Mike Abramson
General Manager
Hartford Yard Goats
Connect with Mike:
LinkedIn Bio
QUICK FACTS:
Events: MiLB
Years in Sports: 21
Fueled by: Mike can frequently be found chewing some gum to keep him on beat.
Inspired by: Other people doing the work Mike does well. Clever people inspire him and makes him want to be better.
THE DREAM THAT BECAME A REALITY …
As Mike puts it, he was a late bloomer starting his career. He finished college in his late 20s and wanted to work in radio, which is exactly where his career path began. His first job was at a small station in Southern RI, where they would broadcast the Pawtucket Red Sox games. There, he had the opportunity to meet the front office team, and with his love of baseball, he thought working at the PawSox was only a dream. However, in 2006, that dream job at the PawSox became a reality.
In 2012, he saw a job opening at the New Britain Rock Cats that offered the chance to help the team open a new stadium in Hartford. He began as the VP of Marketing, and when the stadium opened, he was promoted to Assistant GM, which led him to his current role as General Manager of the Hartford Yard Goats.
Mike loves the work he does. the best part is getting to watch people enjoy what they (the team) make. In many other industries, you create a product and never get to see the consumers enjoy it. In sports, you can see the joy in real time.
The best advice Mike ever received was from former PawSox GM Lou Schwecheimer: “Always on a high of 60 or a low of 40.” Meaning it is super essential to be even-keeled. To be the rock that other people can lean on.
BEYOND THE EVENTS:
Mike doesn’t sit still very well. He likes to have many projects going on, which makes working at a ballpark perfect for him.
COVID was a turning point; it took a pandemic to slow Mike down. He had a difficult time learning how to downshift and be still. For much of his professional life, it has been go, go, go. Once he mastered the slower pace, he learned how important a good work-life balance is.
His family is his rock outside of the ballpark. They can frequently be found on the beach, by the pool, hiking, or taking in some live music. Mike also enjoys doing housework, inside and out. However, as his three girls get older, he now does more of the things he WANTS to do rather than the stuff he has to do at home. Mike loves spending time with his wife and three girls.