Big Top Baseball Information

Big Top Baseball is the nation's leader in summer collegiate baseball, operating four Northwoods League (NWL) franchises in the state of Wisconsin. Big Top Baseball owns and operates the Madison Mallards, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, Kenosha Kingfish, and Green Bay Bullfrogs. The organization holds every national attendance record for summer collegiate baseball and drew more than 375,000 fans to its ballparks in 2014, almost 400,000 fans in 2015, and over 578,000 fans in 2016 across all venues. Big Top Baseball has won more Northwoods League Organization of the Year awards and Executive of the Year awards than any other organization. In 2014, Big Top Baseball was rewarded the Ballpark Digest Organization of the Year. After winning the NWL Summer Collegiate Word Series in 2015, the Kenosha Kingfish were named the Organization of the Year. Continuing the story of excellence, the Rafters won the NWL Collegiate World Series in 2016 and GM John Fanta was name NWL Executive of the Year. Big Top Baseball has teams in three of Wisconsin's four largest cities and places a focus on affordable, family entertainment and strives to play an integral role in each of its communities. Beyond the baseball field, Big Top Baseball also manages Breese Stevens Field, located in downtown Madison. This stadium was built in 1926 and since then has hosted numerous events. Now a turf field, Breese is home to local football, la crosse, and soccer teams, as well as the Madison Radicals ultimate frisbee team. Under Big Top Baseball management, the facility has become a year-round venue used for national concerts, community festivals, and more. In it's first year of operation under BTB, Breese Stevens welcomed 85,000 people through the gates. Big Top Baseball also produces the annual Festival Foods Shake the Lake event. Originally known as Rhythm and Booms, this large-scale fireworks show has grown to be a full-day event managed by the Mallards. The event takes place downtown Madison and features the state's largest fireworks show, shot from barges on Lake Monona. In 2016, the second year of the event managed by BTB, over 90,000 people attended.