Edelstein Molding Naturals into One of Minors Top Franchises

Eric Edelstein makes his living running the largest dinner theater in Northwest Arkansas.

That’s how he equates his job as general manager of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A baseball affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.

It isn’t entirely without merit. From the moment fans enter the parking lot at Arvest Ballpark, roll through the turnstiles, have a hot dog and a beer and sing along during the seventh-inning stretch, everything is scripted.

Everything, of course, but the baseball game.

“Ultimately, we’re putting on a show and everything we do is about that show,” Edelstein said. “The players are part of the show, but so are the ushers and the ticket takers. We’re all kind of like actors in a play.”

Edelstein named Naturals GM in November 2006, was 30 when he was honored as part of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class in 2008, the Naturals’ first season in Springdale after relocating from Wichita, Kan.

During a recent sitdown at his office at Arvest Ballpark, Edelstein said the emotions of a baseball executive at this time of year are the proper mixture of excitement and nervousness.

The Naturals, who have won two division titles (2009, 2010) and one Texas League title (2010) in their five-year history, begin the 2013 season April 4 with a home game against Midland.

“I want a requisite amount of trepidation over everything,” Edelstein said. “It’s everything that we’re planning on, can we accomplish it, and can we pull it off. I never want to be overconfident in anything that we’re doing.

“But it is exciting. We’re in this business for baseball games and there is a reality to it that gets you going this time of year.”

In addition to 70 home games, Arvest Ballpark will host the Texas League All-Star Game this summer.

“The All-Star season is sort of our tagline this year,” he said. “A lot of our giveaways are All-Star themed, and we’re almost looking at it as kind of a one-year brand. We’re going to leverage it.”

The team’s annual attendance at Arvest Ballpark has been consistent, Edelstein said, and is trending upward this year.

The team drew 358,000 fans its first season. Its second-best season was, ironically, in 2012 when the team struggled to its worst record since relocating, but drew 321,000 fans.

Edelstein also said 17 of the ballpark’s 21 luxury suites have been leased for the upcoming season.

“We are tracking up [in season ticket sales] and that’s the first time in our history that we have trended upward from one year to the next,” he said.

Edelstein’s efforts to make the Arvest Ballpark experience a high-quality, safe and affordable option for entertainment in Northwest Arkansas have been noticed.

In December, the franchise was named by Baseball America magazine as the 2012 Double-A Freitas Award winner. It’s an honor given to franchises that show sustained excellence in the business of minor league baseball.

“It’s our first year to be eligible to win, and we won,” Edelstein said. “We don’t draw the most, we’re not the highest revenue-producing team and there are flashier clubs out there, but it was really fulfilling for an industry authority to give us that award. It’s a complete team effort.”

Edelstein, who lives in Springdale with his longtime girlfriend, can’t say for certain what’s next on his career ladder.

“I’ve never really picked my head up to think too much about it,” he said. “Who can say where the future will take you, but I enjoy it here. There is no aspiring to do something bigger and better, so to speak.”

He does hope the area around  Arvest Ballpark can become bigger and better in the coming years. The widening of 56th Street and the construction of a new interchange and exit from Interstate 540 at Don Tyson Parkway should certainly help in developing the park’s surrounding cow pastures.

“We need activity and movement,” he said. “Businesses follow cars, and if the cars are diving by, people are going to bring businesses. Having that interchange will be big.”