We first partnered with the Bears two years ago as part of our effort to enhance our baseball program, and our athletic program in general, by working out an agreement for us to play at Riverfront Stadium, a really first class facility. Our players enjoy it, and our students enjoy attending both NJIT and Bears games.

But the partnership was more than about playing baseball.  It was about linking with the community, building community partnerships, including an advertising and marketing partnership with the Bears and working with the community to enhance attendance at Bears games through providing we receive as part of the partnership to community based organizations.

I like to think, although I haven’t talked with Steve in detail about this, but I like to think this two year partnership was successful and Steve and I sort of had, at the same time, a desire to expand and strengthen it, and, this fit well with our transition from NCAA Division II to Division I, for all of our athletic teams, including baseball.

So, this new partnership is about expanding our playing schedule and use of facilities at the stadium as we bring to Newark some of the best college baseball teams in the country, teams at universities who are our academic peers as we will be, hopefully soon, their athletic peers.  It brings to Newark, hometown, Division I baseball.  Hometown sports bring excitement to the community, and the most excitement comes at the highest level of competition, which is where we are headed.  To say that NJIT plays at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium means something to a recruit looking at NJIT, and it will give us an edge over the competition.

At the same time, we have expanded our relationship with the Bears through enhanced advertising and marketing efforts, assisting each other, as well as NJIT housing Bears players who may need local housing during the season.

The Bears are great folks with whom to do business.  I count Steve Kalafer among our best of friends, a gentleman with whom we are proud to be associated, and who, along with his partners and staff run a first class operation.