Office Number: (843) 413-2833
Email: [email protected]
Mailing Address: 1951 Pisgah Rd., Room 130, Florence, S.C. 29501
Ballpark: Carolina Bank Field
Steve DeLay has spent more than 25 years in the sports business working at all levels including the NBA, NHL, MLB and MiLB.
He is the co-author, with Jon Spoelstra of “The Ultimate Toolkit to Sell the Last Seat in the House”, a comprehensive ticket sales strategy, tactics and training system for teams, schools and special events and “The Ultimate Toolkit – Sponsorships”, a complete sponsorship sales strategy and training system.
DeLay is also the owner of the Macon Bacon, another Coastal Plain League team which played its inaugural season in 2018. The Bacon are consistently one of the top summer collegiate baseball teams in attendance.
DeLay also was part owner of the wildly successful Savannah Bananas – in the same league – and developed the strategy to help propel the Bananas to No. 2 in the country in attendance and record-setting sponsorships.
DeLay's background is in enhancing revenue streams with a focus on ticket and sponsorship sales. He has consulted with NBA and NHL teams such as the Portland Trail Blazers and Columbus Blue Jackets, Major League Baseball teams, college athletic departments, conferences, bowl games and various other properties.
He spent 12 years with Mandalay Baseball Properties as Chief Marketing Officer primarily overseeing ticket sales and sponsorship sales for all seven of Mandalay’s teams. DeLay was also Mandalay’s primary point person for startups and turnarounds, overseeing the turnaround of the Las Vegas 51s, Staten Island Yankees, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and the startup of the Winston-Salem Dash and BB&T Ballpark. He was Mandalay’s primary point person on all naming rights deals and national sponsorship opportunities.
DeLay also oversaw Mandalay Sports Consulting, a division of Mandalay set up to assist teams, colleges and other sports entities with revenue production including sponsorship sales strategy, naming rights, ticket sales strategy and training, suite sales strategy and training, game entertainment and facility management.
Brandon Raphael is a member of the ownership team with the Florence Flamingos. He joined managing partner Steve DeLay in the controlling rights purchase of the team in October 2020. Raphael also is the team president of another Coastal Plain League team, the Macon Bacon.
Raphael is in his third season as president of the Macon Bacon. He is entering his 21st year in the sports and entertainment industry.
In 2020, Brandon led the efforts for the Bacon to play during the COVID-19 pandemic in front of fans – one of only approximately 15 teams in the entire country to do so. The 2020 campaign also brought Macon its first championship baseball team since the 1962 Macon Peaches, as the Bacon captured the Southern Southern Ball Series. In 2019, the Bacon posted the team's best record in franchise history, advanced to the Championship Series and raised more than $50,000 for local organizations. Brandon was rewarded for his efforts and named the 2019 Coastal Plain League Executive of the Year.
Before the Bacon, he has more than 18 years of experience in various roles in sports including the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development and Ticket Sales at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Brandon previously worked with the Bacon's owner, DeLay, at the Frisco RoughRiders and the Las Vegas 51s. Overall, Raphael has made stops in Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer and collegiate athletics.
He is from St. Louis and attended Maryville University where he also played baseball.
Raphael has two children: Caden and Brooklyn.
Mitchell is entering his second season with the Flamingos serving as the team president. He has worked in Minor League Baseball for over 10 years. He has spent time with the Lynchburg Hillcats, Hickory Crawdads, Staten Island Yankees (Go Yanks!) and the Carolina Mudcats before settling in Florence.
Mitchell graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management.
He and his wife Kayla have a daughter, Myla, and another on the way. The Lister family loves the Florence community and enjoys calling South Carolina home. Mitchell has a new kitten, Melo (Carmelo) who is excited to be part of the Flock as well.
Phone - 843-413-2833
Email - [email protected]
Alex just finished her second summer with the Flamingos and is entering her first off-season as a full-time employee.
She loves the Florence community and working with the Flamingos host families and sponsors! Alex has lived all over the country, but was actually born in Florence. She is excited to get back to the south.
Alex graduated with a Sports Media and Political Science degree from Oklahoma State University.
She loves sports, but also loves music! Alex can play five different instruments and spends most of her free time playing music.
Phone - 865-985-2028
Email - [email protected]
Matt is entering his second season with the Flamingos working in the ticket department.
He previously worked for the Baltimore Ravens as a Training Camp Marketing Intern in 2019 and 2021, and oversaw box office and ticket package sales.
Matt graduated from Ohio University with a major in Communication and minors in both Marketing and Sports Administration.
A fun fact about Matt - his dad got pickpocketed while his family attended Super Bowl 47 (Go Ravens!).
Phone - 843-413-2735
Email - [email protected]
Blake is joining the Flamingos after completing an internship with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, working with their food and beverage department.
He recently graduated from Arkansas State University, and was born and raised in Hot Springs, Ar. Blake is new to the south, but is loving it so far!
He loves to hunt, fish and watch baseball.
Phone - 843-413-2781
Email - [email protected]