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Minor league team continues winning tradition

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Written by Michelle Davis Sunday, 07 May 2006

The Round Rock Express launched their seventh season by winning their first home opener as a Triple-A minor league baseball club. In its second year as a Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, the Round Rock franchise continues to set minor league attendance records, with last year’s attendance topping 700,000 for the first time. Part of this success is due to the outstanding play of the team, last year finishing above .500 for the fifth time in its six-year history, and the determination of the owners to provide family fun and entertainment.

Round Rock Express

Reid Ryan, son of baseball legend Nolan Ryan, grew up around baseball and was fortunate enough to play in college, was drafted by the Texas Rangers and played in the minor leagues for a short time. He moved on to work in television for Fox Sports Network, but missed being involved in the game. Photo of Nolan, Reid & Reese Ryan

“I went home one night and told my wife that I wanted to try and get a team and take it to Austin,” Reid said. “This whole thing was born out of my love for the game, love for Central Texas and the fact that we were able to get so many great people to come together and make this happen.”

Reid discussed his idea with Nolan, and they brought Don Sanders, a family friend and former minority owner of the Houston Astros, and Jay Miller, also a family friend with more than 20 years experience in professional baseball into the venture to bring minor league baseball to Central Texas.

“We negotiated to buy the club [Jackson (Mississippi) Generals] while discussing where to relocate the team in the Austin area,” Reid said. “We looked at the area as one metropolitan area, and it came down to which municipality wanted to partner with us. Round Rock has a reputation for being pro-growth, pro-business with a lot of young families, which is who we market to. It just made sense, and it felt like home.”

In 2000, Reese Ryan, younger brother to Reid came on board and is now the CFO for the Ryan-Sanders Baseball organization.

“A lot of people can’t work with family,” Reid said. “But, having my brother and I work together has been one of the best things we’ve ever done. His skills really compliment my skills.”

The team has seen more than 25 players advance to the Major Leagues. Thirteen of the 25 players on the Astros’ active roster during last year’s World Series played for the Round Rock Express, including Roy Oswalt and Morgan Ensberg. During the last two seasons, no pitcher in the major leagues has won more games than Oswalt.

The Dell Diamond

Round Rock citizens voted in 1998 to allocate a hotel/motel tax providing $7.3 million to help build a stadium. Ryan-Sanders Baseball provided an additional $18 million to the construction of the team’s home, the Dell Diamond.

“The biggest challenge is getting people out of their house, off the computer or out from in front of the TV,” Reid said. “We are an entertainment option during the summer when people are spending time with their family, and people like what we have to offer. Not to mention, it’s getting easier and easier to get to.”

The Express employs 40-50 full-time staff and 600-700 part-time employees during the baseball season at the Dell Diamond.

With ticket prices increasing only two dollars in six years, its still a great value for family entertainment. There is something for everyone with new things being added each year such as volleyball courts, a rock wall and playground, Texadelphia Cabana, rocking porch, home run porch, and six new suites. This year’s addition is TVs on the home run porch and a retractable screen to help fans along the first base line.

“This is a people business; we really listen to the fans and we try to make the experience at the ballpark fresh and new every year,” Miller said. “If you come out once, you’ll come back.”