No, it was an event. Part concert, part circus and part carnival.
Fans who had made a habit of driving by to watch the progress of The Hangar, as LMS is known, wasted little time getting into the parking lot Tuesday.
Rene Carter, a parking attendant for the JetHawks, said cars began arriving at 2:30 p.m. for the 7:15 p.m. game.
"People are anxious to get here," Carter, 39, said. "This is the hottest thing in Lancaster. It's going to be a big day."
Indeed it was. The game was the first minor league game in Los Angeles County since 1957. But baseball has changed just a bit since the Hollywood Stars and Anaheim Angels played in the old Pacific Coast League.
Such changes as a hot tub for the fans, called "Boil a Date." Or more conventional seating is offered with a twist of luxury: A skybox, complete with couches and a wetbar.
And what would any event be without the refreshments? In addition to the usual hotdogs, peanuts and soda pop offered at any ballpark, such things as bison burgers and jalapeno pretzels were also available.
Of course, there were the do-ityourselfers. Several people began the festivities right in the parking lot, complete with portable barbecue pits and coolers.
Art Lofton, 39, was part of a tailgating group from the Northrup-Grumman recreational club that attended opening night.
"This is exciting. It's great because it brings some entertainment to the Valley," said Lofton, who considers himself a casual fan of baseball. "I'm just out here to be with my friends."
And that seemed to be the attitude of many. Mixed in with the hard-core baseball fans - complete with team hats and scorebooks - were those who came out for a good time.
John and Dorothy Palischak of Rosamond have been Valley residents for almost 40 years. Although they are baseball fans, they said they bought season tickets for the entertainment that minor league baseball offers.
"This is just fantastic. We wanted to come out here, support the JetHawks and watch the game," Dorothy said.
As are most entertainment ventures, minor league baseball is a business. From the ticket-takers at the gate to the players on the field, the national pastime is their livelihood.
For Carter, working for the JetHawks was a break.
Carter, who is a coach for the El Dorado Little League, moved to the Valley two years ago.
"It's been tough finding work," said Carter as he directed traffic into the parking lot. "But this broke the ice right here.
"I just love baseball - that's why I applied for this job. Any time I get the chance to go over to the field and watch the players work out, I go. I just love it."
For Larry Beinfest, The Hangar is a great place to watch his investment.
Beinfest is the director of player development for the Seattle Mariners, the Major League team affiliated with the Class-A JetHawks of the California League.
"This is even better than I imagined," Beinfest said. "The field is immaculate.
"We've played in some places. . .that weren't state-of-theart. This is state-of-art."
And the new state of entertainment in the Valley.