If you are looking for an evening of good family entertainment We suggest a trip to Kissemme to see a Florida Fire Frogs baseball game would be difficult to top.

Florida Fire Frogs

About the Fire Frogs

  The team competes in the Florida State League. They are the Class A Advanced affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and are holding their inaugural season at Osceola County Stadium.
   The Fire Frogs  mascot “Striker”, is one of our favorites. He spends the bulk of his time running about the stands, energizing the crowd and intermittently stopping for fan photos – especially with the kids.
  Striker  also helps out with numerous special promotions throughout the course of the games.
   In our opinion – one of the best is the   “Hot Dog Race.”  That’s where youngsters dress up in bun costumes and run the interior of the ballpark.  There’s also a stuffed horse race and a relay where kids ride bouncing exercise balls down the third base line.
Striker the Fire Frog Mascot

How They Got Their Name

The name Fire Frogs actually came as a combination of a couple of suggestions from Orlando area residents during a promotion to name the team.

  One entrant suggested “The Fire” while the other preferred “The Frogs.” Management combined the two and fans embraced the concept.

A Great Fan Base

  We observed that those coming to the games are also putting their support behind the team from a financial standpoint. The official merchandise store was almost as busy as the concession stand – more commonly known as “The Fire Frog Grill.”
  Fans were purchasing a wide array of different kinds of shirts and caps, there also were foam fingers, commemorative baseballs and even Fire Frog activity books.
   Of course we had to sample the concession stand. And the Fire Frog Grill had the standard hot dogs, brats and burgers along with chips, soft drinks and beer. They also had “Gator Bite Baskets.
  No fried frog legs were available (we asked).

New Team in Town

  On the field, the Fire Frogs – like many new teams – has not been as successful as they would like. That being said, they won both ends of the double header against the Bradenton Marauders the night we were there.
  One of the best parts is that we had a chance to holler and cheer and generally get involved in the game.

   Moreover,. we were impressed by the amazing accessibility to the players. Many gave high fives to fans who could walk up to the lower deck wall after the game as they walked back to the clubhouse.

Fans can easily chat with members of the team

Great Accessibility

  Pitchers in the bull pen sit on seats that are immediately adjacent to the lower deck seats. We were able to go up and talk to them between the games with no problem. In fact, we saw players talking to fans on a number of different occasions as the team and their base learn more about each other in their inaugural year.
  One of the coolest things was watching fans scramble for the bruised baseballs players flipped up into  the stands.

Promotions

  The Front Office also seems to have a good handle on promotions that will bring first time fans into the seats. We really liked the “first pitch happy hour.” That features special prices for concessions from the time the gates open until the first pitch. There also is a fireworks display after some of the games.
  Also scheduled are “Margarita Mondays, The Dog Days of Summer, Un-used Ticket Night, Faith & Family Night, Service Industry Night, Blast From The Past Night and Fan Appreciation Night all scheduled. Some are one-time events while others will be repeating throughout the balance of the season.
  To encourage the youngsters, the team has established a “Tadpole’s Kids Club,” which entitles those 12 and under to such things as kids’ club-only parades, picnics, ice cream parties and movies on the field. Additionally, each Sunday, kids have an opportunity to run the bases – just like a real Fire Frog.

Where to See the Game

  For those planning to go, we suggest the upper deck on the third base side, although the Osceola County Stadium is laid out so there does not appear to be a bad seat in the house. They have a jumbotron television screen over top of the scoreboard, which features all the stats on the players as they come to bat. They also have videos of some of the more exciting plays, which replay, so fans don’t miss any of the action.
  While Fire Frog baseball currently is not available on commercial radio, it is broadcast on internet radio and the stadium has free WI-fi available to the fans so they can listen on their smart phones, tablets or other mobile devices.
 The stadium is dotted with fans of all age groups and ethnicities. We were struck by the number of parents – and apparently grandparents – who brought the kids. Just be prepared to sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” during the Fifth Inning Stretch.
  More on the Fire Frogs can be found at their official web page www.floridafirefrogs.com or on their FaceBook page. And please visit our Florida Fun Travel Facebook page or drop us a line at floridafuntravel@yahoo.com.

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