BANGOR – A day of celebration the day before the first game and a Web site built by the Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications company are among the new wrinkles designed to generate more interest in the Senior League World Series, which will be held for the fifth consecutive year at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium on Aug. 13-19.

Ten teams from around the world will converge on Mansfield Stadium for the tournament, which is comprised of pool play in two five-team divisions followed by semifinals and the final. There will also be a pool all-star game.

Bangor East Little League President Dale Duff said “we want to make it a bigger and better event [than ever]” before announcing the list of free activities scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12.

Duff, WZON radio of Bangor program director, said there will be a tour of the stadium offered to the public beginning at 3 p.m. Also scheduled are: a clinic for baseball and softball players up to the age of 12 from District 3 starting at 4:30 p.m.; a concert featuring Andy Mead’s band at 6; the opening ceremonies, including the parade of teams, at 8 and a fireworks display.

University of Maine baseball coach Steve Trimper and his staff will conduct the clinic and players attending will receive a goody bag that will include a free pass to all 24 games.

Maine shortstop Curt Smith, who hit a team-leading .390 this past spring with five homers and 55 RBIs, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday night. Smith played for the Curacao team that won the 2002 Senior League World Series.

Gov. John Baldacci will also be in attendance.

Dave Mansfield, who manages the stadium, and tournament director Mike Brooker said tickets went on sale Tuesday on the new mansfieldstadium.com Web site.

Brooker said hiring the marketing firm “puts us out in the public eye and hopefully we’ll be able to get the corporate sponsorship we so desperately need and also improve attendance which will help us [financially] at the gate.”

Mansfield added “they give us a presence.”

Mansfield also said that the Web site will have up-to-the minute updates on games and the schedule in addition to enabling people to purchase tickets.

There has been a scheduling change this season as the local District 3 champ will play three of its four pool games at 5 p.m. instead of 8:00 as has been the case the past few seasons. The Maine team also plays the tourney opener at noon on Sunday, Aug. 13 against the Canadian champion.

Brooker said a 5:00 start is “more conducive to those people who want to attend who have children. That 8:00 game doesn’t get over until 10 or 10:30 and then some of them have travel time. If we play at 5, that’s more conducive to the local population although we hope they will stay and support the teams playing in the 8:00 game.”

Brooker said despite having a record-setting year, with $38,000 in ticket sales, they lost $4,000 at last year’s Senior League World Series.

“We raised $124,000 but our total expenses were $128,000,” said Brooker.

However, he indicated that they are still $8,000 in the black over the first four years of the tournament.

“What happened is we were $30,000 short in year three and that can be directly attributed to the [poor] weather,” said Brooker.

The Little League in Williamsport, Pa., pays the teams’ expenses to Bangor and then it is up to the Mansfield baseball committee to cover their expenses during their stay.

“Corporate sponsorship has gone down every year from year one,” said Brooker. “That’s just a reality of life because so many organizations are going to the same people [for money] and the economy is bad.”

Brooker turned over the fundraising to Mansfield in April and Mansfield said “we are three months behind the goal.

“Budgets are set in January and February and we understand that,” said Mansfield. “We want to present them with what they need to know for 2007.

“We need people to support this. The bottom line is Mansfield Stadium will take care of whatever happens if we don’t meet our financial goal. But when that happens, we’re probably done with the Senior League World Series and that would be a shame,” said Mansfield.

Gerry Palmer, Bangor city councilor, said it is important to keep the tournament here.

“It means visibility for us and is a tremendous marketing tool for the city of Bangor. It’s definitely an economic engine for the city, one of many we need. It’s very positive. It’s a tremendous asset,” said Palmer.

TOURNEY SCHEDULE

At Mansfield Stadium, Bangor

Pool A

Asia Pacific, Canada, Maine, U.S. South, U.S. West

Pool B

Europe-Middle East-Africa, Latin America, U.S. Central, U.S. East, U.S. Southwest

Saturday, Aug. 12

Opening ceremonies, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 13

Canada vs. Maine, noon

U.S. West vs. Asia Pacific, 2:30 p.m.

EMEA vs. U.S. East, 5:30 p.m.

U.S. Central vs. Latin America, 8 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 14

U.S. Southwest vs. EMEA, 10 a.m.

U.S. East vs. U.S. Central, 1 p.m.

Asia Pacific vs. Maine, 5 p.m.

U.S. South vs. U.S. West, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 15

EMEA vs. U.S. Central, 10 a.m.

U.S. Southwest vs. Latin America

U.S. South vs. Asia Pacific, 5 p.m.

U.S. West vs. Canada, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 16

U.S. East vs. U.S. Southwest, 10 a.m.

Asia Pacific vs. Canada, 1 p.m.

Maine vs. South, 5 p.m.

Latin America vs. EMEA, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 17

Canada vs. U.S. South, 10 a.m.

Latin America vs. U.S. East, 1 p.m.

Maine vs. U.S. West, 5 p.m.

U.S. Central vs. U.S. Southwest, 8 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 18

Pool B No. 2 vs. Pool A No. 1, 11:30 a.m.

Pool A No. 2 vs. Pool B No. 1, 2:30 p.m.

Awards Banquet, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 19

Pool All-Star Game, 11:30 a.m.

Championship Game, 2:30 p.m.