Knights' office space rental a suite deal
In normal times, spending a weekday at the ballpark often meant that one had found a way to escape the office. In these abnormal times, however, the reverse is true: the ballpark itself is the office, providing the opportunity to escape from home. That's the premise behind the Charlotte Knights'
In normal times, spending a weekday at the ballpark often meant that one had found a way to escape the office. In these abnormal times, however, the reverse is true: the ballpark itself is the office, providing the opportunity to escape from home.
That's the premise behind the Charlotte Knights' "Work from Home (Plate)" initiative, which began Monday at Truist Field. The Knights, a longtime Triple-A entity, have converted the 6-year-old ballpark's 20 suites into offices. The suites, which can accommodate up to four people, are available at daily ($95) and weekly ($400) rates. They are equipped with Wi-Fi connections and televisions -- as well as stunning, Christmas light-augmented views of the Charlotte skyline and what Knights chief operating officer Dan Rajkowski calls "the nicest 2 1/2 acres of grass in Mecklenburg County."
Rajkowski said the idea for "Work from Home (Plate)" was sparked in part by one of his family members, who needed a place to work while his home was undergoing inspection. The success of this improvised endeavor helped lead to further brainstorming among the team's staff; local hotels were offering a similar service, so why not the local Minor League Baseball team? Work from Home (Plate) was announced on Nov. 17 and officially began on Nov. 30.
"[The response] was slow at first with the Thanksgiving holiday, but now it's started to kick in because of the media exposure. We’ve had TV stations out doing stories on this," Rajowski said on Tuesday afternoon. "We’re finding that, because people have been cooped up for so long, this is better than the same four walls. You get out here and feel like you're staying at a nice hotel. ... It's safe. We're following all the CDC regulations and sanitizing each night. When you're inside your suite, you can take your mask off and work from the table. So now we're taking reservations. Megan [Smithers], our community relations director, said that right now she has 60 emails to respond back to."
To better accommodate Truist Field's new 9-to-5 population, the Knights have converted their spacious owner's suite into a break room. Self-serve vending areas, provided by on-demand food service company Canteen, provide a litany of lunch and beverage options.
"Canteen is actually under the umbrella of [food service company] Compass, and their North American headquarters are in Charlotte," Rajkowski said. "I know their regional president. I called him up, said, ‘I’ve got this crazy idea. I can’t afford to buy the machines. I don’t know how this relationship works.' He said ‘We’ll set you up, fix this up.' So they did it to help out. It’s another amenity. You walk down the hall and can choose from 30 different coffees. It’s a nice convenience for our guests that are coming in."
One of the Knights' very first guests was ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee, who also serves as co-host of the college football, music and NASCAR-themed "Marty and McGee" podcast. McGee, erstwhile Asheville Tourists employee and lifelong Minor League Baseball enthusiast, said he's "taken advantage of everything the Knights have done" during the pandemic. On Monday, he shared his Work from Home (Plate) experience with his more than 86,000 Twitter followers.
So, @KnightsBaseball is doing a "Work From Home Plate" program all off-season, where you can rent a suite to change up your 2020 work routine. Free WiFi and coffee and, yes, it's pretty awesome! pic.twitter.com/cPfLpnl6b3
— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) November 30, 2020
"We're Knights' season-ticket holders, my dad, brother and I. We've got seats behind the home dugout. Normally, we would have been at 25 ballgames," McGee said. "My wife, when she was doing our annual photo book, told me that 'This is the first time there weren't 7,000 pictures of the Charlotte skyline.' I can't help myself, I just love this ballpark. So this was a great change of scenery.
"I wrote the [weekly college football column] 'Bottom 10' while I was there. Homer came by. There was free Wi-Fi and coffee. Not a bad deal. ... [Knights vice president of communications] Tommy Viola had given me the heads-up that they might be doing this. I told him, 'When you do, I want to be the first.'"
Indeed, he was.
"I was so the first, I was the one who figured out they had to put filters in the coffee machine. And using the fancy vending machines, I was the guinea pig. It was Homer, the IT guy and me figuring out how to buy a sandwich. So anyone renting a suite going forward, they won’t have to figure these things out. They’ll have me to thank."
Homer Suite Homer!@CLTKnightsHomer stopped by to see our "Work from Home Plate" guest of honor, @ESPNMcGee! pic.twitter.com/VE17hluF6m
— Tommy Viola (@Tommy_the_V) November 30, 2020
For Rajkowski and his staff, "Work from Home (Plate)" is an extension of an operating philosophy that has guided the Knights -- and all Minor League Baseball teams -- during the pandemic.
"This is the age of being creative, there’s no question about that," he said. "We don’t run a baseball team now -- we’re selling pumpkins in the outfield, having movie nights, turning the ballpark into a Christmas Village. Work from Home (Plate) came about from that. It's been 18 months now without gameday revenue, and we still need to keep people employed and keep the lights on. So this forced us to be creative, to use the building a bit more. People have been working from home for months on end. We won’t stop this until March, when the season is getting ready to begin."
Truist Field's built-in views, comparative spaciousness and recent vintage make it an ideal venue for the Work from Home (Plate) concept. Nonetheless, it's an idea that has the potential to expand to ballparks across the country.
"If something is unique, you might soon see it throughout the industry," Rajkowski said. "Hopefully, others will take notice of what we're doing."
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
10 prospects at Spring Training who are lighting up Statcast
One of the best parts of Spring Training every year is getting to see the top prospects in baseball. A lot of the time, it's the first look fans get at MLB's future stars. But we also know a lot more about those prospects going into Spring Training than we
Questions plague Peeples' trailblazing story
A version of this story previously appeared on MiLB.com in 2007. We present it again as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
Prospects to watch this spring -- one for each team
Spring may not have arrived quite yet, but Spring Training has! Players have reported to camp and exhibition games kick off Thursday with the Cubs visiting the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz.
8 of the best team matchups in Spring Breakout
After Spring Breakout's dynamic debut last year, the prospect showcase event returns in full force for 2025. All 30 Major League teams will field squads of top prospects to face off in 16 games from March 13-16 -- the Cubs and Nationals will play twice since there's an odd number
Fowler: A 19th-century baseball pioneer
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
Everything you need to know about prospects and Spring Training
This story was excerpted from MLB Pipeline's newsletter. Subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Arkansas-based Mariners affiliate to honor legacy of the Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine sounds like it could be the name of a baseball team playing in Arkansas' capital city, and for three nights during the 2025 season, it will be. The story behind the name transcends baseball, however. From Aug. 21-23, the Arkansas Travelers -- Seattle's Double-A affiliate --
MiLB podcast breaks down Spring Training storylines
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Leaf Peepers? Thunder Chickens?! Coming to the Minors this year
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Dodgers greats Newcombe and Campanella made history as Minors teammates
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
15 prospects primed for a bounceback season from injury
A lot of players will be getting a fresh start heading into the 2025 season. Prospects who missed significant time due to injury have had upwards of six months between regular-season games to return to health. Now they'll be looking to re-establish their value and maybe even reach new heights.
Check out the newest Minor League team logos for 2025
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Here are 18 prospects who also starred on the gridiron
The two-time defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs are set to meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, and plenty of baseball prospects will be keeping a close eye. After all, many current Minor Leaguers played football at a high level before committing fully to the diamond. No, there aren't any
Did you know the Superdome was once home to a Minor League team?
On Sunday, one of the world’s most-watched sporting events will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Believe it or not, decades before Super Bowl LIX came to town, the same building was home to a Minor League Baseball team for one season. The 1977 Triple-A New Orleans Pelicans
How a Black pitcher's brief PCL stint in 1916 generated a historic card
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2010. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
The Show Before the Show: Episode 489
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minors legend Jones still holds batting record
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2008. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers. Grover "Deacon" Jones spent more than a half-century in baseball, serving the game at almost every level and in
Hooks have a new look -- and more -- on the line for 20th season
In advance of a milestone season at Whataburger Field, the Corpus Christi Hooks are making a change. The Houston Astros' Double-A affiliate unveiled new logos and uniforms on Friday evening, marking the first time they have significantly altered their look since debuting in 2005. According to Hooks general manager Brady
Here's how Jackie Robinson fueled Montreal to a Minor League title in 1946
A version of this story originally appeared on MiLB.com in 2006. We present it here once more as Minor League Baseball celebrates Black History Month with stories of Black baseball pioneers.
They're due! MiLB's longest active title droughts
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
These players could earn teams extra Draft picks in 2025
Since the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, four players have earned their clubs extra Draft picks. The PPI rewards teams for promoting their best prospects to the big leagues at the start of the season, enabling them to earn a Draft pick if
Each team's best non-Top 100 prospect
There just isn't enough room to fit all the worthy talents on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. We unveiled our latest rankings last Friday, and now we're going to spotlight the best prospect in each farm system who couldn't quite make the cut. We undertook the same exercise last