New Deal Renames Battle Creek’s C.O. Brown Stadium as MCCU Field
It's not quite the shocking change as when the Detroit Tigers moved from venerable Tiger Stadium to new Comerica Park, but change nonetheless is coming to baseball in Battle Creek this summer. The Battle Creek Battle Jacks announced Monday a naming rights deal with Marshall Community Credit Union to rename the ballpark MCCU Field. New names are a theme here as the Battle Jacks were formerly known as the Bombers.
The team says some of the money from the deal will be spent on improvements to the ballpark. The stadium was extensively renovated in 2016 when the seating capacity was cut almost in half, and one of the plans is to upgrade the main grandstand bleacher seats even more for the upcoming 2022 season. The Battle Jacks say the first four rows of the grandstand bleachers will now have their very own food and drink rail.
"This food and drink rail will be created using recycled bleacher seats that will be removed in order to make room for the food and drink rail additions. The team will also be revamping the kids' zone area in the ballpark, with 3 new inflatables to be available at every home game. A new addition to MCCU Field will be the Wiffle ball field installed in the green space down the right-field line that will be open to kids of all ages". - Battle Jacks release.
C.O. Brown Stadium was constructed when minor-league baseball came to Battle Creek over thirty years ago. Those teams were known as the Michigan Battle Cats, Battle Creek Yankees, and Southwest Michigan Devil Rays while those teams were a part of MiLB. The Northwoods League incarnation of Battle Creek baseball has been the Bombers before the new name this season.
The Battle Jacks open their 2022 season on Memorial Day weekend.