Skip to content
Toggle menu
SportsTravel SportsTravel

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events

Primary Menu
  • News
    • Hosts & Suppliers
    • Recently Awarded
    • Sports Organizations
    • Sports Venues
    • Sponsors & Media
  • IN DEPTH
    • Editor’s Picks
    • On Assignment
    • Perspectives
    • Technology in Sports
  • Podcasts
  • Sports
    • CATEGORY
      • Amateur Sports
      • Youth Sports
      • Collegiate Sports
      • Professional Sports
      • Olympic Sports
      • Paralympic Sports
      • National Governing Body
      • Adaptive Sports
      • Sustainability
      • Water Sports
      • Winter Sports
      • Women’s Sports
    • INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
      • Baseball
      • Basketball
      • Bowling
      • Cycling
      • Football
      • Golf
      • Gymnastics
      • Hockey
      • Lacrosse
      • Motorsports
      • Pickleball
      • Rugby
      • Running
      • Soccer
      • Softball
      • Swimming
      • Tennis
      • Track & Field
      • Triathlon
      • Volleyball
      • Wrestling
  • Esports
    • Esports News
    • Esports Guide
    • EsportsTravel Summit
  • Resources
    • Bid Bowl
    • Submission Form
      • About Bid Bowl
    • Destination Spotlight
    • Destination Guides
    • Downloadable Guides
    • Venue Guides
    • Media Kit
      • Media Kit
      • 2023 Editorial Calendar
    • Digital Edition
  • Subscribe
    • Subscribe to E-Newsletter
  • EVENTS
    • TEAMS CONFERENCE & EXPO
    • TEAMS Europe
    • EsportsTravel Summit
    • SportsTravel Road Trip
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Instagram


Home > Youth Sports > Ripken Baseball Returns Home to Aberdeen,While Eyeing Further Expansion

Ripken Baseball Returns Home to Aberdeen,
While Eyeing Further Expansion

What started as a baseball camp/clinic has evolved into a youth sports extravaganza

Posted On : July 14, 2022 By : Justin Shaw
2022-RIPKEN-EXPERIENCE
Cal Ripken Jr. throws the ceremonial first pitch before the beginning of a game between two youth teams at the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen, Maryland. Photo courtesy of Ripken Baseball

When Cal Ripken Jr. and Bill Ripken started organizing youth baseball camps and clinics two decades ago, the mission was simple: Pass on the teachings of how to play baseball that their father, Cal Sr., instilled in them.

The two Major League Baseball veterans are baseball lifers. Cal Jr. became the Ironman, playing 2,632 games in a row en route to the Hall of Fame, while Bill played 12 MLB seasons before transitioning to an analyst on MLB Network and SiriusXM radio.

Related Stories

  • AAU and ISF Create Partnership for Betterment of Youth Athletes
  • XP League to Launch in Central Florida in May
  • Triple Crown Sports, Athletes Unlimited Create Partnership
  • 76ers Owners Invest in Ripken Baseball, Cooperstown All Star Village
  • 2024–2025 USA Taekwondo Events

But the duo never could’ve imagined what Ripken Baseball would morph into. As Ripken Baseball relocates its company headquarters to Aberdeen, Maryland, located in Harford County, it’s a homecoming for the Ripken boys, who grew up in the area.

Aberdeen may be a small town of about 16,000 residents, but what the Ripkens have created for the youth baseball landscape is anything but small.

“They were raised in a house where everything was related to baseball,” Mike Kenney, executive vice president of Ripken Baseball. “So, their whole life revolved around baseball, and they wanted to pass that on to kids by starting a camp and clinic business. They never thought back then that it would turn into what Ripken Baseball is today. At the core of the business, the camps and clinics are about teaching and making kids feel like they’re a big leaguer for the day. So, moving into the tournament space, that goal was still the same.”

What began as a camp/clinic for a few dozen kids has turned into a staggering success — both financially, and when it comes to lighting up youths’ faces when they attend a Ripken Baseball tournament.

Cal Ripken Jr., left, and his brother Bill Ripken created Ripken Baseball to honor their father Cal Sr.’s legacy. Over the years, the company has evolved into a tournament hosting experience for youth athletes from around the world. Photo courtesy of Ripken Baseball

Matthew Scales, director of Visit Harford, estimates of the roughly $50 million brought into the county by sports tourism each year, Ripken Baseball is responsible for $31 million.

“While the teams travel to Harford County, Maryland, from all over the region, they not only are staying in hotels and dining in our restaurants, but also making a mini-vacation out of it by visiting nearby attractions, museums, etc.,” Scales said. “Harford sits at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, which offers visitors dining waterfront views and opportunities to get out on the water. Harford County is thrilled to have The Ripken Experience Headquarters coming here, and we are looking forward to continuing our strong partnership with The Ripken Experience and Ripken family.”

The MLB Experience

The odds of a youth baseball player making it to “The Show” and running onto a Major League Baseball field are extremely low. There are roughly 750 spots on MLB rosters for the millions of youth players growing up around the world. But that doesn’t mean these youngsters will not get to experience what it’s like to be a big leaguer for a few days.

“We announce their name and play their walkup music, and we have sports drinks, gum and sunflower seeds for them in the dugout,” Kenney said of the Ripken Baseball game production. “They really feel like they’re a big leaguer. And on top of that, they have fun. And that’s really what it’s all about.”

That’s not all when it comes to the authentic Major League Baseball feeling. The majority of Ripken Baseball’s fields are replicas of famous ballparks from the past and present. Some of the fields include Fenway Park (complete with a Green Monster), the old Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, PNC Park, Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards.

Two recent additions in Aberdeen are Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, and PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. An estimated 27,000 competitors play at the Ripken Baseball Experience in Aberdeen each year, which brings 90,000 total visitors to the area.

“The kids love it, but the parents and the adults are also very impressed,” Kenney said. “The colorization of the turf, the way that these fields come to life, it truly is spectacular. You can play baseball in your hometown at your local field, or you can come and be a part of this experience where you are Mike Trout, Mookie Betts or Aaron Judge for the day.”

Pre-COVID, Ripken Baseball was hosting teams from 12 countries annually including Canada, Australia and countries from the Middle East. They aren’t quite back to those pre-COVID levels now, but Kenney is optimistic that over the next year or two, they will be back to 2019 status.

“The economic impact is just as important to have as your team and visitor count,” Kenney said. “It’s incredibly important because this is how the business world functions — a lot of these local businesses rely on us bringing these kids in, and vice versa. We need those businesses to be there for families to want to come, stay in the hotels, eat at the restaurants and go to the movie theaters and other attractions.”

Expansion Beyond Harford County

While the roots of the Ripkens and their company are located in Aberdeen, Ripken Baseball been expanding to other states as well. With Ripken Experience facilities already located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the company has a new Experience opening in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

The fields at Ripken Baseball tournaments are scaled-down replicas of past and current MLB fields, making the experience ever more realistic for the players. Photo courtesy of Ripken Baseball

“The plans are aggressive growth, and that is something that we focus on every day,” Kenney said of Ripken Baseball’s expansion. “We’re having conversations with municipalities all over the country to find the right mix of destination and location for diamond sports.

“We fully expect to have quite a few announcements over the next year to 18 months of different places that we’re going to, and we couldn’t be more excited about. There are some Southern states and West Coast places that we are aiming to get to, and a few places in the Midwest. Our sights are set on having up to 10 different locations over the next few years.”

The expansion may not stop there. Kenney explained while baseball is at the core of what the Ripkens do, the business has evolved to the Ripken Experience, which could include additional youth sports such as soccer, lacrosse and others.

“The business and the company have turned into experience providers. We provide the most memorable experience in youth sports,” Kenney said. “We do think the experience we provide will also play in other sports, because while we may not be proficient in other youth sports at the moment, all the elements of running the events, the way you treat people, the way you sell it — all those are the same.”

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Email
Posted in: Editor's Picks, Major League Baseball, Youth SportsTagged : Bill Ripken,Cal Ripken Jr.,Major League Baseball,Matthew Scales,Mike Kenney,Ripken Baseball

Post navigation

Group to Spearhead Flag Football’s Pitch for 2028 Olympic Summer Games
The Old Course at St. Andrews Readies
for the 150th Open Championship

Follow us on Twitter

SportsTravel Follow

Breaking News, Podcasts and Analysis Serving People who Organize, Manage and Host Sports Events. Producers of the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

SportsTravel
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
4h

.@PTimeSports and @SnapdragonStdm will host the return of Tour Águila to Southern California with a Liga MX clash between @ClubAmerica and @xolos_en on March 26.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/club-america-xolos-de-tijuana-to-meet-in-san-diego/

Reply on Twitter 1623416101517561856 Retweet on Twitter 1623416101517561856 Like on Twitter 1623416101517561856 Twitter 1623416101517561856
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
4h

.@CPSportsCenter in Sandusky, Ohio, has announced details for the first phase of a planned competitive gaming development at the sports complex expected to open in May.
https://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/cedar-point-sports-center-adds-esports-venue/

Reply on Twitter 1623406356115111936 Retweet on Twitter 1623406356115111936 Like on Twitter 1623406356115111936 Twitter 1623406356115111936
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
6h

Primetime Sports and Snapdragon Stadium will host the return of Tour Águila to Southern California with a Liga MX clash between Club América and Xolos de Tijuana on March 26. https://wp.me/paJznw-duX

Reply on Twitter 1623381395627286532 Retweet on Twitter 1623381395627286532 Like on Twitter 1623381395627286532 Twitter 1623381395627286532
sportstravel SportsTravel @sportstravel ·
9h

The organizing committee @Paris2024 has unveiled the look of the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games as well as the pictograms of the sports disciplines for next year's event. https://wp.me/paJznw-dvl

Reply on Twitter 1623340878461820928 Retweet on Twitter 1623340878461820928 Like on Twitter 1623340878461820928 Twitter 1623340878461820928
Load More

sportstravel

We are on location for the next few days at the #s We are on location for the next few days at the #superbowl to do some interviews and reporting on the scene in the buildup to Eagles and Chiefs on Sunday. Be sure to follow along!
Pro Bowl Games 2023 #probowl #football #flagfootb Pro Bowl Games 2023

#probowl #football #flagfootball #lasvegas @allegiantstadium @vegas @nfl #fans
There's so much to discover at the new Virginia Be There's so much to discover at the new Virginia Beach Sports Center! 285,000 square feet of convertible space can accommodate 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, nine field hockey courts, and a 200-meter hydraulically banked track—and it can hold up to 5,000 spectators to watch the action.
SportsTravel is on location in Philadelphia for th SportsTravel is on location in Philadelphia for the @unitedsoccercoaches Convention that starts tomorrow and lasts throughout the week. We’re looking forward to the next few days of connecting with friends old and new on location.
CES 2023 is going strong in Las Vegas. CES 2023 is going strong in Las Vegas.
Virginia Beach may be famous for its gorgeous outd Virginia Beach may be famous for its gorgeous outdoor spaces, but the city’s newest sports facility makes it a pleasure to be indoors. The @vbsportscenter is your premier sports facility in Virginia Beach, offering high-quality basketball, volleyball, field hockey, track & field facilities, and plenty of room for your team to shine. Find out more at https://vbsportscenter.com
Michigan won’t go away. What an instant classic. Michigan won’t go away. What an instant classic.
The TCU faithful have had a lot to cheer about in The TCU faithful have had a lot to cheer about in the first half.
The College Football Playoff kicks off with the fi The College Football Playoff kicks off with the first semifinal between TCU and Michigan at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
Some sights and sounds from the Rivalry Series gam Some sights and sounds from the Rivalry Series game between Team USA and Team Canada on December 15.
Hilary Knight tied the game for Team USA in the th Hilary Knight tied the game for Team USA in the third period of a Rivalry Series game with Team Canada on December 15.
Michelle Lupo, the business development manager fo Michelle Lupo, the business development manager for the @northstarmeets Sports Division, moderated a session today at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism, featuring Kara Bachman from the Chicago Sports Commission, Curtis Francois from World Wide Technology Raceway and John Groh from the Rockford Area CVB. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about sports-related travel!

@chisportscomm @wwtraceway @gorockford #travel #tourism #sportstravel #sportsbiz #sportsbusiness
The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok kicks off wi The Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok kicks off with a 2 a.m. start Sunday to give runners the best conditions possible across the city. The Expo is taking place at Royal Paragon Hall, where runners can pick up their bibs and prepare for the race.

#marathon #running #sportsevents #sportstourism #sportstravel @tourismthailand
Thank you to @worldathletics and Mass Participatio Thank you to @worldathletics and Mass Participation World for the chance for SportsTravel Executive Editor and Publisher Jason Gewirtz to present the latest data on sports-related travel to delegates at the World Athletics Global Running Conference in Bangkok. Friday’s schedule also included remarks from the prime minister of Thailand and the country’s sports and tourism minister, who emphasized the importance of sports events to the nation’s economy and quality of life.

#athletics #thailand #bangkok #running #sportstravel #sportstourim @tourismthailand
Love high speed sports? We are at the @ibsfsliding Love high speed sports? We are at the @ibsfsliding World Cup event in Park City at @utaholympicpark this weekend. Friday morning’s action was the women’s monobob event, won by American Kaillie Humphries. Scroll through to see the #bobsled in action at full speed, then slow motion, and hear from Humphries after her win.
SportsTravel is in Bangkok, Thailand, this week mo SportsTravel is in Bangkok, Thailand, this week moderating sessions and presenting on sports-related travel at the @worldathletics Global Running Conference, including an opening day session on government relations in sports events featuring @sport_singapore, Portas Consulting, @laliga and @houstonsports_janis from the @hc_hsa who appeared virtually from Doha where she is attending the World Cup.
#sportstourism #sportstravel #mpw22 #wagrc
Winner buys dinner! When you bring your sports eve Winner buys dinner! When you bring your sports event to World Equestrian Center – Ocala, you can refuel with something heavenly from seven different on-site restaurants. From pub burgers and #taco salads to fine dining, WEC has a #winning option for everyone.
Twickenham Stadium in London is the largest rugby Twickenham Stadium in London is the largest rugby union stadium in the world, seating 82,000. The home of England Rugby, it is owned and operated by the Rugby Football Union and hosts events year round. 

#rugby #rugbyunion #twickenham @twickenhamstadium
Black in a sea of orange: the courage of the oppos Black in a sea of orange: the courage of the opposing fans.

@raiders @broncos @nfl #fans #raiderfans #broncofans @empowerfieldatmilehigh
One of the NFL’s best traditions is the @broncos One of the NFL’s best traditions is the @broncosthunderstorm skydivers who jump into Empower Field at Mile High before every @broncos game.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • Club América, Xolos de Tijuana to Meet in San Diego
  • Check Out The Proving Grounds
  • Cedar Point Sports Center Adds Esports Venue
  • Las Vegas Approves F1 Race Contract Through 2032
  • Paris 2024 Unveils Pictograms, Branding for Games
  • 2023 WWE SummerSlam Headed to Detroit
  • USA Cycling Bringing Championship Event to Pennsylvania
  • 2024 U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials Heads to Louisiana
Sports Travel Magazine

About Us

Since 1997, SportsTravel magazine has served the sports‐related travel and event industry. It is the only publication written and designed to serve the people who organize, manage and host sporting events of all types at all levels.

  • Subscribe to E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • SportsTravel Foundation
  • Supplied Content
  • Privacy
  • Terms

NORTHSTAR TRAVEL MEDIA SITES

  • Northstar Meetings Group
  • Meetings & Conventions
  • Meetings & Conventions Asia
  • Meetings & Conventions China
  • Successful Meetings
  • Incentive
  • Meeting News
  • Retail Travel
  • Travel Technology
  • Corporate Travel
  • Hotel Investment
  • Data Products
  • See All Northstar Brands

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Sports ETA

Destinations International
Northstar Travel Media LLC Copyright © 2023 by Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000
scroll to top