nucleus around which all the other promotions and activities revolve. As the Yankees Class-A affiliate since 2021, the Renegades’ roster is dotted with young, up-and-coming prospects in the Bronx Bombers organization. Some of the players you’re watching at Heritage Financial Park, both for the Renegades and their visiting opponents in the South Atlantic League, may be tomorrow’s big stars in Major League Baseball.  

Current Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe batted .285 with 15 home runs in 55 games with the Renegades in 2021 before being promoted to the Class-AA Somerset Patriots in 2022.

There is also a chance that the Yankees could send one of their players to the Renegades on a rehab assignment following an injury. In June of 2021, Yankees pitcher Luis Severino started a road game for the Renegades against the Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Mets’ affiliate. 

One thing that makes minor-league baseball special is the fans’ proximity to the players and the action. With 4,500 seats, Heritage Financial Park is a far more intimate setting than the big-league ballparks, many of which are roughly 10 times its size. Bring your baseball mitt to the game, because there is always a chance you will catch a souvenir foul ball! Be sure to bring a pen, too, because you never know when an autograph opportunity may arise! 

And you can’t beat the price. For only $99, the Renegades Family Four Pack includes four Valley Reserved tickets, four Renegades hats and four vouchers for hot dogs, chips and sodas. Be on the lookout for special ticket deals and promotions throughout the season!  

To see the Renegades’ schedule and purchase tickets, click here. 


Related: Top 10 Places to Get Ice Cream in Dutchess 


Hudson Valley Renegades

The Experience 

As Renegades Community Relations Manager Marcella Costello puts it, “We provide entertainment, and baseball is a plus.” 

Indeed, a trip to Heritage Financial Park includes so much more than the ballgame itself. There really is never a dull moment, with music during breaks in the action, as well as fan-interactive games and activities between innings. Charismatic longtime public-address announcer Rick Zolzer always keeps the crowd on its toes; you may have also heard him on the mic at New Jersey Nets basketball games, football games at Michie Stadium in West Point or on several local radio stations, including WPDH, WRWD or Z-93. 

But that’s only the beginning. 

Every game is accompanied by its own themed event, promotion or giveaway, many of which are sponsored by a Dutchess County business or organization. 

Enjoy postgame fireworks displays on Friday and Saturday nights. Bring your dog to the ballpark on Sundays as Mosquito Joe presents Sunday Family Fundays and Pups at the Park; the kids are allowed to run the bases after every Sunday game. 

Enjoy Christmas in July when the Renegades host the Brookyn Cyclones on July 23; the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Renegades Christmas ornament.

"Jersey Shore" fans will definitely want to be in attendance on Sept. 8 when the Renegades host the Jersey Shore Blue Claws, as Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi will be in attendance for a one-of-a-kind event. The Snooki Shop will be giving away Snooki bobbleheads.

Also this season, the Renegades continued their We Care Wednesday program, which allows local and national non-profit organizations to promote themselves and raise awareness. 

To see the Renegades’ complete schedule of promotions, click here. 


Related: The Sensory Safe Suite at Heritage Financial Park 


Hudson Valley Renegades
The Sloop Beer Balcony, Heritage Financial Park, Wappingers Falls

The Ballpark 

Along with traditional stadium seating and concessions, there are so many different ways to enjoy the action at Heritage Financial Park.  

In addition to the usual ballpark fare, you can enjoy tasty treats from a load of unique eateries, including Rufus' Birds Eye BBQ, the Renegades Bistro sponsored by Mill House Brewing, Rascal's Saloon Grab-n-Go, Rascal's Mac Shack, Bribon's Taqueira, Sweet & Boozy, Dippin' Dots, Sweet Hannah's Coffee & Donuts and Eddie's Churro Factory.

Of course, nothing beats a group outing at the ballpark! Make your next family reunion or team-building excursion at work a memorable one and reserve the Sloop Brewing Company Beer Balcony, the Michelob Ultra Party Patio or the Right Field Riviera for your group. 

If climate-controlled luxury is more your speed, then book one of the suites and enjoy all the comforts of home while you watch the game! For details on group outings, click here.   

Heritage Financial Park offers specially designated, ADA-compliant parking spaces and seating areas. When parking, simply show the attendant your ADA tag and they will direct you to the correct area to park. Tickets for ADA seating are available for purchase over the phone at 845-838-0094 or in-person.

The Sensory Safe Suite is a wonderful space for families with children on the autism spectrum and with special needs to better enjoy the game.

And getting to the ballpark is a snap! Conveniently located on Route 9D in Wappingers Falls, Heritage Financial Park is only minutes off Interstate 84 and the Taconic State Parkway and is less than a 10-minute drive from the Beacon Metro-North train station.

Attached photo by Dave Janosz courtesy of the Hudson Valley Renegades

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