Summer League Series: Bismarck Larks Owner John Bollinger

Published: May. 30, 2022 at 8:06 PM CDT

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - One of the more recent additions to the sports scene in North Dakota are summer wood-bat leagues. This year, we’re planning on giving you an inside look at what make these collegiate summer-league baseball teams run their operations.

In episode one, we sit down with Bismarck Larks owner John Bollinger as they prepare for Opening Day.

KFYR-TV Sports Reporter Jeff Roberts: “Welcome inside the first edition of the summer league series, I’m joined by the Larks owner John Bollinger. John, year six, how crazy is it that you’re already here?”

Larks Owner John Bollinger: “It’s crazy. After going through 2020 nothing is really that crazy, but it’s just been an amazing five years and we’re ready to make season six the best yet.”

Roberts: “Season six, ‘Celebrate Good Times.’ How did that come to fruition?”

Bollinger: “Yeah, for us we like to have a theme every single year. I don’t want to talk about it anymore, but the last two years were just so different. We had 2020 change how the game of baseball is viewed and played. I mean it was wild. 2021 felt a lot more normal but there was still cautioned to make sure it was a good experience for everybody. So, this year we just want everyone to celebrate. We don’t have to worry about being around each other, celebrating with our coworkers, celebrating with our families. So, there’s a lot to celebrate, and that’s the message we wanted our fans to know we’re focused on.”

Roberts: “You’re getting down to the final weeks before the season starts, how long of a checklist is there going into the season and if you can break it down a bit, what does that look like for you as the owner?”

Bollinger: “It’s changed for me. The first couple years it was everything. I was involved in every department. I had five to six really good employees but I was working concessions. Just making sure we had food ready to be cooked and had enough grills. Planning for the show and writing the scripts. Where now, we have 14 full-time employees. We have an unbelievable team that’s been doing this for a couple years now. So, the list is always long making sure things are ready to go on opening day, but right now it’s just fun doing what we got to do and making sure the seasons the best yet.”

The Larks open the season at home on Wednesday against Rochester. The Big Sticks are off Monday and Tuesday. The Sabre Dogs have the fourth game of their season opening series against Red River in Minot Monday night.

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