With the recent snowstorm and below zero temperatures many want to escape the winter weather with thoughts of summer and baseball. NYSEG Stadium is gearing up for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2019 season. A visit to the stadium shows there is lots going on despite the bitter cold and snow.

First of all, there is an eerie feeling of emptiness. Not just no fans but no seats and no video board. Workers have removed all the seats in the ball park. The old seats were the original seats put into use when the Binghamton Mets opened their inaugural season in 1992. Scheduled to be installed before the 2019 home opener against Erie on Thursday, April 11 at 6:35 P.M. are over 6,000 brand new seats complete with cup holders.

Also missing is the video board that was installed over a decade ago in right field. At the time it was state of the art but with technology changing at a rapid pace the Rumble Ponies have removed that video board and are replacing it with a larger, high-definition board. The new video board will provide enhanced picture quality and better visibility. In addition the Rumble Ponies are installing an additional board to replace the message board located beyond the left-field wall.

The renovations are major parts of a $5.1 million improvement plan for NYSEG Stadium which was announced in November. Other components of the upgrades include turf replacement, structural upgrades, a new sound system, new fencing and netting and upgrades to the Rumble Ponies' home clubhouse.

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