DURHAM, N.C. – The Coastal Plain League (CPL) announced this afternoon that the Macon Bacon have been selected as the 2026 CPL Organization of the Year.

Macon was chosen after collecting input from team owners, presidents and general managers, teams and league officials on every facet of an organization from game-day operations to overall hospitality and community involvement. This is the third time they have received this honor, and their second straight after winning it in 2025 as well.

“Winning Organization of the Year for the second consecutive year is an incredible honor and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire staff,” commented Managing Partner and President Brandon Raphael. “Our fans and our community are at the heart of everything we do, so to be recognized by our peers for the work our team accomplished both inside and outside the ballpark means a tremendous amount to our organization.”

The 2026 season was a defining year for the Macon Bacon. One that demonstrated success on the field, innovation off it, record-setting fan support, and most importantly, an unwavering commitment to the Middle Georgia community and beyond.

Perhaps no accomplishment better represents the season than the complete turnaround on the field. After entering the year looking to change the trajectory of the baseball operation, the Bacon hired former Major League pitcher Jesse Litsch as it’s head coach. The move proved to be a game changer. Macon went from one of the league’s struggling teams to winning the West Division, returning to the Petitt Cup Playoffs for the first time in four years, and advancing all the way to the Championship Series.

Finishing with an overall record of 33-20, the Bacon also strung together a 13-game win streak that not only launched it into first place in the division, but also set a franchise record. As a team it featured several talented players, including 2026 CPL Starting Pitcher of the Year David Austen, and finished among the top half of the league in both team batting average and team ERA.

That turnaround wasn’t limited to the field though.

After struggling in previous seasons with a one-camera broadcast operation, the Bacon made a significant investment in completely rebuilding its streaming product. The result was a four-camera production that featured new viewing angles, professional graphics, and knowledgable commentary that ultimately saw it be named the league’s Stream of the Year. Macon’s broadcast team also was able to share highlights of games across social media to a national audience, and even had a highlight featured on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10.

“We entered 2026 focused on taking major steps forward both on the field and with our broadcast, and it was incredibly rewarding to see those efforts result in a West Division championship and Stream of the Year,” Raphael said. “I’m extremely proud of our players, coaches, and staff for embracing those challenges and continuing to raise the bar for the Macon Bacon.”

Fans showed more enthusiasm as the team made its way to the postseason, filling Luther Williams Field in record numbers. The Macon Bacon led the league in attendance for the fourth consecutive year. Merchandise sales also reached new heights in 2026, setting both franchise sales and per cap records, and merchandise per-cap spending finished 25% higher than the previous all-time high.

One of the season’s biggest successes was the launch of the Macon Cherry Bombs, the Bacon’s new alter ego. What began as a new identity quickly became a movement among Macon fans. More than 130 Cherry Bombs jerseys and 200 t-shirts were sold during the launch, establishing another brand that the community enthusiastically embraces. But the impact of the Macon Bacon extends well beyond baseball and the ballpark.

During the year, the organization participated in 19 community engagement initiatives alongside its corporate partners, ranging from building beds for children who don’t have one, to planting trees, to donating tens of thousands of diapers to underserved mothers and families. Through those partnerships and fundraising programs, more than $700,000 was donated and invested back into the community.

The club’s specialty jersey nights provided another opportunity to turn entertainment into community impact. Strike Out Cancer, Peanuts, Star Wars and Jackie Robinson Night specialty jerseys helped raise more than $10,000 for local charities throughout the season.

But perhaps what makes the 2026 season and these accomplishments even more impressive is the adversity behind them. Six of the Macon Bacon’s nine full-time staff members entered the 2026 season having never worked a game for the organization before. Four-of-nine full-time employees had joined the club within just two months of Opening Night. Yet they came together quickly, embraced the culture, and delivered one of the most successful seasons in franchise history.

About Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier and most innovative summer collegiate baseball league. The CPL is currently comprised of 15 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the dsCPL has had over 1,800 alumni drafted, and 216 alums make their Major League debut. Most notable alumni include Justin Verlander, Ryan Zimmerman, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Youkilis, Chris Taylor, Jake Cave, Alec Bohm, Chas McCormick and NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @CPLBaseball.

About Capitol Broadcasting Company:
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, and WRAL Digital in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV and WILT-LD in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality, and Coastal Plain League in Durham, NC; The Holly Springs Salamanders in Holly Springs, NC; The Zebulon Devil Dogz in Zebulon, NC; the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC; Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC; MoJud Lofts in Greensboro, NC; and The Thread in Rock Hill, SC.