SALEM, ( WSLS 10) - The Salem Red Sox, the Advanced-A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, announce their new president and general manger Ryan Shelton.
According to the The Salem's Red Sox official website, Shelton was also the recipient of their 2015 Calvin Falwell Executive of the Year Award in the Carolina League, was named General Manager of the Red Sox in August of 2013.
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He joined the staff in Salem in April 2013 as Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service before the promotion.
"When we promoted Ryan to General Manager nearly two and a half years ago we never dreamed that he would have such a positive impact in such a short amount of time," said Tim Zue, managing director of the Salem Red Sox. "As President of the team, Ryan will continue to oversee all aspects of the club and we are confident that he will continue to lead the team to new heights."
During his two-year tenure as General Manager, the Red Sox have seen a total increase in attendance by 32 percent. The team has also had 11 sellouts compared to just one over the five previous seasons combined.
Under his leadership, the club has seen significant increases in season ticket sales, group tickets, and corporate partnerships. Shelton has also helped the club rededicate itself to customer service and has more than tripled the number of in-game promotions, resulting in a dramatically improved fan experience.
Shelton says, "I am so proud of what our staff has accomplished over the past two years and am honored that Fenway Sports Management has placed its trust in me as the new President of the club. I'm excited for this new chapter in our organization's history and we will continue to reimagine what the Salem Red Sox impact can be in our great community."
In addition to Shelton's promotion, the club has also promoted Nathan Blum to Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service. Blum joined the Red Sox organization at the beginning of the 2014 season as the Director of Ticket Sales and Service. In his first season in Salem, Blum executed a game plan that resulted in an overall attendance increase of 22 percent over the previous year, largely driven by a 71 percent increase in season tickets and a 42 percent increase in group/suite tickets.
In 2015, Blum helped to achieve an 89 percent increase in season tickets, which have tripled in total since his arrival.Group/suite tickets increase by 15 percent and the organization set new heights in overall ticket revenue for a second straight year.