News

Actions

Local company made stadium seats for both World Series teams

Posted at 5:48 PM, Oct 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-28 17:48:14-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The World Series is nothing but excitement. Home runs have Chicago and Cleveland fans on their feet, and any fan lucky enough to catch one happens to be sitting in a seat made on the northwest side of Grand Rapids at American Seating Company.

"We currently have over 60% of the ballparks in Major League Baseball," Fritz Owen, midwest regional manager for American Seating told FOX 17.

Owen said that goes for Progressive Field in Cleveland which was built in the 1990s and Chicago's iconic Wrigley Field. He said the company has serviced Wrigley since its opening in 1914.

"They've gone, as I say, from the 'wood slap back' chairs to the plastic chairs today and have had virtually every variation of a sports chair we've ever made," Owen explained.

He said the company makes all kinds of seats. You name it, you've probably sat in it. American Seating produces everything from buses to trains, classrooms to courtrooms, offices to auditoriums and churches. However, it's fair to say there's nothing like the excitement of a ballpark.

Owen said, "We keep track of a little statistic that states that more than 90% of the teams that have won the World Series since 1940 have had American Seating chairs in their ballpark."

Needless to say, this year, that statistic gets an automatic boost whoever wins. As for American Seating choosing a side...

"Well, we value our business with both of the facilities and obviously we're excited to be involved with both teams in the World Series even though it's a small role that we play. It's a great opportunity, and we just wish both teams the best of luck," Owen said.