Living the LugLife: Dansville native Tyler Parsons back home running show as Lugnuts' GM

Lansing State Journal

Lansing Lugnuts general manager Tyler Parsons, right, poses for a picture with Detroit Lions mascot, Roary, during a recent game. Parsons, a Dansville native, is in his first season as the GM of the Lansing Lugnuts.

The idea of returning home wasn’t something Tyler Parsons ever envisioned.

Once he left Central Michigan in 2011 to move south, Parsons figured he wouldn’t return to the state, let alone the Lansing area.

But that’s now exactly where the Dansville native finds himself as he is in his first season as the general manager of the Lansing Lugnuts.

Parsons was a little hesitant about leaving his gig as the general manager of the Johnson City (Tennessee) Cardinals - a Rookie League minor league baseball club affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals - when first approached about the possibility of joining the Lugnuts

“I didn't have any interest. It wasn't something that was on my wavelength there,” Parsons said.

“Really what sold me on coming back to Lansing besides being a hometown guy and the family stuff was how much it has changed and evolved around here. This is not the same Lansing I grew up coming around visiting when I was a kid. I knew I could come back here and be part of a lot of positive momentum and a lot of good change that's happening around here.

"I was still going to be able to get the same quality of life I was kind of looking for as well and be close to home.”

Parsons, who spent four years as a general manager in Johnson City prior to returning to the Lansing area, has had a busy debut year on the job with the Lugnuts.

One of the biggest tasks the organization had was recently hosting the Midwest League’s All-Star Game, which attracted more than 9,000 fans to downtown Lansing.

He has also been part of a brand refresh for the Lugnuts, who have adopted the LugLife slogan this season and earlier this year became one of the first professional teams to have its own branded spirit. The Lugnuts announced in March its LÜG vodka, which is distilled by its downtown Lansing neighbor - American Fifth Spirits.

More:LÜG vodka to premiere on Lugnuts opening day

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More:With focus on fan safety, Lansing Lugnuts extend netting at Cooley Law School Stadium

The Lugnuts have ranked in the top half of the Midwest League in average attendance this season and had the biggest crowd to see a game anywhere in the league this season with 11,302 at Cooley Law School Stadium for the Fourth of July contest against West Michigan.

Cooley Law School Stadium has also become safer with the organization extending its protective netting to the end of both dugouts. The Lugnuts have the ability to extend the netting further if need be, according to Parsons..

Lansing Lugnuts general manager Tyler Parsons and president Nick Grueser stand together for a photo. Parsons is in his first season as the Lugnuts' GM, while Grueser was promoted to the team's president after previously being the GM.

Parsons said the biggest thing he is trying to do in his role with the Lugnuts is keep up to date with the trends and the things that are working to attract fans to minor league baseball.

And from his prior stops in Tennessee and working with the Forest City Owls in North Carolina and the Martinsville Mustangs in Virginia, Parsons knows the community plays a vital role in his mission to grow the Lugnuts brand.

"The community aspect is something I'm really, really passionate about," Parsons said. "I had a lot of hard work put in in Johnson City, Tennessee, that helped build that team. We didn't have the giant, elaborate marketing budget, nor do we have that here in Lansing. Really you've got to pound the pavement and get that community support and get everyone behind that vision, and what you're trying to do which is to bring tons of people to downtown and have a good time and spur the economic development."

Parson helped Johnson City see an increase in ticket sales and attendance during his time as general manager and is focused on finding ways to continue to attract fans to Cooley Law School Stadium in a day and age when people are no longer coming to the park just to watch baseball.

"The whole fan experience is changing and evolving and you're seeing it nation wide with all these pro sports arenas -- they're kind of changing how their stadium structure is and having more of these social areas and game areas," Parsons said. "It's not just about sitting there and watching a game now. You can do so much stuff.

"It's an overall entertainment experience and I think that's something that I took from down in Tennessee. We're trying to build that and listen to our people here and make some changes and keep adapting."

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.