The term “pet friendly” can now be applied to a professional sports franchise: The Arizona Diamondbacks. With a big assist from PetSmart, for each of the 13 Dog Days of Summer held at the D-backs’ Sunday home games, pets can enjoy concessions such as dog-friendly ice cream with toppings like kibble and other pet treats.
Customer experience has taken on new meaning.
As part of the Dog Days of Summer ticket package, pet parents will also receive a PetSmart “Doggie Bag,” complete with free items from PetSmart.
“We at PetSmart truly value the time pet parents spend with their beloved pets, and we want to help enrich the experiences they share together – including a baseball game,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart, Inc. “PetSmart’s home office is based right here in Phoenix, and we are thrilled to partner with the D-backs, our hometown team, on this first-ever ballpark experience with a season-long, dedicated space so fans can enjoy a Sunday ball game with their best friends or even expand their families through pet adoption.”
The PetSmart Patio will be located along the main concourse behind the left-center field wall. The patio area will feature a family-friendly atmosphere with multi-tiered seating that is perfect for groups of humans and canines of various sizes.
Directly behind the PetSmart Patio will be the PetSmart Park – an outdoor and indoor (air conditioned) dog park so even in the heat of the summer dogs can run around and play. The outdoor park will feature a baseball theme complete with a baseball diamond and a grassy outfield – perfect for dogs to explore, play ball with other dogs or find their perfect “spot” to go to the bathroom.
“We are excited to create a unique dog-friendly area of our ballpark and can think of no better way than to partner with Phoenix-based PetSmart,” said D-backs president and chief executive officer, Derrick Hall. “Bark at the Park has always been a popular event at Chase Field, and now we are thrilled to offer fans the opportunity to bring their dogs to our games every Sunday to a new destination designed specifically for them. For many households a pet is an extension of their families and the D-backs are excited to partner with PetSmart to provide a family-friendly atmosphere for all family members, including our canine friends.”
Dog Days of Summer ticket packages are available now for purchase and include a semi-private space with all the necessities for four people and one dog. Each of the 13 home games will feature an MVP — Most Valuable Pup – shout out. Dog adoptions will be a part of the PetSmart Dog Days of Summer program with the help of PetSmart Charities’™ and PetSmart’s local animal adoption partners.
The first Dog Days of Summer Sunday home game is April 10 when the D-backs face the Chicago Cubs.