Winds Of Change: Wind Surge, Marlins Descend On Wichita

In 2020, the breeze will carry Marlins AAA prospects back westward. They will settle in southeastern Kansas as members of the Wichita Wind Surge. Why the relocation? Why Wichita? Why the Wind Surge? For the answers to those inquiries and more, we spoke to the franchise’s owner, Lou Schwechheimer.

Since 1993, Schwechheimer’s franchise made its home in the city of New Orleans. For the first four years of existence, the club played in the American Association before signing their first PBA affiliation in 1993. Ten years and two PCL league titles later, the club became affiliated with the Marlins. In 2017, Schwechheimer and his staff attempted to reinvigorate the club by rebranding and the Zephyrs became the New Orleans Baby Cakes. It worked.

In addition to changing the team’s name and image, Schwechheimer attempted to do the same to Zephyr Field as it became the Shrine On Airline. Schwechheimer and his partners put up thousands of dollars of their own money in order to upgrade the park’s fan interaction areas in an attempt to drive attendance numbers which had been declining annually long before his arrival in NoLa.

However, all of Schwechheimer and company’s action to revitalize the team was met with equal inaction by local officials and by the stadium’s management team, LSED which last renovated the park in 2008 (playing surface only). For that reason, Schwechheimer applied to terminate partnership with the city after the 2019 season, despite there being two years remaining on the club’s lease at the Shrine.

According to Schwechheimer, because of his own expenditures in New Orleans, he was not actively seeking to relocate the club before those efforts reached fruition and before his contract with LSED expired. However, in Wichita, Schwechheimer recognized a golden opportunity, one he knew he had to seize.

Under the guidance of the stadium oversight committee headed by three members of the team’s front office, construction on the soon-to-be Wind Surge’s home ballpark began in February 2019. The design and build teams were headed by the DLR Group and JE Dunn Construction which have experience in building upward of 50 stadiums and arenas nationwide. More than being a place for his team to play ball, Schwechheimer’s vision for the park, a $75,000,000 project built on the banks of the Arkansas River overlooking the Wichita skyline, is two-fold: drive local business and create a family-friendly destination for both Wichita natives and out-of-towners, one to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Only a couple more months until fans can enter the stadium for opening day #TGIF #SurgeUp pic.twitter.com/8So5m8w1vE

— Wichita Wind Surge (Official) (@WindSurgeICT) December 14, 2019

What fan interaction areas does Schwechheimer have planned for the park to ensure his vision is seen through? He highlighted just a few of his fondest:

In relocating, Schwechheimer has also prioritized his relationship with the Marlins and has welcomed them as an equal partner while building the park’s playing surface and player/coach areas.

—

What’s in a name? For Schwechheimer, a ton.

When relocation became a certainty, Lou and crew left naming the franchise in the hands of those that would be donning, speaking and connecting with the name most frequently: the fans. In order to give breath the eventual winner, the club recruited one of the best sports artists: the world-renowned Todd Radom.

The team’s social media accounts revealed the five runners-up for the clubs name including the Line Men, the Doo-Dahs and the 29ers before finally announcing the team’s official identity on November 13.

Here’s the meaning behind your Wichita Wind Surge!! Here’s to a new era in this great city!! pic.twitter.com/VxMoGRGkL0

— Wichita Wind Surge (Official) (@WindSurgeICT) November 14, 2019

The market agreed and the immediate response to the logo unveil was booming. According to Schwechheimer, it is the most successful branding he has ever been a part of.

According to Wichita native and new Wind Surge fan, Chad Downing, the new team name and logo was met with coalesced reactions. However, Downing is confident that come Opening Day, the region, being rewarded with an MLB-affiliated franchise for the first time since 1984, will be all in.

In addition to providing Marlins AAA prospects with a state-of-the-art home facility, the venture in Wichita has already begun building Miami’s fan base well outside the borders of South Florida, a tradition that should continue with each passing generation as Wichitans introduce their children to the game of baseball.

Overall, Downing, speaking on behalf of his fellow Wichitans, grows more and more exuberant as the Surge’s stadium continues to take shape in the shadow of the Wichita skyline. Downing said the region isn’t taking the return of affiliated ball for granted. He is confident that his fellow fans will turn out in full throat not only this season but for many years to come.

—

Speaking from experience, Schwechheimer affirms that the road to success is an essential route, one that — if paved correctly — builds relationships and makes triumph that much sweeter. Looking back at the past few months, Schwechheimer attests that his staff, all while juggling the responsibility of moving their personal lives to the Midwest, have performed exemplary, going above and beyond to ensure a swift relocation and timely birth of a new park. Due to the nearly perfectly smooth path trodden, all signs point to a prosperous Opening Night on April 14.

The Wind Surge, headed by a class chock full of Marlins’ top 30 prospects such as Monte Harrison, Jesus Sanchez, Nick Neidert and others, will take their home field for the first time on April 14. Due to his staff’s early efforts to endear themselves to their new home both inside and outside of their new confines, the city of Wichita will undoubtedly be with them.

Interested in learning more about the Miami Marlins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!