Bourbon & baseball | Whiskey Thief, Louisville Bats team up to transform Slugger Field club areas

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Two downtown Louisville area businesses are coming together to bring a unique experience to Slugger Field.

A multiyear partnership between the Louisville Bats and Whiskey Thief Distilling Company will transform the ballpark's club areas.

The On-Deck Club will now be known as the Whiskey Thief Backstop, providing "some of the most immersive seats in the ballpark" in the first two rows behind home plate. Inside the club, there will be an all-inclusive buffet with food and drinks included in the price of a ticket to the Backstop. It will be available during home games and for private events when the Bats aren't playing.

The Whiskey Thief Stadium Club will also be behind home plate, on the second level of the ballpark. It features a bar, a lounge with indoor seating and a panoramic view of Slugger Field.

"The Whiskey Thief Stadium Club and Lounge and the Whiskey Thief Backstop will elevate two of our premier club areas while adding a distinctive new element to the ballpark," Bats President Greg Galiette said in a news release Tuesday.

The areas will feature Whiskey Thief products and have a Whiskey Thief look and feel.

Leaders said the partnership is centered around "enhancing the fan experience" at Slugger Field.

"We're big believers that whiskey is an experience, we're excited about that," said Walter Zausch, founder and CEO of Whiskey Thief.

The collaboration comes more than a year after Whiskey Thief opened a tasting room in NuLu.

"Bringing together two teams known for creating authentic, experience-driven moments, it's a distinctly Louisville collaboration built for fans who believe bourbon and baseball simply belong together," Zausch said in a news release.

The new area will be up and running for the Bats' March 27 season opener.

To learn more about The Backstop or purchase tickets, click here. For more ticket options, click here.