“I think regardless of the level or the classification, this is one of the marquee franchises in Minor League Baseball”

Pat O’ConnerPresidentMinor League Baseball

WHY THE KANE COUNTY COUGARS...

Creating a Triple A Experience with a Single A Team.

It was 1991 and the baseball season was approaching when the Kane County Cougars shocked the Minor League community by moving their franchise from quiet Wausau, Wisconsin into the shadow of two Major League teams in Chicago. Could a struggling franchise revive itself by operating within shouting distance of the Cubs and White Sox? Would Cougar fans display support in this new environment? Throughout the years, the statistics have spoken a truth, which reveals a team revived, with their loyal fans ever present.

The Cougars continue to set a standard of excellence both on and off the field. In 2013, the Cougars welcomed their 10 millionth fan in franchise history, becoming the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to reach the historic figure. As the only team with a Major League affiliation in Chicagoland, the Cougars have proven for 24 years that there is no better place for affordable and family-friendly fun while seeing future big league stars.

IT’S ABOUT THE FANS!

FANS FIRST - BY THE NUMBERS

Triple-A Fan Basein a

Class-A League

In 2014, a total of 421,971 fans attended Cougars games at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. The Cougars’ regular season attendance total of 415,571 fans was the 23rd highest among the 160 U.S. teams in Minor League Baseball and placed the Cougars, a Class-A team, above nearly every other Class-A or Double-A club and among several of the top Triple-A teams.

2014 Overall Club RankBy Total Regular Season Attendance

1. Charlotte Knights (AAA) 687,715 71 9,6862. Indianapolis Indians (AAA) 660,289 70 9,4333. Columbus Clippers (AAA) 628,980 70 8,9854. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) 614,888 68 9,0425. Sacramento River Cats (AAA) 607,839 71 8,5616. Round Rock Express (AAA) 595,700 71 8,3907. Dayton Dragons (A) 573,709 68 8,4378. Louisville Bats (AAA) 567,256 71 7,9909. Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA) 564,625 70 8,06610. El Paso Chihuahuas 560,997 71 7,90111. Toledo Mud Hens (AAA) 545,265 71 7,68012. Buffalo Bisons (AAA) 535,275 66 8,11013. Durham Bulls (AAA) 533,033 70 7,61514. Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) 515,665 70 7,36715. Iowa Cubs (AAA) 492,060 70 7,02916. Salt Lake Bees (AAA) 470,565 70 6,72217. Fresno Grizzlies (AAA) 467,862 69 6,78118. Frisco RoughRiders (AA) 449,773 68 6,61419. Birmingham Barons (AA) 437,612 70 6,25220. Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) 429,190 71 6,04521. Rochester Red Wings (AAA) 422,454 66 6,40122. Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA) 418,147 66 6,33623. Kane County Cougars (A) 415,571 69 6,023....................159. Beloit Snappers (A) 63,505 65 977160. Dunedin Blue Jays (A) 60,044 67 896

“Most families can still afford a night at a Minor League ballpark with reason-ably priced tickets, special games and giveaways, ballpark food & beverage and

exciting professional baseball.” – Associated Press

93%

57%

98%CLASS - A

DOUBLE - A

TRIPLE - A

Cougars outdrew 98% of teams in total attendance.

Cougars outdrew 93% of teams in total attendance.

Cougars outdrew 57% of teams in total attendance.

AverageTotalHome Games

FANS... Where do they come from?

Cougars “Top 40” Cities based on ticket buying information, which includes individual buyers, group outings, season ticket & package holders.

1. Naperville2. Aurora3. St. Charles4. Wheaton5. Geneva6. Elgin7. Chicago

8. Batavia9. Oswego10. Plainfield11. Downers Grove12. Glen Ellyn13. Carol Stream14. Bartlett

15. Lombard16. West Chicago17. Bolingbrook18. Montgomery19. Algonquin20. South Elgin21. Lisle

22. Elmhurst23. Lake in the Hills24. North Aurora25. Yorkville26. Huntley27. Woodridge28. Schaumburg

29. Palatine30. Winfield31. Arlington Heights32. DeKalb33. Cary34. Elburn35. Villa Park

36. Darien37. Addison38. Sycamore39. Woodstock40. Hoffman Estates

Kane County Cougars • 34w002 Cherry Lane • Geneva, IL 60134 • 630-232-8811 • kccougars.com

• 98-49 overall record (.666 winning percentage), leading all of Major and Minor League Baseball in total wins

• 13-game winning streak

• A team ERA of 2.85

• 54-17 regular season home record

• 1st half and 2nd half Western Division champions

• Winner of the Minor League Baseball Award (“MiLBY”) as 2014 Team of the Year

In 2014, the Kane County Cougars won the Midwest League championship after compiling a season filled with numerous achievements and on-field accomplishments. The Cougars’ regular season record of 91-49 was a franchise best and the team went a perfect 7-0 in the postseason. In October, the Cougars received special recognition by Minor League Baseball as the 2014 Cougars squad was named the “Best Team of 2014” in the Minor League Baseball (“MiLBY”) awards. The Cougars received a double honor as Kane County, among a nine-team field, won both fan voting and MiLB.com staff voting in the best team category. The Cougars set the following franchise records in 2014:

In addition to the above accolades and records, Cougars manager Mark Johnson was named Midwest League Manager of the Year. Pitchers Tyler Skulina and Nathan Dorris combined for the 8th no-hitter in franchise history, while at least one Cougars player received a monthly organizational award as Minor League Pitcher or Player of the Month for four straight months. Only three other Minor League Baseball teams in the past decade have won more games in a single season than the 2014 Kane County Cougars.

IT’S ABOUT THE BASEBALL

In September 2014, the Cougars announced a Capital Improvement Project to further modernize the Cougars’ home at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark beginning in 2015, the Cougars’ 25th anniversary season.

In time for the 2015 season, a new, high-definition videoboard will be installed at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, providing an enhancement of the in-game fan experience with various promotions, game action, video re-plays and more. The Cougars will also construct a permanent music pavilion to be used for gameday events such as the Cougars’ Ballpark Concert Series, as well as non-gameday events. The Cougars have announced an agreement with 4Topps Premium Seating to construct a premium seating area on the lower-seating bowl area of the ballpark. This new premium seating area, to be located behind home plate will provide a unique gameday experience, complete with waitress service while offering the ability to cater towards multiple-size groups, including individuals.

Finally, the Cougars will be constructing a new batting cage, complete with two hitting tunnels. The climate-controlled cage will also house an expanded Cougars’ weight room and a state-of-the-art video room, allowing convenient access for field staff to develop and evaluate players.

IT’S ABOUT THE BALLPARK:CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

• The Cougars, Class-A farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks, are the only Major League affiliated minor league team in the Chicago area.• A total of 421,971 fans attended Cougars games in 2014 – the largest single season attendance total for the franchise since 2010.• The Cougars continue to thrive in a competitive Chicago media market with multiple news outlets covering the organization on a daily basis.• The Cougars became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to reach 10 million fans.• Theme nights in 2014 brought fan excitement to a high level this season as fans participated in Star Wars Night, Princess Night, Bark in the Park and many other special event nights.

• The Cougars organization will celebrate their 25th anniversary season in 2015.• Among many team accomplishments, the Cougars won the Midwest League Championship for the first time since 2001. The team’s 91 regular season wins broke a franchise record set by the 2001 championship squad. Only three other Minor League Baseball teams in the past decade have won more overall games in a single season.• The Cougars assisted non-profit organizations including churches, schools, outing groups and others with charitable donations for fundraising events. When the 2014 calendar year closes, the Cougars will have assisted more than 2,000 non-profit organizations through donations of ticket vouchers, memorabilia and gift certificates.• New in 2014, the Cougars introduced a “Ballpark Concert Series”, bringing popular bands to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark for a pre-game concert. In 2015, the Cougars will host another series of concerts to take place before select Saturday games.• In September 2014, the Cougars announced a series of capital improvement projects to further modernize the Cougars’ home at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark beginning in 2015. Those projects include a new hi-definition videoboard, batting cage with video and weight rooms, Cougars Cultural Park with a permanent music pavilion, and premium seating area behind home plate on the concourse level.• As a year-round venue, Fifth Third Bank Ballpark can accommodate numerous events throughout the year such as formal events, trade shows, conferences and meetings.• Attendance has averaged nearly 450,000 per season for the past 10 years, while also averaging approximately 7,000 fans per game for the past 10 seasons.

• The fireworks shows, premium item giveaways and memories are all FREE.• More than 1.5 million children and 5,000 schools have participated in Ozzie’s Reading Club in the past 10 years, in an effort to promote literacy in the community.• 500 participants took part in Ozzie’s Home Run and Walk 5K, with proceeds benefiting the Ozzie’s Scholars reading scholarship program.• A total of 128 former Cougars have played in the Major Leagues. The list includes World Series champions, Major League All-Stars and MVP award winners.• Providing the very best affordable, family, G-rated entertainment to the Chicago area since 1991.• Some of top Cougars alumni currently playing in the Major Leagues include Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers), Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles Dodgers), Andre Ethier (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Huston Street (Los Angeles Angels).• Cougars mascot Ozzie T. Cougar and Cougars players visit more than 100 locations throughout the community to lend a helping hand each season.

QUICK FACTS

34w002 Cherry LaneGeneva, IL 60134

630-232-8811 • kccougars.com

Cougars games are regarded as a terrific destination for your group outing. Whether it’s just the family or an event for your business, social club or organization, the Cougars have all the bases covered. Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is the ultimate destination for group fun - we have more than 20 different catered party areas including outfield decks, rooftop party decks, a

Super Suite banquet room and private party suites. Groups between 20 and 5,000 people can find a home here for the best in entertainment, customer service and hospitality. Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is also a year-round destination for group events such as fundraisers, holiday parties, busi-ness meetings and seminars, weddings and much more.

HOSPITALITY

SPONSORSHIP

Virtually any type of business with any size mar-keting budget can promote their products and services to the large base of Cougars fans, as more than 400,000 fans attended a Cougars game in 2014. A marketing relationship with the Cougars also creates an association between your brand and the Cougars, outstanding reputation for value and service in the Chicagoland market. Marketing options can include a multiple season or single-season sponsorship including, but not limited

to, permanent stadium signage or a branded on-field promotion. Your business can also look at a single-game marketing option such as product sampling, digital activation elements or a branded souvenir giveaway item.

At each Cougars game, our captive audience is exposed to your message for more than 3 hours in one sitting. Let us get creative and we’ll customize a campaign to make your product stand out with a unique promotion.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Kane County Cougars organization strives to main-tain their commitment to serving communities through-out Chicagoland. The 2014 season of Cougars baseball in-cluded numerous examples of that philosophy as Ozzie’s Outreach Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation provided a variety of charitable and educational services.

This past season, nearly 150,000 students improved their reading skills through Ozzie’s Reading Club, the Cougars’ reading incentive program. The Cougars awarded a total of twelve $1,000 scholarships to past and current members of Ozzie’s Reading Club through the Ozzie’s Scholars program. a total of 500 participants

took part in Ozzie’s Home Run and Walk 5K, with pro-ceeds benefiting the Ozzie’s Scholars program. In-season charity initiatives enabled the Cougars to do-nate to a variety of worthy causes in the Chicagoland area including Tri-City Family Services, Lazarus House and the Dempster Family Foundation, among many others. Each year, the Cougars assist hundreds of non-profit organizations through the donation of game tick-ets and memorabilia. Ozzie T. Cougar along with Cou-gars players make numerous visits to events, schools, hospitals and festivals each season.

As the only minor league team with a Major League affiliation in Chicagoland, there is absolutely no better place to see future big league stars. More than 120 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues – the list includes World Series champions, Major League All-Stars and MVP Award winners. Some of our alumni include Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Dempster and Josh Beckett.

The Cougars won a franchise-best 91 games during the 2014 regular season while going a perfect 7-0 in the postseason to win the Midwest League Championship for the first time since 2001. The Cougars led all of Minor League Baseball (160+ teams) for most wins in a season and for the entire regular season, also led Major League Baseball for most wins.

In 2014, the Cougars continued to thrive in a com-petitive media market. Multiple newspapers contin-ue to cover the Cougars games on a day-by-day basis while Cougars players and front office staff were fea-tured in television and radio coverage this season. The Cougars doubled their social media reach on Facebook this past year and now have more than 20,000 ‘likes’. In 2013, the Cougars created a Google

virtual tour of Fifth Third Bank Ballpark to give fans an in-depth look at navigating the ballpark online. The Cougars became the first Minor League Base-ball team to incorporate this new Google technology.

MEDIA

BASEBALL

Kane County Cougars • 34w002 Cherry Lane • Geneva, IL 60134 • 630-232-8811 • kccougars.com

Creating a Triple A Experience with a Single A Team.