The team was on the road for four of the first five weekends of the season, but attendance rebounded strong in the final stretch of the campaign, and the GM reports that the relationship between the Raptors and Ridgefield remains strong
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
It felt like the whole season went by in a blur, Gus Farah said.
Plus there were oddities within the schedule.
On the field, the team did not shine as well as it had in previous seasons.
Yet, with all these factors, there really is only one area that determines the success of the Ridgefield Raptors: The baseball community in general.
“We’re here for family affordable entertainment, a Southwest Washington gathering location,” said Farah, the team’s general manager.
“I want to measure the end of the season with the connection and the relationship between Raptor Nation and the community. There is a lot of love in that connection,” he said.
The team had an overall record of 24-30 and did not make the playoffs.
“Do we want to win? We want to win every game. Was I bummed out that we didn’t make a playoff run? Yes. But as soon as I forget why we are here, that’s when it will get difficult.”
No significant difficulties as far as the business model, Farah added. He said the staff at home games at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex gets better and better every year, because all involved learn new ways to do things every year.
The fan experience. The community bond. Win or lose on the field, the Raptors know their priorities.
The team has already sent out a survey to its season ticket holders.
“We want to know,” Farah said. “We want to make it better.”
The schedule was not too kind to the Raptors this season. They were on the road on four of the first five weekends of the season. Then, at one point, they had nine home games in 10 days. That puts a lot of pressure on the staff, and it also makes it difficult for the fans to come out to every game.
Even with those challenges, the Raptors managed to attract more than 2,000 fans on five different nights.
“We made a big rush at the back end of the year in terms of attendance,” Farah said, noting that the Raptors do not control the West Coast League schedule.
Next year’s schedule will not include Ridgefield’s rival Cowlitz Black Bears. The same ownership group for the Raptors also runs the Black Bears. But after 15 seasons, the Black Bears said goodbye to the Longview/Kelso area after this season.
Farah said Ridgefield fans need not worry. The Raptors are thriving in Clark County. Farah said the landlord-tenant relationship was strained in Cowlitz County. There is only respect in Clark County.
“We have a long-term agreement in Ridgefield. The relationship is solid on both sides … super solid,” Farah said. “We’re not only hooked on Ridgefield, Ridgefield is hooked on us. Solid ground.”
So much so, Farah said the Raptors staff is already looking forward to the 2026 season.
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