ThunderBolts 2027 Schedule is here!

CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2027 SEASON SCHEDULE PRINTOUT

After missing the playoffs on the final game of the year and posting its first winning season since 2017, the Windy City ThunderBolts look to take the next step with the release of its 2027 schedule.  Your Bolts will open at home on Friday night, May 7 against championship series participant Evansville Otters.

The 2027 season will bring a major change to the Frontier League as the circuit officially becomes the National Association of Professional Baseball (NAPB), kicking off a comprehensive brand transformation.  “With the tremendous growth over the past five years, highlighted by our expansion into Canada along with the Northeast and Southeast in the United States, our board determined that we had outgrown the Frontier League brand, and that National Association of Professional Baseball better identified our current structure and future goals.” commented league commissioner Steve Tahsler.

In addition to the new league name, the National Association welcomes two new clubs to the mix in 2027.  Both the Kane County Cougars and Cleburne Railroaders join the NAPB to grow the league to a 20-team lineup.  Kane County, out of the far western suburb of Geneva, will add a new local rival to the ThunderBolts being just 50 miles away from Crestwood.  Cleburne, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, becomes the first team from the state of Texas to play in the league.

The two new teams will force an adjustment to the league's structure as Washington shifts to the Atlantic Conference.  The ThunderBolts remain in the Midwest Conference's West Division joining Gateway, Cleburne, Joliet and Mississippi.  Conference crossover games in 2027 will see the Bolts travel to Canada for the first time in three years to take on Quebec and Trois-Rivieres.  They welcome New Jersey to Crestwood from the Atlantic Conference as well as a visit from the Brockton Rox for the first time ever.

The playoff format remains unchanged from last year.  Each conference's two division winners will qualify as well as the next two conference teams with the best record as wild card teams regardless of division.  The Division Series will be a best of three while both the Conference Championship Series and NAPB Championship Series will be best of five.

Standard game times for the 2027 season will not change as we keep the 6:35 pm starts Tuesday through Friday evenings, 6:05 pm on Saturday nights and 1:05 pm on Sundays.  Next summer also features nine 10:35 am morning weekday games between the months of May and July. 

The ThunderBolts are also pleased to announce that our famous postgame fireworks will return each Friday and Saturday night next summer!  The rest of our weekly promotional schedule, giveaways and special theme nights will be announced at a later date.

Group pricing will be announced in a few weeks and reservations for our Executive Suites, all-you-can-eat Picnics, and our popular #WinCity Party Patio will go on-sale Monday, January 4th.  Individual game tickets go on-sale Friday, April 9th at 10 am.  We look forward to seeing you at Ozinga Field in 2027!

CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2027 SEASON SCHEDULE PRINTOUT

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The Windy City ThunderBolts, part of the MLB Partner League Frontier League, are proud to provide fun, affordable family fun to the Chicago Southland for over 25 years.  Our beautiful home, Ozinga Field, is located at 14011 South Kenton Avenue in Crestwood.  For more information, please call 708-489-2255 or visit our website at wcthunderbolts.com.  Be sure to follow us all off-season long on Facebook, X (formally Twitter) and Instagram!