Wild Things strike deal with EQT for ballpark naming rights
Chris Dugan/Observer-Reporter
Over the last eight years, the Wild Things have been making pitches for a naming rights partner for their ballpark and the results had been mostly swing and miss. The Frontier League team finally found a willing company, and they believe it will be a home run of a partnership.
The Wild Things announced Tuesday that Pittsburgh-based energy company EQT has agreed to a three-year deal for naming rights. The ballpark, which has been called Wild Things Park since 2017, will be known as EQT Park.
“EQT Park will be a community asset like no other,” said Wild Things managing partner Stuart Williams. “We are delighted to partner with such a community-minded organization. Their commitment to this area in many ways, including the partnership they’ve formed with us.”
No financial details of the deal have been released. EQT does have an option to extend the agreement after three years.
This is the fourth name for the ballpark that opened in 2002 as Falconi Field. Five years later, it became Consol Energy Park.
The partnership between EQT and the Wild Things was a natural for Toby Rice. EQT’s president and chief executive officer, Rice is a former college baseball player who had hopes of being drafted by a major league organization. He was a catcher and right fielder for Rollins University in Winter Park, Fla. Rice helped Rollins to a No. 1 national ranking and the Division II College World Series.
As an athlete, Rice said he was more of a team player than a standout, though he has been inducted in Rollins’ Athletics Hall of Fame.
“When I was inducted, they announced the guys going in with me as having the most home runs and most strikeouts in school history. When they got to me, they said I had the most hits by pitches and was the toughest to strike out, stuff I didn’t think they even had stats for,” Rice recalled.
After his playing days, Rice returned home to Massachusetts and got a job in the oil and gas industry for $9 an hour. He worked his way up the corporate ladder and has been CEO at EQT since July 2019.
“We’re really excited about this partnership,” said Rice, a Canonsburg resident. “It’s not just about the 24 players on the baseball team. It’s about the 100,000 people who come to the ballpark every year, all the events they have here. This ballpark is an important part of the county and the community.
“The Wild Things have brought a vibrancy to the community, including the hundreds of EQT employees who reside here, and have for more than two decades. The park serves as not only home to the team, but to countless other high school and college games as well as community events.”
EQT will again host the WPIAL baseball championships in May.
The new name is one of several changes for the ballpark. A new synthetic playing surface was installed over the winter, replacing one that had been down since 2011 and was showing its age. The Wild Things also signed a partnership with Coen Markets, which will have its logo and name on the playing field.
The Wild Things begin their 23rd season in the Frontier League May 9 at Windy City. The home opener is May 13 against Ottawa.