NEW BRITAIN -- Believe your eyes.

 

The Rock Cats will wear pink uniforms for their game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats May 1 at New Britain Stadium.

 

"Yes, [manager] Stan Cliburn will be wearing a pink uniform," Rock Cats general manager Bill Dowling said with a laugh. "I haven't told him yet."

 

The Rock Cats are joining several other minor league teams that will be wearing pink uniforms at different times this season to benefit cancer charities.

 

It's a worthy cause and another reason for fans to turn out - something the Rock Cats have done well since principal owners Dowling and Farmington attorney Coleman Levy bought the team for $6.5 million from Joe Buzas in 2000.

 

The Rock Cats, who drew a franchise record 311,671 (4,722 average) last season, have already sold more than 176,000 tickets for this season compared to 100,000 at this point last year.

 

"This is our sixth year and we've become a fixture in this area," Dowling said Tuesday.

 

The Rock Cats' 10th home opener today at New Britain Stadium against the Harrisburg Senators is sold out. The game Friday night against the Senators, who are affiliated with the Washington Nationals, is also close to selling out the stadium's 6,146 seats.

 

"A lot of their success has been due to the exposure of the team," Eastern League president Joe McEacharn said. "They've done a good job marketing and getting into schools. ... Kids come in groups and they bring their parents. What they've done with kids camps is really extraordinary."

 

New Norwich Navigators owner Lou DiBella has also taken notice of the Rock Cats' success. He is trying to turn around the fortunes of a once healthy franchise and has picked Dowling's brain a couple of times before the season. The Navigators' home opener is tonight at 6:35 against the Reading Phillies.

 

Still, New Britain's success caught even Dowling a little by surprise.

 

"I saw the potential in this franchise when we bought the team," Dowling said. "But we're not going to rest on our laurels."

 

Since buying the team, Dowling's group has poured more than $300,000 into the franchise, which is worth about $15 million today, Dowling said. A lot of the money has gone into improvements at New Britain Stadium and marketing.

 

The Rock Cats have reached into Bridgeport and New Haven, where low attendance drove the Ravens to Manchester, N.H., two years ago.

 

This season the Rock Cats added a fan zone along left field that can also be used for standing room only crowds, increasing single-game attendance to almost 8,000 on certain weekends or fireworks nights, Dowling said.

 

Promotions include Curt Schilling and Lew Ford bobblehead nights as well as the cancer charity promotion. The Rock Cats will auction the pink jerseys later in the season and the money will benefit the Connecticut Race in the Park and Swim Across the Sound, two breast cancer charities. Pink merchandise will also be sold at the May 1 game, Dowling said.

 

But there are some potential bumps this season. The Rock Cats are in the midst of a lawsuit with a neighborhood group seeking to stop the Friday night fireworks shows, which always sell out. The Rock Cats have 11 shows scheduled this season.

 

"That would have a huge effect on our revenues," Dowling said. "But I don't think that's going to happen."

 

Dowling also has begun lease negotiations with the city of New Britain and has been meeting with Mayor Tim Stewart. A 10-year lease ends after the season and the Rock Cats are paying $90,000 a year. They are also spending about $65,000 to $75,000 a year in utilities, Dowling said.

 

"We haven't gotten into the money game yet," Dowling said. "We only had three meetings, and they've really been for informational reasons."

 

Sea Dogs 6, Rock Cats 4: Brandon Moss and Sheldon Fulse hit back-to-back homers and Dustin Pedroia drove in two runs to lead Portland over visiting New Britain.

 

Alex Romero homered for the Rock Cats and Selwyn Langaigne had an RBI double.
 
April 14, 2005