Dugout 152 bringing batting cages to Mustang
Dugout 152 opened Sunday. The facility allows for batting cages to be booked individually or the facility to be booked for teams online. (Photos by Jacob Sturm)
Cages are open to the public right now through an online registration.
The group is looking for trainers to partner with as more people use the facility.
By Jacob Sturm
A new Mustang business is swinging for the fences with a concept sure to benefit the surrounding communities.
Dugout 152, which will provide batting cages for interested parties to come utilize, is moved into a property at 320 S Symes Lane, with business underway starting this past Sunday.
The group submitted their business license application on Jan. 18, with the city inspector going to the property and inspecting it on Feb. 9. Usually the business requests what day they want to have their building inspected so they can make sure to have everything ready.
Matthew Mangus, a co-owner of Dugout 152, said both teams and individuals can come and use the batting cages or the facility through rentals.
He said he and his brother have children coming up in Baseball and Softball. The group (Matthew, his wife Layne, his brother Josh and wife Kaylee) have been thinking about the idea for the facility for the past six months. Matthew said they waited until a facility became available at the beginning of January when they secured the place.
“We just felt like this area really needed something,” Mangus said. “There’s no team practice facility or batting cages in Mustang, Newcastle or Tuttle. You really have to go to Moore or you have to go to Yukon to have anything to use. And so, we felt like there was a big need for that, especially with the great complex Mustang has with softball and baseball. It’s one of the best around, and so we thought those would go hand-in-hand with one another.”
Mangus said the new business will have a new learning curve with things, but so far everything has been smooth sailing getting things set up for the Feb. 26 opening.
He did say the biggest hurdle may come in the form of understanding everyone’s needs and finding a way to meet the setup requirements for different groups within the facility.
“We have spoken to the president of the Canadian Valley Baseball Association (CVBA),” Mangus said. “She said they have 190 teams within that association between softball and baseball. And so, our information and our flyer went out to all 190 teams.”
Several of those teams have already reached out and plan to use the facility.
The group is also looking for trainers. Typically, a trainer and facility will partner together, with a trainer paying for the cage in use while making some money from the client on top of that.
“We’re looking for people to help us in that area and be those trainers that are available to be booked through the website,” Mangus said.
That website to book trainers is live and available at dugout152.com. The facility is access controlled and booked online, too. That means nobody is manning the facility, but people go online and book their day and time slot and receive a text with an access code for the building.
There are six cages available for individual rentals, with netting being able to be pulled back to make a half facility or full facility for teams.
Full memberships are also available, where people can pay monthly to come for an hour every day if they like. People with memberships can also get special access to nicer equipment available for members and teams.
A party room is also available for kids wanting to celebrate at the cages. The party room is air conditioned unlike the rest of the facility.
The facility is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.
This is much needed and welcome addition to the community
This is a much needed and welcome addition to the community.