Down East Bird Dawgs
Down East Bird Dawgs is a professional baseball team in the Frontier League (an MLB Partner League), based in Kinston, NC, playing at Historic Grainger Stadium and generating revenue through tickets, concessions, merchandise, sponsorships, and premium events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersKinston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Down East Bird Dawgs does
Down East Bird Dawgs is a professional baseball franchise founded in 2024 and based in Kinston, North Carolina, where it plays at Historic Grainger Stadium, a venue originally opened in 1949 with a seating capacity of 3,400. The team competes in the Frontier League, which operates as an MLB Partner League, and began its inaugural season in May 2025. The 2026 regular season runs from May 12 through September 6 and includes 51 home games as part of a 102-game league schedule.
The franchise generates revenue across multiple consumer and commercial channels: ticket sales at $10-$14 per game, concessions, merchandise, sponsorships, and premium/rental events. Ticketing is handled exclusively through Tixr, and games are distributed digitally via FrontierLeagueTV. The team is supported by a roster of regional sponsors including Superior Metal Structures (naming-rights partner), Mother Earth Brewing, and Lenoir Community College, with additional revenue drawn from premium hospitality and non-game events such as Micro Wrestling and concerts hosted at the ballpark.
The franchise operates with a lean staff of approximately 10 employees under General Manager Shari Massengill (20+ years of industry experience) and Field Manager Brett Wellman. The team's 2025 season was recognized with the Frontier League Field of the Year award, and three players were named 2026 All-Stars. As of July 21, 2026, the team's record stood at 26-33. The business is privately held, with no public funding or valuation disclosures available.
Down East Bird Dawgs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Down East Bird Dawgs
- Legal name
- Down East Bird Dawgs
- Website
- https://downeastbirddawgs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Down East Bird Dawgs is a professional baseball team in the Frontier League (an MLB Partner League), based in Kinston, NC, playing at Historic Grainger Stadium and generating revenue through tickets, concessions, merchandise, sponsorships, and premium events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Down East Bird Dawgs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Minor League Baseball
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Baseball & Softball Leagues (MPAKAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Baseball & Softball Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAA)
Keywords
Where Down East Bird Dawgs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kinston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Down East Bird Dawgs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from single-game tickets, season tickets, group outings, and birthday party packages sold directly to consumers at Historic Grainger Stadium.
- Concessions and Food & Beverage: Stadium concessions including First Base Concession stand (traditional ballpark food) and Third Base Concession stand (made-to-order specialty menu), plus Mother Earth Pavilion bar and patio.
- Merchandise Sales: Team store sales of hats, shirts, novelty items, and specialty items through on-site store and online Shopify store.
- Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship arrangements with local and regional businesses including naming rights, billboard advertising, and promotional partnerships.
- Premium Experiences and Events: Revenue from special events including concerts (Roots & Boots, Country Throwdown), Micro Wrestling events, and private venue rentals for corporate events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Game Tickets - Sunday through Thursday |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Game Tickets - Friday & Saturday |
| Subscription | Annual | 2026 Season Tickets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Group Tickets (20+) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Child Tickets (17 and under) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Senior Tickets (65+) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Student Tickets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Military Tickets |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Unused Ticket Exchange |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Down East Bird Dawgs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Down East Bird Dawgs field a professional baseball team that plays a 96-102 game Frontier League (MLB Partner League) schedule each season, with 48-51 home games hosted at Historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. The franchise generates revenue through ticket sales (single-game, season, group), stadium concessions, on-site and online team merchandise, corporate sponsorships, premium experiential events (concerts, Micro Wrestling, private rentals), and live-stream subscriptions via FrontierLeagueTV.
Product overview
The Down East Bird Dawgs is a professional baseball organization competing in the Frontier League as an MLB Partner League. The core offering is the team's competitive baseball games played at Historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. The organization operates a integrated product suite including ticket sales via Tixr.com, the Team Store merchandise platform, FrontierLeagueTV streaming for remote game viewing, group outing packages, youth baseball programs (Youth Baseball Camp, Lil' Dawgs Kids Club, Field of Dreams Experience), and the Dawg Scoop email newsletter. The stadium venue itself serves as a key product, featuring concessions, the Mother Earth Pavilion bar, and family-friendly entertainment with themed promotional events throughout the season.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Down East Bird Dawgs Professional Baseball Games Professional Frontier League (MLB Partner League) baseball games, with a 96-102 game annual schedule and 48-51 home games played at Historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC; sold to general fans, families, and youth team participants.
- Single-Game and Season Tickets Ticket products including single-game tickets ($10 Sun-Thu, $14 Fri-Sat), discounted child/senior/student/military tickets, group tickets (20+), season tickets covering all home games, and an unused ticket exchange program.
- Bird Dawgs Team Store / Merchandise On-site and online retail store selling team-branded hats, shirts, novelty items, and specialty merchandise for Bird Dawgs fans.
- FrontierLeagueTV Streaming Subscription Subscription-based live streaming of all Bird Dawgs games through FrontierLeagueTV (HomeTeam Network platform) for fans who cannot attend in person.
- Group Outings Discounted group ticket packages for 20 or more guests, including birthday parties and corporate outings, with dedicated service for group organizers.
- Birthday Party Packages Birthday party packages tied to Bird Dawgs home games that include reserved seating and kid-friendly entertainment at Historic Grainger Stadium.
- Concessions and Food & Beverage In-stadium food and beverage offerings including First Base Concession (traditional ballpark food), Third Base Concession (made-to-order specialty menu), and the Mother Earth Pavilion bar/patio featuring local craft beer.
- Youth Baseball Camp Youth baseball development camp where young players train alongside Bird Dawgs coaches and players to develop their baseball skills.
- Lil' Dawgs Kids Club Membership program for young Bird Dawgs fans that delivers exclusive experiences, perks, and engagement opportunities throughout the season.
- Field of Dreams Experience Premium experience for youth baseball and softball teams to run out onto the field with the Bird Dawgs during pre-game introductions and stand for the national anthem.
- Corporate Sponsorships Sponsorship packages for local and regional businesses, including naming rights (e.g., Superior Metal Structures & Concrete Field, Mother Earth Pavilion, Lenoir Community College Third Base Patio), billboard advertising, and promotional partnerships visible across the stadium, website, and broadcasts.
- Premium Events and Concerts Special stadium-hosted events including concerts (Roots & Boots, Country Throwdown), Micro Wrestling events, and private venue rentals for corporate functions and special occasions.
Companies that use Down East Bird Dawgs
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Down East Bird Dawgs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Down East Bird Dawgs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Superior Metal Structures & ConcretecoreField naming-rights deal at Historic Grainger Stadium. The field is officially named 'Superior Metal Structures & Concrete Field'. This partnership was announced ahead of the inaugural 2025 season.
- Mother Earth BrewingcoreSponsor of Mother Earth Pavilion, a 10,000 square-foot two-level outdoor bar, patio and seating area at Grainger Stadium. Mother Earth Brewing is a distinguished local craft beer sensation.
- Lenoir Community CollegeminorNaming sponsor of the Lenoir Community College Third Base Patio, a new party patio area installed in 2025 at Grainger Stadium.
- Frontier League (MLB Partner League)coreThe Down East Bird Dawgs are a professional baseball team in the Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. The Frontier League is an independent baseball league that serves as a partner league of Major League Baseball.
- Tixr.comcoreOfficial and only verified ticket marketplace for the Down East Bird Dawgs. All tickets must be purchased through downeastbirddawgs.com, Tixr.com, by phone at 252-549-4388, or at the ticket office.
- FrontierLeagueTV / HomeTeam NetworkcoreAll 102 games are streamed live through FrontierLeagueTV powered by HomeTeam Network, requiring a subscription for remote viewing.
- Piggly WigglyminorGrocery store sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- Towne InsuranceminorInsurance company sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- BojanglesminorFast food restaurant sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- Pizza HutminorPizza restaurant sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- Stevens SausageminorSausage company sponsor with clickable link to stevens-sausage.com.
- Davis Tire / Davis Wholesale Tire Co.minorTire company sponsor. Presenting sponsor of Kids Run the Bases on Sundays.
- UNC HealthminorHealthcare system sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- NC Education LotteryminorEducation lottery sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- Farm BureauminorFarm bureau sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- SweetFrogminorFrozen yogurt chain sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- ServprominorCleaning and restoration services sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
- AlscominorUniform and linen services sponsor displayed on sponsor logo section of website.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Down East Bird Dawgs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- St. Paul Saints: Independent baseball team in the American Association with a longer operating history and stronger brand. Comparable as an established independent baseball franchise with diversified concessions, premium hospitality, and merchandise revenue streams.
- Brooklyn Cyclones: MiLB affiliate operating in a small-to-mid market with strong community programming (theme nights, youth camps, giveaways). Comparable business model and event-driven fan engagement approach, though at MiLB scale.
Direct peers
- Quebec Capitales: Frontier League (MLB Partner League) team based in Quebec City. Direct league peer, playing the same schedule format and sharing the same player development ecosystem as the Bird Dawgs.
- Holly Springs Salamanders: Coastal Plain League collegiate summer baseball team in Holly Springs, NC. Directly comparable as a small-market North Carolina summer baseball franchise with a similar community-program model; GM Shari Massengill previously ran this team.
- Ottawa Titans: Frontier League team competing in the same East Division. Direct on-field competitor and scheduling counterpart, sharing league economics and broadcast/distribution channels (FrontierLeagueTV).
- Tri-City ValleyCats: Frontier League team sharing the same East Division schedule. Direct league peer comparable across ticket pricing, sponsorship scale, and small-market operations.
- Kane County Cougars: American Association independent baseball team that, like the Bird Dawgs, occupies a former MiLB market (Geneva, IL after the Kane County Cougars MiLB affiliate relocated). Comparable as a former-MiLB-market independent replacement franchise.
- New Jersey Jackals: Frontier League East Division team. Direct league peer competing against the Bird Dawgs in 2026 and sharing the same independent baseball economics and MLB Partner League affiliation.
Others
- Frontier League: The governing league and direct ecosystem partner. Provides shared scheduling, broadcasting infrastructure (FrontierLeagueTV), and the MLB Partner League designation that underpins the Bird Dawgs' league-level economics.
Emerging players
- Savannah Bananas: Independent summer collegiate/exhibition baseball brand built around entertainment-first fan experience, premium hospitality, and viral social content. Comparable as an independent baseball organization that has demonstrated how community programming and entertainment-led positioning can scale revenue.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Down East Bird Dawgs social profiles
Digital presenceDown East Bird Dawgs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Down East Bird Dawgs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Down East Bird Dawgs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Down East Bird Dawgs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Down East Bird Dawgs
What does Down East Bird Dawgs do?
The Down East Bird Dawgs field a professional baseball team that plays a 96-102 game Frontier League (MLB Partner League) schedule each season, with 48-51 home games hosted at Historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC. The franchise generates revenue through ticket sales (single-game, season, group), stadium concessions, on-site and online team merchandise, corporate sponsorships, premium experiential events (concerts, Micro Wrestling, private rentals), and live-stream subscriptions via FrontierLeagueTV.
Is Down East Bird Dawgs a public or private company?
Down East Bird Dawgs is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Down East Bird Dawgs founded?
Down East Bird Dawgs was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Down East Bird Dawgs based?
Down East Bird Dawgs is headquartered in Kinston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Down East Bird Dawgs make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are concessions and Food & Beverage, merchandise Sales, sponsorships and premium Experiences and Events.
Who are Down East Bird Dawgs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are St. Paul Saints and Brooklyn Cyclones. Direct peers are Quebec Capitales, Holly Springs Salamanders, Ottawa Titans, Tri-City ValleyCats, Kane County Cougars and New Jersey Jackals. Frontier League is listed as an others. Savannah Bananas is listed as an emerging player.
Does Down East Bird Dawgs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Down East Bird Dawgs.
What industry is Down East Bird Dawgs in?
Down East Bird Dawgs's product category is Professional Minor League Baseball. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAAAC, Baseball & Softball Leagues, with a secondary code of THAFAIAG, Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering. Its SIC code is 7900.