OnDeck Partners CEO Mike Carney speaks to members of the community during a fan fest event at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia on Jan. 14, 2026. To the left of Carney is former Rawhide co-owner Sam Sigal and General Manager Julian Rifkind to the right. Photo by Dylan Gonzales

One of the longest-running sports franchises in the Central Valley kicked off a new era Wednesday night as the Visalia Rawhide hosted their first ever fan-fest event at the city-owned Valley Strong Ballpark under the new ownership of OnDeck Partners and CEO Mike Carney.

The event drew several hundreds of fans — even more than team officials were anticipating — who enjoyed food, drinks, a free baseball card of Tipper, the Rawhide’s mascot, a Rawhide lanyard and the chance to leave a permanent mark on the stadium with people signing the outfield wall. 

“It’s completely overwhelming for us,” Carney said. “Valley Strong Ballpark is the heartbeat of this community, and we take very seriously our role as stewards of this franchise.”

Carney and OnDeck Partners, who also own the Montgomery Biscuits minor league team, highlighted plans to enhance the fan experience with new concessions, improvement to the team store and family-centered events. 

“We want everybody who comes here to have a great time — whether it’s for a baseball game or something else — and go home telling their friends and family about it,” Carney said. 

The ownership change and fan fest celebration come two years after serious concerns over the future of the team, culminating in a lawsuit between the City of Visalia and the Rawhide over who should be required to fund stadium improvements to meet Major League Baseball requirements. 

Former co-owner Sam Sigal said in 2024 that the city was required to make healthy and safety upgrades or the team would have to potentially relocate.

The parties eventually reached a settlement that the new ownership intends to honor.

Carney said that the new ownership team is developing a multi-year plan for potential renovations and also larger community events. Carney said he wants to enhance the minor-league experience by adding fun fan engagement while also honoring die-hard fans of the game.

OnDeck Partners is part of the Avenue Sports Fund, which is controlled by Avenue Capital Group.a New York-based investment firm with over $10 billion in assets.

Avenue Sports Fund was launched in 2023 and invests in minority stakes in sports leagues, women’s sports and emerging leagues.

Rawhide single-game tickets are now available online and at the Rawhide Ticket Office. Opening Day is April 3, against the Fresno Grizzlies. 

The Rawhide, Single-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, celebrated 80 years of professional baseball in Visalia in 2025.