The Ken Shepard Award is given annually for promotional excellence in the Atlantic League

Charleston, WV (October 2, 2023) – The Charleston Dirty Birds have been named the 2023 Ken Shepard Award winner for Promotional Excellence for the second year in a row. The award recognizes the Dirty Birds for their promotional calendar and in-game entertainment.

The Dirty Birds’ promotional calendar featured Friday night giveaways and multiple identities to increase attendance by nearly 27,000 fans in 2023. The club played as the Charleston Pepperoni Rolls as an alternate identity to embrace a West Virginia staple and as the Pajaros Sucios de Charleston to embrace the Latin Culture of the area. The club also held its fourth annual African American Heritage Night and its first Women Making a Difference Night.

“We are constantly raising the bar of what success means to us and our community,” said Dirty Birds’ Owner and CEO, Andy Shea. Having the best fan base that I’ve been around, provides constant motivation and support!”

On top of many celebrations throughout the season, the Dirty Birds’ promotional calendar also included Tuesday Baseball Bingo, Winning Scratch off Wednesdays, Dollar Beer Thursdays, and MegaBlast Fireworks every Saturday night. In-game promotions featured knocker balls, t-shirt cannon shoots, various races for young attendees, spelling bees, hat shuffles, and the helium half-inning.

“We are thankful and honored to receive this award again this year!” said Dirty Birds’ General Manager, Ben Blum. We strive to continuously improve our fans’ experience. Eden and our Promo Team approach each and every promotional opportunity with the mindset of fun, excitement, and fan engagement all while driving home our sponsors' mission. ”

The Charleston Dirty Birds are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary season in 2023, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. ALPB has sent over 1,200 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 45 million fans to its family-friendly ballparks throughout its 25-year history. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.