Play means many things to people in Placer County, but for Lincoln Potters General Manager and President Matt Lundgren, it definitely means “Play ball!”
The Lincoln Potters, originally founded in 1923 as the Lincoln Cubs, has grown into one of the most notable summer collegiate wood-bat teams in the country over the last 100 years due to Lundgren’s leadership. An average of 1,000 fans of all ages turn out to enjoy every game each summer.
“I love baseball,” says Lundgren. “I grew up playing baseball and am very fortunate to have been able to make a career out of it. Baseball — especially a team like the Potters — brings together so many people from around the region, not just Lincoln. It invokes a sense of nostalgia and fosters camaraderie amongst players, fans and the community.”
Lundgren began his sports management career with the Cincinnati Reds and Tucson Padres in 2012. His grit and revolutionary management philosophy — inspired by his time working for Branch Rickey III, grandson of Branch Rickey, who signed Jackie Robinson — ultimately led him to the Sacramento River Cats in 2014. He then joined the Marysville Gold Sox as general manager while helping to run the Sacramento Stealth.
Nearly a decade ago, he joined the Potters for its relaunch season as general manager. The Potters play at McBean Stadium and attract collegiate baseball players from all over the country. Players stay with local host families for the duration of the season.
“I grew up playing baseball and am very fortunate to have been able to make a career out of it. Baseball — especially a team like the Potters — brings together so many people from around the region, not just Lincoln. It invokes a sense of nostalgia and fosters camaraderie amongst players, fans and the community.” - Matt Lundgren, Lincoln Potters General Manager and President
Sports tourism is a major contributor to Placer County’s overall $1.4 billion tourism Industry, providing 17,000 local jobs, and the Potters are part of this engine. Lundgren also runs the Potters’ subsidiary food and beverage company, which allows fans to enjoy beer, wine, food and other refreshments all season long. Lundgren also handles marketing and promotions for the Potters and coordinates on-field entertainment.
Lundgren joined Clifton Taylor and Isabel Domeyko Taylor in team ownership in 2019, and in 2022 was named president of the Lincoln Potters Baseball Club. The club is ultimately a part of the Domeyko Taylor Holding Company family of companies.
What Lundgren has created for Potters fans and the wider community isn’t just an afternoon or an evening at the ballpark — for so many in the South Placer community, he has defined summer.
