Sweet smell of success: RiverDogs GM recounts challenges, triumphs
Moultrie News. June 22, 2026.
A COVID shutdown that resulted in the layoff of 28 of 35 full-time staffers was a moment Charleston RiverDogs President/GM Dave Echols recalled with great clarity during his appearance at the June 18 Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. But the longtime executive's trials didn't end there, as Major League Baseball also called for large-scale changes to the Single A franchise's facility during that same period.
The major league owners would soon terminate a nearly 100-year mutual agreement with the RiverDogs in their takeover of all 160 minor league franchises, with only 120 surviving a sweeping purge. Prior to the newly imposed rules and guidelines, MLB and the RiverDogs had been operating as separate entities.
Part of those new directives was to discontinue the RiverDogs partnership with the New York Yankees as their major league affiliate. Instead, RiverDogs leadership was given a choice of four Southeast markets to work with that would geographically place the major and minor league products in closer proximity. From there, the RiverDogs established a new relationship with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The other end of the deal, however, forced Echols and company to implement renovations to meet MLB's new standards. This included the RiverDogs and the City of Charleston combining to foot the bill for $5 million in new and upgraded amenities. These included new kitchen-equipped clubhouses, an on-site weight room and sleep rooms, among other additions that would allow Joe P. Riley Park (aka "The Joe") to stay modern for the next 20 to 25 years.
The Citadel's baseball program — which plays and practices at The Joe — also benefitted from the new construction, as the project included a new Bulldogs clubhouse underneath the ballpark.
"To be able to coordinate all that with the city and The Citadel, MLB, Tampa and RiverDogs ownership ... we're pretty excited to pull all that together and make it happen," said the 25-year RiverDogs GM.The Joe, added Echols, is more than a sports venue in that it also hosts several special events throughout the year. Spectators attending concerts, games or other attractions can purchase a ticket to a stadium seat or take advantage of the Segra Club's climate-controlled luxury boxes.
"[Mayor] Joe Riley, on his way out the door, gave us the green light to build that almost 10 years ago. It's unbelievable to say that, but it does look like its been there the entire time," continued Echols.
But the improvements don't end there. The guest speaker filled in listeners on Phase 2 of the post COVID upgrades, which could include a 360-degree walkaround concourse. This part of the project has taken a backseat to other ballpark undertakings, according to Echols, as talks between the team and the city continue on that front.
On the diamond, the partnership between the RiverDogs and the Rays has been prosperous, with the minor league squad winning three consecutive titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The RiverDogs remain the only to register a championship three-peat in the Carolina League.
This year has seen the Charleston team finishing in first place in the first half of the regular season with a 38-29 record, guaranteeing them a playoff berth. The second half, said Echols, will determine who the RiverDogs will play in the postseason.
As for attendance numbers, the Ohio native proudly stated that the Charleston market continues to "explode," and the RiverDogs are riding that wave.
When asked if fans can expect the on-field dance-offs and backflips typically featured at Savannah Bananas games, Echols conceded that every promo proposal must gain MLB approval. Ideas that are deemed too risqué or out of the box are typically denied by MLB management in Midtown Manhattan.
As for the challenging aspects of his job, the Johns Island-based married father of one maintained that Charleston's herky-jerky weather constantly keeps him on his toes. But while most fans will come out in the extreme heat, he reasoned, many will stay home if there's even an uncertain threat of rain in the forecast.
But after 25 years in the Holy City, Echols can confidently proclaim that there's no other place he'd rather be than in Charleston.
"When I came into the business, I had my checklist of things I wanted to accomplish career-wise and away from the job. But Charleston in the Lowcountry, it checks all the boxes for me. So, you know, I got a great ownership team who leave me alone and let us run the team because we've proven we know what we're doing."
