Play Ball ! AC Surf Preview

The Camden Riversharks have not even played their first game in the Atlantic League yet and already they have a rival. “It`s all based on location,” according to Cheri Bungard, the woman in charge of public relations for the Atlantic City Surf.

Atlantic City has had a team ever since the Atlantic League began playing minor league baseball in 1998. In fact, the Surf won the first ever league championship. The Surf have fallen on hard times recently, however. Last year, they went 61-78. They averaged 2,337 fans per game. The highest was 6,146 by Long Island.

Enter the Riversharks. With the addition of Camden to the league, there is potential for a real rivalry. With the two teams being so close to each other, the rivalry could generate interest in the Atlantic League throughout South Jersey.

There are eighteen games scheduled between the two teams this season, beginning on May 4, the first day of the season, in Atlantic City. The season runs through September 19, when the Surf finish up at home against defending champion, the Nashua Pride.

Tickets for Surf games are on sale now. They range from $3-$6 for regular seats, $7-$9 for box seats, and $12 for club seats. Children under three years of age are admitted for free, provided they don`t occupy their own seat.

The Atlantic League started in 1998. It is an eight team league, featuring four teams from New Jersey. Camden joins the Atlantic City Surf as the two South Jersey teams.

The Newark Bears and the Somerset Patriots are from North Jersey. The rest of the league is made up of Lehigh Valley, PA, the Bridgeport Bluefish of Bridgeport, CT, the Ducks of Long Island, NY, and the Nashua Pride of Nashua, NH.

There are two four team divisions, north and south. At the conclusion of the regular season, the two division champions play in a best of five series for the league championship. Last year, Nashua swept Somerset 3 games to 0 to win the title.

For more information on the Atlantic City Surf, visit ACSurf.com. For more information on the Atlantic League, visit AtlanticLeague.com

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Author: Anthony Bellano