Appleton rated as one of America's Best Minor League Baseball Towns

GRAND CHUTE, WI - SmartAsset.com recently rated all of the cities that host a minor league baseball franchise and released their Top 25 Minor League Baseball Towns in America. Based on the criteria surveyed, Appleton - home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - was rated as #5 out of all minor league baseball.

There were five factors SmartAsset.com used to rate quality of life in each minor league city: Violent Crime per 100,000 residents; Property Crime per 100,000 residents; Disposable income - difference between average income and average monthly rent on a two-bedroom apartment; Unemployment rate; and Dining & Entertainment establishments per 100,000 residents.

Three factors were also taken in to account for the baseball experience in each city: Team winning percentage during 2014 season; Stadium Experience - the rating of the home ballpark on StadiumJourney.com; and Minor League Class - the level at which each team plays.

Appleton and the Timber Rattlers finished fifth in the rankings behind only Portland, Maine (Portland Sea Dogs); Alexandria, Virginia (Potomac Nationals); Pearl, Mississippi (Mississippi Braves); and Frisco, Texas (Frisco RoughRiders). 

The only other cities in the Midwest League to make the Top 25 list were Midland, Michigan (Great Lakes Loons) at #10 and Eastlake, Ohio (Lake County Captains) at #20.

The article on the website has this brief write-up on the home of the Rattlers:

The town of Appleton has a long history of professional baseball. Its first team was formed in 1891, when four local businessmen paid $200 to enter a team in the Wisconsin State League. Although that league dissolved at the season's end, baseball would return again and again to Appleton over the years, finally making a permanent home in 1958, when the Appleton Foxes-forerunner to the present day Timber Rattlers-were founded. And good thing: located in Northern Wisconsin's Fox Valley, Appleton is a lovely place to live, and a beautiful place to catch some summer baseball.

"The greater Appleton area known as the Fox Cities has always been an exceptional location for sports and sports enthusiasts," said Pam Seidl, Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Minor league baseball is certainly a part of this rich sports heritage and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers continue to provide a high-quality affordable baseball experience for locals and visitors alike."

The Timber Rattlers are currently preparing for their 2015 season, the team's seventh as the Midwest League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

"There is no doubt that the Fox Cities and Northeastern Wisconsin is a great place to live and it is very rewarding to see our area recognized on a national scale," said Timber Rattlers president Rob Zerjav. "The Timber Rattlers are proud to add to that quality of life and we will do our best to continue to provide a great experience to everyone that visits our ballpark."

Ticket packages for the 2015 Timber Rattlers season are available over the phone at (920) 733-4152 or (800) WI-TIMBER, or in person. The Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium Box Office is open from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.