"Glenn Dunlap grew up a Cincinnati Reds fan in Summitville, Ind., but when the marketing consultant looked for vacation packages to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, all he found were of the overcrowded "bus and ticket" variety."So Dunlap wrote a business plan, put up a slick Web site and $10,000, and started Big League Tours.
By the start of the 2006 season, Big League Tours was booking deluxe trips to famous ballparks, including meet-and-greets with former players, close-in seats, as well as private-bus travel, meals, and four-star lodging.
A sample four-day excursion? For $2,325 a person:
- a Red Sox game in Boston (including a Fenway Park tour and time with former pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee)
- the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
- and one of the final games in Yankee Stadium.
Dunlap, 39, runs the business on nights and weekends after his day job in Indianapolis, with the help of one full-time employee.
Revenue rose more than 300% in 2008, after a 400% increase in 2007, and the company is "close to profitable."
Source: BusinessWeek
Photo: Big League Tours
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