CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Appalachian League announced the Greeneville Flyboys as the 2024 Organization of the Year. This award is given to the club that exemplifies the standards of the complete baseball franchise based upon franchise stability, contributions to the league stability, contributions to baseball in the community and promotion of the baseball industry.
Greeneville’s overall and average attendance has increased each year since the reformation of the Appalachian League from a rookie-level affiliated league to an MLB-partnered summer collegiate league in 2021. This season, the Flyboys welcomed 57,604 fans to Pioneer Park with an average attendance of 2,400, placing them second in the league in both categories. The club’s overall attendance this season was a 27.2 percent increase over the organization’s attendance in 2023 and a 71.3 percent spike compared to the Flyboys’ inaugural season.
Greeneville’s July 4 game drew a franchise-record 5,077 fans to the ballpark.
“It is an honor for the Greeneville Flyboys to be named the 2024 Appalachian League Organization of the Year. It was easy to see early on this season that we were set up to have an incredible year,” Flyboys general manager Brandon Bouschart said.
“Being recognized with this award truly shows that our ownership, full-time staff, interns, gameday staff, players and coaches went above and beyond to lead us to our most successful season to date. We cannot thank our community partners, season ticket holders and fans enough for their support this season. Go Flyboys!”
Greeneville won the Appy League’s West Division this year, clinching their first postseason berth since 2021 on July 26 before finishing the regular season with a 28-16 record -- 5.5 games ahead of the second-place Kingsport Axmen. The Flyboys would defeat Kingsport in the Appy League’s first-ever Divisional Round before falling to the Danville Otterbots in the Championship Game on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Greeneville had a season-high five-game winning streak from June 27 to July 3 and had winning streaks of three or more games on five occasions. Statistically, the Flyboys finished second in the Appy League in batting average (.270), OBP (.388), slugging (.371) and staff ERA (4.22).
The Flyboys’ 2024 promotional calendar featured new and exciting themes like Top Gun Night, where fans enjoyed push-up contests, air-piano battles and Top Gun-themed jerseys, with auction proceeds benefiting the United Way of Greene County. Another first was Flyboys Eras Night, celebrating Taylor Swift with themed T-shirts, videoboard headshots and a night full of her greatest hits. The Flyboys also hosted memorable events like the second annual Corgis and Coronas, which drew the largest crowd yet and honored Appalachian Hall of Famer Dale Alexander with a special bobblehead night.
Community service was another cornerstone of the Flyboys' success, with over $200,000 in gift-in-kind contributions and more than 500 volunteer hours. The Flyboys supported various organizations, including the Rotary Club, Boys & Girls Clubs and the Salvation Army.
The team also played host to the Bristol State Liners, with Pioneer Park serving as the State Liners’ home field for the season.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague & @appyleaguedata on Twitter, and @appyleague on Instagram.
