Range Riders Awarded 2024 McCurdy Cup
December 30, 2024
The Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) announced that the Glacier Range Riders are the 2024 recipient of the McCurdy Cup. Named after longtime PBL commissioner Jim McCurdy, the McCurdy Cup is a leaguewide recognition awarded to the club that best demonstrates continued excellence both on and off the field. This achievement is affirmation of the team's remarkable success in player development and positive impact on their local community over just three seasons.
"This is a proud moment for the entire Range Riders organization. The honor reflects our promise to bring the best organization possible to the communities of the Flathead Valley, which have supported us every step of the way," said Glacier Range Riders President Chris Kelly. "Winning the McCurdy Cup is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff who have made Glacier Bank Park a special place for baseball in this region."
From their inaugural season in 2022 to now, the Glacier Range Riders have rapidly built a reputation as an organization that contributes to the improvement of operational best practices in the league. Each year, the team has attracted a larger number of total spectators to Glacier Bank Park. Nearly 120,000 guests visited the stadium during the 2024 season. Despite having one of the smallest metro populations of the 12 teams in the PBL, the team had the fourth best attendance record this past season. The Range Riders also led the league in streaming viewership on FloSports for the second year in a row and was one of just five clubs to broadcast all 102 games their team played this year on local AM/FM radio.
The 2024 season showcased the team's on-field prowess, culminating in their first-ever appearance in postseason contests, including the PBL Championship Series. After clinching a playoff spot by having the second best first-half record in the league, the Range Riders went on to topple the Missoula Paddleheads with a convincing 17-3 victory ending the season of their Highway 93 rivals. The playoff victory was even more impressive considering the Range Riders led the league with eight players being signed to affiliate teams in 2024, tying for the most sent upward in the ranks of professional baseball by a PBL organization in a calendar year. Three alums have made it as high as Triple-A play; Logan VanWey with the Houston Astros, Jonathan Pintaro with the New York Mets, and Connor Housley with Chicago White Sox.
Beyond the field, the Glacier Range Riders contribute tremendous economic and entertainment value to the Flathead Valley. During the peak of the summer, the organization will employ nearly 200 locals and is one of the few employers in the area to offer jobs to teenagers as young as 14 to explore careers in the areas of entertainment, event operations, hospitality, food and beverage, and retail.
Glacier Bank Park is also known for partnering with Montana companies. Not only have they made historic partnerships with well-known local brands such as Glacier Bank and Logan Health, but much of what you can buy at the park is sourced from the community. For example, the beer garden, which opened in 2024, features only Montana brews and the ballpark's ice cream stand is stocked with Sweet Peaks Ice Cream. Uncle Dan's Brat Stand, also brand new in 2024, serves local brats from Redneck Meats in Columbia Falls, and right next to that, you can get pizza or lodgepoles from the Mackenzie River Pizza food truck.
Committed to family-friendly entertainment, the Range Riders host family days every Sunday home game, which features discounted ticket plans for families to come to the ballpark and the opportunity for kids to run the bases after the game. In addition to offering a variety of ticketing options to provide affordable and premium experiences at the ballpark, Glacier Bank Park is one of just three ballparks in the Pioneer League to offer luxury suites so the community can enjoy professional sports in a first-class manner without having to travel out of state.
The Glacier Range Riders indelible impact extends into community initiatives as well. This year, the organization hosted a youth baseball clinic on the Blackfeet Reservation for the MLB's PLAY BALL Weekend, upholding a commitment to spread the love of baseball to Northwest Montana. As part of a partnership with Logan Health, the Range Riders have honored a "Hero of the Home Series" featuring individuals that persevered through adverse medical conditions. Also with Logan Health, Glacier created one of the most unique nights in minor league baseball last year in a matchup with the Billings Mustangs, when both teams wore specialty jerseys in support of a "Let's Talk About It" campaign night to fundraise and bring awareness of the importance of suicide prevention in the state of Montana.
The team also continued to become a community hub in the valley with events like the 3rd Annual Trunk-or-Treat. In 2024, this event brought around 1,500 people to Glacier Bank Park for a free event which families could trick-or-treat in a safe and fun environment. The Range Riders also frequently partner with The Red Cross to facilitate blood drives. Additionally, Glacier Bank Park served as the venue for the Sapa-Johnsrud High School Baseball Invitational in 2024, marking the first time a non-Range Rider baseball event was hosted at Flathead Field. These activities align with the Range Riders' mission to use baseball as a vehicle for fostering connections and creating lasting memories for community members of all ages and interests.
The Glacier Range Riders are an MLB Partner League baseball team located in Kalispell, Montana. Established in 2022, the Range Riders compete in the Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) and will begin their fourth season of play on May 20. To learn more about the team, visit GoRangeRiders.com.