Perhaps more so than any other major league baseball team, the Minnesota Twins draw their fans from an entire region, and not just from a single metropolitan area. Walk by the bus parking lot at the Metrodome before a game and you'll see buses full of fans from all over Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota. It doesn't hurt that the games are played in Minneapolis with it's nightlife, cultural attractions and shopping, but the people on those buses are mainly baseball fans, and for a lot of people in small towns all over the Upper Midwest, the Twins are their team.
And for many years now, the Twins have been returning the favor. The Twins Winter Caravan takes Twins players, coaches, and a couple of TV announcers out on buses of their own to visit those towns the fans come from, and let them see and visit with some of their favorite Twins. As someone who lived in a couple of those small towns while growing up, I can tell you that it really is a big deal for the fans there. It's a great break from winter drudgery, a reason to get out and socialize, and, especially, a chance for kids to interact with players in a way they'd hardly be able to at a game. It also helps ensure that a lot of those small town fans will make a yearly trip to Minneapolis to catch a game or two.
The Twins just announced this year's schedule, and you can find out if they're coming your way right here.
Keywords: Minnesota Twins, winter caravan
