Modesto Roadsters announce new ballpark name with multimillion-dollar partnership
Main Street Baseball CEO and Modesto Roadsters owner Dave Heller announced the new name of Modesto’s longstanding ballpark Wednesday afternoon during a press conference at the Roadsters’ home field in Modesto.
The original John Thurman Field, named for former California State Assemblyman John Thurman in 1983, survived numerous minor-league changes, and changes in professional teams.
Now, with Modesto hosting one of the Pioneer Baseball League’s newest expansion franchises, comes a new name. The Roadsters signed a 10-year, multimillion-dollar partnership with Modern Woodmen, a fraternal financial services company, which also received ballpark naming rights.
The new name of the field is Modern Woodmen Field.
“In September, I came to Modesto and stood with my friend the mayor and we announced that we were bringing a Pioneer League baseball team to Modesto and it was going to be a fun, exciting and long-lasting relationship between the team and Stanislaus County. That we were going to reinvigorate baseball and family entertainment in this community,” Heller said Wednesday. “We are here today to say we are keeping our word.”
Heller made the announcement, which he called “one of the biggest announcements that Modesto baseball has ever seen” flanked by Modern Woodmen regional director Chad Foster, financial representative Reid Conant, Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen, City Council members and Roadsters front office personnel.
Modern Woodmen is headquartered in Rock Island, Illinois, and the company already is the naming sponsor of one of the three other teams Heller owns. The Kansas City Royals-affiliated Quad Cities River Bandits in Davenport, Iowa, play at Modern Woodmen Park.
The naming of Modesto’s stadium, Heller said, will be the company’s first steps in establishing a presence in Northern California.
“As we’ve gotten to come up here, introduce ourselves and get to know the city, community and the county, it was an obvious and fantastic partnership,” Conant said. “Knowing the product that Dave is going to put out with the city of Modesto and knowing the history of this park, we couldn’t be more excited.”
Modern Woodmen will have a sign on the right field scoreboard and the batter’s eye in center field. There also will be a sign hanging under the main concourse.
“I want everybody to know Modern Woodmen,” Heller said in an interview with The Bee after the press conference.
The new naming sponsor is one of the many changes the Roadsters will make before opening day in less than a month. Bleachers have been painted, dugouts are Roadsters’ sky blue and red, 8-foot-tall sky-blue padding will be added to the outfield wall, and the top of the wall will be painted red. Mocse Credit Union has branding on the center handrails, and the Modesto Irrigation District has its name on the press box. Other improvements include a new wall in the home bullpen and new clubhouses.
SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER
Opening day is May 19. The Roadsters host their first six-game series against the PBL Travel Team before they leave for their first road trip in Boise, Idaho, against the Hawks.
The Roadsters will play 51 home games in 2026.
Heller also spoke on what fans can expect when they attend home contests, from cheaper concession prices and affordable tickets to Friday night fireworks and occasional candy drops.
Tuesdays will feature pennant giveaways and $2 hot dogs and soda. T-shirts will be given away on “Wear-it Wednesday.” On Thursdays, tickets and beers will be $3. On “Black Friday,” the players will wear black jerseys with a sky-blue Roadsters “R.” Saturdays will feature giveaways, and on Sundays, players will sign autographs and kids can run the bases.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, my overall excitement is a 27,” Heller told The Bee. “It’s going to be a fantastic opening night. And what you see here today is a big first step, but we have still so much more work to do to finish transforming this ballpark into something we can welcome the fans and say, ‘This is going to be completely different from anything you’ve ever seen before here in Modesto.’”
