Al Lang Field, Tampa Bay
Rays
St.
Pete's Al Lang Field has been in the news a lot
lately, but for the wrong reasons: the Tampa Bay
Rays will train there one last time in 2008 before
shifting spring operations to Charlotte County in
2009, and the old ballpark is slated to be torn
down to make way for a new waterfront home of the
Rays. Now, Al Lang Field isn't the same venue it
was in the 1940s and 1950s when it was a landmark
in spring training, but it's still a great place
to catch a spring-training game. We hope the Rays
catch the spirit of the original Al Lang in their
designs for a new ballpark, For the rest of us, a
trip to Al Lang Field will be a mandatory event in
Spring Training 2008.
Trustmark Park, Mississippi
Braves
There's
nothing wrong with Trustmark Park, the home of the
Mississippi Braves (Class AA; Southern League).
The wraparound concourse, luxury
boxes, big scoreboard and varied concessions are
all standard issue for a new minor-league ballpark
these days. So why aren't we more excited about
the two-year-old ballpark? Because there's nothing
unique about it: except for a few Southern menu
items at the concessions, there's nothing to link
the ballpark to its surroundings. At a Mississippi
Braves game, you could be watching a game anywhere
-- and going local is one of the great joys of the
minor leagues. Dustin Mattison reports.
Alliance Bank Stadium,
Syracuse Chiefs
The
biggest news at Alliance Bank Stadium, the home of
the Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA; International
League): the current artificial turf will be
replaced by real grass. That's good news for
Syracuse baseball fans in terms of aesthetics, as
well as players who need to field on an old,
sometimes unpredictable surface. Otherwise,
Alliance Bank Stadium is a perfectly serviceable
ballpark: the Chiefs front office does things the
old-fashioned way (i.e., not much in terms of
between-innings shenanigans), but the ballpark is
a comfortable place to watch a game, and the food
is pretty good. Steve Kapsinow reports.
Obligatory legal information:
This site is copyright 1998-2007 Kevin Reichard/August
Publications. All rights
reserved. My wife is a lawyer, so she will come and chop off
your hand in a legal fashion if you rip off this site
in any form. All logos are the property of their respective
owners.
Broadcasts
Virtually every MiLB team now streams broadcasts over the
Internet, which makes it easy to follow your favorite team when
you're on the road. In addition, you can catch MLB game broadcasts at
MLB.com or via XM Radio.
More
on Internet radio and TV broadcasts here!
Ballpark Digest announces
inaugural Awards of Distinction
Posted Sept. 20, 2007 (feedback)
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ballparks, one sports management organization and
a longtime league president are receiving top
honors this week with the announcement of the
inaugural Ballpark Digest Awards of Distinction. (You
can listen to editors making the announcements
here.)
New Ballpark of the Year honors are shared by
Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock,
Ark. and Dow Diamond in Midland, Mich. The award
for Best Ballpark Renovation goes to Melaleuca Field
in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Organization of the Year is
awarded to Mandalay Sports Entertainment for
successes recorded by franchises
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Staten Island
Yankees, Dayton Dragons, Hagerstown Suns, Rancho
Cucamonga Quakes and the Erie SeaWolves. South
Atlantic League founder and president John Henry
Moss received the individual Award of Distinction. New Ballpark of the Year:
Dickey-Stephens Park, designed by HKS Sports
Entertainment Group and built by East-Harding/Hensel
Phelps Construction, features an interesting and
unique railroad theme. The new home of the
Arkansas Travelers includes a stunning view of
downtown Little Rock, a landmark clock tower and
affordable concessions. New Ballpark of the Year: Dow Diamond, designed by HOK
Sport and built by Three Rivers Corp., is built on
a grand scale with fireplaces on each side of the
concourse and fire pits in the outfield – a unique
reflection of mid-Michigan’s rural character. Home
to the newly established Great Lakes Loons, Dow
Diamond includes a two-tiered fan shop and
self-contained concourse. Best Ballpark Renovation:
Melaleuca Field,
formerly known as McDermott Field, now features a
gorgeous grandstand and group seating areas with a
generous amount of brick work throughout the
ballpark, making for an inviting and warm, classic
feel. Home to the Idaho Falls Chukars, the
extensive renovations designed locally by
architect Kevin Bodily of Nielson, Bodily and
Associates were accomplished on a tight budget. Baseball Organization of the Year: Mandalay Sports
Entertainment not only breathed some new life into
two struggling baseball communities in 2007, but
recorded increased attendance numbers at all six
of its baseball franchises. Working jointly with
the New York Yankees, Mandalay turned operations
around both at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Staten
Island. They join the Dayton, Hagerstown, Frisco,
Las Vegas, Rancho
Cucamonga and Erie franchises as quality baseball
operations with a growing attendance trend line
and – not coincidentally – strong reputations for
putting the fans’ experience first. The 2007 individual Award of Distinction: John Henry
Moss, founder and president of the South Atlantic
League, has overseen the Sally League and its
predecessors for half a century and kept the
baseball tradition alive through some very lean
times. With 50 years of experience since he
founded the eight-team Western Carolina League in
1948, the longest-serving minor-league president
in history plans to step down at the end of this
year. Moss not only nurtured the league through
reorganization and many difficult years a
generation ago, but in more recent years he has
expanded the sweep of South Atlantic League with
franchises located from Georgia to Ohio.
Ballpark Digest received a total of 32 nominations for the
inaugural Awards of Distinction. In addition to
the award winners, several finalists received
recognition. Those finalists include:
Joe Faber Field
– home of the St. Cloud (Minn.) River Bats,
Damaschke Field – home of the Oneonta (NY.)
Tigers, and
Joannes Stadium – home of the Green Bay
Bullfrogs, all three vying for Best Ballpark
Renovation; and Rent One Ballpark – home of the
Southern Illinois Miners in Marion, for New
Ballpark of the Year.
The 2007 Ballpark Digest Awards of Distinction will be
formally presented in early December at baseball’s
winter meetings in Nashville.
"Baseball takes great pride in John Henry Moss and his five
decades of accomplishment, as well as the
collective efforts of so many who contributed to
the tremendous successes at Mandalay Sports
Entertainment and the award-winning ballparks in
North Little Rock, Midland and Idaho Falls," said
Kevin Reichard, founder of BallparkDigest.com. "We
thank everyone who participated in the nomination
process, and appreciate the opportunity to present
these well-deserved 2007 Awards of Distinction."
Indians
to sell naming rights to Jacobs Field, hire IMG
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The
Cleveland Indians are selling the naming rights to their ballpark and hired
sports management company IMG to conduct the search. The Indians play at
Jacobs Field, which was named after owner
Richard E. Jacobs when it opened in 1994. Jacobs, who sold the team in 2000,
owned the rights through the 2006 season. The club was talking to potential
rights-buyers and decided to look for outside help four or five months ago, said
Vic Gregovits, the Indians' senior vice president for sales and marketing. The
deal probably won't be as much as it could have been when the ballpark opened;
fans will likely continue calling it The Jake no matter what name is hung on the
outside.
Dodgers, Padres, Mariners could play in China
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The
Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are being considered
by Major League Baseball for possible exhibition games in China during spring
training. The games would be played during the second week of March, two
baseball officials familiar with the planning said Wednesday, speaking on
condition of anonymity because the trip was still in the planning stages. Bob
DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, has pushed for the games, which would
be played at the ballpark built for next year's Olympics in Beijing.
Fort Wayne suite buyers named
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Thirty-two
northeast Indiana companies have purchased suite-level seats in the new downtown
Fort Wayne ballpark. The 15 suites available for purchase are sold out, each for
a minimum of five years. Most of the companies did not purchase a full season
package, said Jason Freier, CEO of Fort Wayne Wizards (Low Class A; Midwest
League) owner Hardball Capital LLC. There are 16 suites in the ballpark, which
is part of the Harrison Square project. One suite will be held open for
single-game rentals.
More from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Meanwhile, there's been a snag in
issuing bonds for the project,
though the reasons for the delay are external.
Kasten working to sell premium seats
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Washington
Nationals fans willing to spend thousands of dollars for a luxurious experience
at the team's new ballpark still have a chance. Team president Stan Kasten said
he is still working to sell some premium seats at the new stadium and that some
luxury suites also remain available. Kasten said he expects all suites and
premium seats to be sold out by Opening Day. Meanwhile, the process of
relocating existing season-ticket holders into seats at the new ballpark will
continue until at least November.
Vipers eye Golden horizons
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The
owners of the Calgary Vipers and the Edmonton Cracker-Cats are now openly
looking at moving to the independent Golden Baseball League from the independent
Northern League. The tentative 2008 Northern League schedule has the two teams
playing each other 32 times to avoid travel expenses; it's hard to see how the
two teams could sell those game effectively. It's not as though the Golden
League is that much closer, but if you're thinking long-term there's a lot more
potential open markets between Alberta and the GBL footprint than between
Alberta and Winnipeg. Still, the loss of two teams would present some problems
for the Northern League, as it would be down to six teams.
More renovations in the works at Grayson Stadium
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The
city of Savannah has begun working on the latest improvement to Grayson Stadium:
a completely new playing surface. The plans for the home of the Savannah Sand
Gnats (Low Class A; Sally League) include installing new irrigation and drainage
systems, laser grading the field and resodding the grass. Renovations to Grayson
Stadium over the next two years will be funded by the Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), which was passed one year ago today. The improved
field could be completed as early as Thanksgiving. The first step in replacing
the field is removing the current playing surface. This is being done currently
by city workers. The final four steps are installing a drainage system,
installing sprinklers, leveling the field and sodding the field. The city is
individually bidding out each of the final four steps to outside firms. The
renovation plans for this offseason also include new light poles and a new
building to be constructed northeast of the leftfield foul pole, facing Bee
Road. The building will feature a batting cage, a weight room, laundry
facilities and new offices.
Prospective Swing owners still waiting
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An
anxious wait continues for the prospective owners of the Swing of the Quad
Cities (Low Class A: Midwest League). Heller and his business partner, Bob
Herrfeldt, continue a wait that began nearly two months ago for the major league
commissioner’s office to sign off on Mainstreet Iowa’s purchase of the club from
Seventh Inning Stretch, the Kevin Krause-led organization which has operated the
Midwest League franchise since 1998. The Midwest League and the N.A. have
approved the purchase. A review of the Control Interest Transfer document by
major league legal counsel and the signature of commissioner Bud Selig is the
final step in baseball’s three-tier approval process.
The game's on at ballpark's Diamond Club
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The
buzz is back in Phoenix, where the Arizona Diamondbacks have quietly posted the
best record in the National League and attracting fans back to
Chase Field. One big reason for the fan resurgence
is the Diamond Club, a nightclub-style seating area behind center field, offers
baseball fans a chance to feel as though they're in an incredibly well-lit
Scottsdale club, albeit one where it's OK to spill your beer and drop peanut
shells on the floor. It has low, cushy seating in Sedona red and sand shades,
Top 40 and hip-hop background music and upscale touches such as steak tacos, a
gourmet salsa bar and little bowls of Asian cracker snack mix. Like a bar, there
are no beer guys, cotton-candy girls or hot-dog vendors. Unlike a bar, you don't
have to be 21 to get in. It's populated by the buxom and beautiful, the
hard-bodied and handsome.
Atlantic League's season likely to get longer
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With
the expected addition of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the Atlantic League
is expected to add 14 games to its 2008 schedule -- increasing its
regular-season format from 126 games to 140. Each franchise will play 70 games
at home and 70 on the road and the format will likely be similar to the one the
league used in the 2005 season when the travel-only Road Warriors were replaced
by the Lancaster Barnstormers. While the season will be longer, the teams will
actually lose a couple of home games: this year the presence of a road team
forced the league to schedule 72 "home" games for each team.
Unsustainable Spirit
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More
on the impending demise of the North Shore Spirit (independent; Can-Am
Association.) Nothing's been officially stated by owner Nick Lopardo, but every
indication is that he's going to fold up shop and leave
Fraser Field empty once again. Perhaps the
lesson to be learned here is that you can do things the right way and still come
up short. In that circuit, there's a real chance the Nashua Pride could fold as
well: we just can't summon a lot of optimism that the team can raise $800,000 in
limited equity,
and the local newspaper sounds gloomy as well. RELATED STORIES:
Spirit gives up ghost in Lynn
Ballpark Notes
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The
International League announced Louisville Bats President Gary Ulmer
has been named the 2007 IL Executive of the Year. He is the first
staff member in franchise history to win the award. "Gary's selection is not
only a reflection of his leadership with the club, but should be viewed as a
testament of the entire organization," said IL president Randy Mobley. "Under
Gary's leadership, the organization has reached and sustained a level of success
that many others strive to attain." In the eighth season of play at Louisville Slugger Field in 2007,
attendance numbers once again led the IL, with 653,915 fans coming through the
gates, an average of 9,210 fans per game. It was also the third highest total in
all of Minor League Baseball. The 2007 attendance is the third most in ballpark
history, trailing only the opening season of 2000 (685,863) and 2002
(658,856)....The River City Rascals (Frontier League) have announced that
all-time wins leader Steve Brook will take over as pitching coach for the
2008 season. Brook, 26, spent the last four years with the Rascals and over that
time put up a 33-17 career record. The right-hander broke Aaron Ledbetter’s
franchise record of 24 wins this last season and his 33 wins ranks third
all-time in the Frontier League. He also won the 2007 Fran Riordan Citizenship
Award from the Frontier League and the lifetime achievement award from the River
City Rascals Booster Club....The independent South Coast League announced
the promotion of J.D. Hardin to the newly formed position of Chief
Development Officer. Hardin, who had previously held the title of Account
Executive/Ticketing Manager of the Macon Music franchise, will transition
to the league office in his new role....
Mets and Zephyrs form strong bond
Posted Sept. 19, 2007 (feedback)
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When
the affiliation deal between the New Orleans
Zephyrs (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the
New York Mets was announced, many in baseball felt
it would be a temporary one until the Mets could
find a farm team closer to home. But during the
course of the season we've heard from insiders
that the relationship has worked out pretty well
and both sides are pleased -- something they both
admit in this article. Now, the proof will be in
the pudding next offseason when there's the annual
affiliation scramble. We expect some level of
shakeup on the Triple-A level: we'd be surprised
if Cleveland doesn't seriously consider an
affiliation move to Columbus, which would leave
Buffalo up for grabs -- and it would make some
branding and logistical sense for the Mets to have
another presence in upstate New York. For now,
however, the Zephyrs and the Mets are still in
that honeymoon phase.
Brewers will break attendance record
Posted Sept. 19, 2007 (feedback)
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Team
officials announced Tuesday that, based on the
frequency of ticket sales, the Milwaukee Brewers
will break the 2001 mark of 2,811,041 tickets
sold. Only five other times in franchise history
-- 1983, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 - -have the
Brewers gone over 2 million tickets sold. Of
course, 2001 was the year
Miller Park
opened.
Kauffman Stadium to get bigger video board
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Royals
fans won’t have to wait until
renovation of Kauffman Stadium is complete in
2010 to see a very big change. A huge new video
board -- twice the size of the current scoreboard
in center field -- should be in place for the
start of the 2008 season, officials said Tuesday
at a meeting of the Jackson County Sports Complex
Authority. The authority on Tuesday approved
agreements for design of the video board, two
smaller boards above each bullpen and a so-called
ribbon scoreboard at the perimeter of the stands.
Orioles' attendance woes hurt all of Baltimore
Posted Sept. 19, 2007 (feedback)
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In
the three years since the arrival of the
Washington Nationals, attendance at Baltimore
Orioles games has steadily declined. In 2005, the
Orioles drew 2.6 million -- more than a million
fewer than their glory years. A year ago, they
drew 2.1 million. This year, with a week’s worth
of games remaining, they’ve drawn 1,972,627.
That’s an average of about 27,000 people a night
-- compared with the 45,000 they used to average.
We're not so sure the Nats are to blame: the
team's performance has been lackluster and there
have been no improvements to
Oriole Park at
Camden Yards over the years.
Ballpark Notes
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The
Fayetteville SwampDogs have been honored
today as the 2007 Coastal Plain League
Organization of the Year. For the first time
in franchise history, the SwampDogs were
recognized by the league as the top organization.
In 2007, the SwampDogs held parties on 31 nights
at "The Swamp" that nearly 60,000 people attended.
The SwampDogs organization made great strides in
2007 in areas such as: community relations,
attendance, advertising sales, marketing and fan
relations....The Washington Nationals
announced that they have created a new division,
Nationals Ballpark Enterprises, to develop
and market non-baseball events at the new ballpark
and that they have hired Bari Lurie as the
Director of Ballpark Enterprises. Ballpark
Enterprises expects to become a vital new addition
to Washington's entertainment and hospitality
industry. Ballpark Enterprises will manage the
event planning and rental of all venues in the new
Ballpark for non-game day activities and events,
such as private receptions, corporate meetings,
trade shows, tours, concerts, etc. In addition to
the use of the Ballpark's hospitality venues such
as the President's Club, PNC Diamond Club and
Stars and Stripes Club, every area of the new
ballpark will be available to create an
opportunity for unique and memorable events....Albuquerque
Isotopes GM John Traub has been named
Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year
by his peers for guiding the ‘Topes through a
successful 2007 season that included the Triple-A
All-Star Game. In addition to the acclaimed
Triple-A All-Star festivities, under Traub’s
stewardship the Isotopes averaged more than 8,000
fans a game for the fifth straight year, ranking
them in the top five in the 16-team PCL in each
year of the team’s existence....David Kelly,
color announcer for the Memphis Redbirds (Class
AAA; Pacific Coast League), will not be returning
next season. Steve Selby remains as
play-by-play announcer.
Heartland interested in minor-league ballpark plan
Posted Sept. 18, 2007 (feedback)
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Heartland
Community College in Normal, Ill., would welcome a
ballpark on its campus as long as it could
accommodate the college's other sports. Under the
plan, Heartland would make land available for a
fee and devote some money currently earmarked for
athletic facilities to the ballpark, but the
majority of the funds would come from a private
investor. Local residents are talking with the
independent Frontier League about a team. RELATED STORIES:
Would minor-league baseball play in
Bloomington/Normal?
Pride looks ahead
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Yesterday
residents held a parade to honor the Nashua Pride (independent; Can-Am
Association) on its victory in the league championship series, but underneath
the festivities was the nagging question of whether the team would return. Owner
John Stabile says he's too busy celebrating to attend to business matters, which
is a little curious: if you're going to sell $800,000 in limited partnerships,
you'd want to be striking while the iron is hot, and there's nothing like a
little post-championship euphoria to make the sell a little easier. RELATED STORIES:
Pride to return in 2008 -- maybe
Ballpark Notes
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(discuss) Morgan
West is the new GM of the Schaumburg Flyers (independent; Frontier
League), replacing Rick Rungaitis, promoted as the team's new VP in
charge of sales. West spent three years as AGM/director of operations for the
Florence Freedom (independent; Frontier League)....Michael Showe is
the new GM of the Bluefield Orioles (rookie; Appalachian League),
replacing George McGonagle, who retired at the end of the season. Showe
spent the last 11 years with the Hagerstown Suns (Low Class A; Sally
League), most recently as director of stadium operations and head
groundskeeper....Bruce Froemming is retiring as a MLB umpire at the end
of the season. He's worked the most number of years as an ump in the majors,
though Bill Klem worked more games....
Tribune may sell off Cubs assets piecemeal
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The
Chicago Tribune is reporting that its parent, the
Tribune Co., may sell off the assets of the
Chicago Cubs -- the team, a share of a local cable
sports network, and
Wrigley Field -- separately, rather than as a
package. It's been estimated the package could go
for a billion dollars, and a final sales price
could be even higher if sold separately. A concern
for Tribune Co. officials is a concern we've
raised here: the Tribune Co. has a fiduciary
responsibility to its shareholders to get the
highest possible price for the assets, but MLB
famously loves to anoint a buyer and then is less
concerned with the final sales price (i.e., John
Henry's purchase of the Boston Red Sox). In the
case of the Cubs, we've heard Bud Selig has
basically appointed the John Canning group as the
leading contender to land the team; the two have
ties from Selig's days in Milwaukee. But when MLB
anoints a buyer, it doesn't give the seller much
in the way of negotiating space. By breaking the
deal into three or more parts, it gives the
Tribune Co. more leverage in the non-team assets.
Again, if you've reading this site's coverage of
the Cubs sale, you'd have seen these concerns
raised before -- which is why this news isn't a
total shocker. RELATED STORIES:
Cubs sale a slow deal;
Chasing the Cubs;
Bidders: Cubs, Wrigley go together;
Cubs on the block
Rarely seen financials show Braves doing well
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Baseball
teams hate releasing financial information that
shows if they are profitable or unprofitable. Even
public corporations like News Corp. or Time Warner
obscured the real numbers associated with their
teams. Liberty Media, apparently, has no problem
in telling the world how the Atlanta Braves are
doing. For the first time on Aug. 24,
Liberty disclosed financial data about the team
that appears to indicate that the Braves, whom
Time Warner claimed was a money-loser, play on the
black side of the ledger. In a consolidated
statement for the first six months of the year,
Liberty says that the Braves had revenue of $50
million and "operating cash flow of $12 million."
That's pretty good, especially when you consider
several large payments, such as MLB's $30 million
in television-money revenue sharing, were to be
recorded later in the season. Operating cash flow
excludes capital expenses and does not include
losses when accounting for the depreciation and
amortization of player contracts. Under IRS
guidelines, a company can write off half of the
sale price because of the depreciation in the
value of player contracts, amortize it over five
years and claim the loss. The bottom line: the
Braves are in very good financial shape no matter
what Time Warner claimed when it owned the team.
RIP: Cobb Field
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The demolition work at
Cobb Field,
the former home of the Billings Mustangs (rookie;
Pioneer League), has begun. Nelson King took this
photo (and others,
shown here) over the weekend.
Cobb Field had a rather interesting history. It's named for Robert Cobb,
the owner of the Pacific Coast League's Hollywood Stars, in recognition of
his efforts to bring organized professional baseball to Billings. Today,
Cobb is better known as the founder and owner of the legendary Brown Derby
restaurant in Hollywood and as the man who claimed to have invented the
Cobb Salad. Cobb Field
will be replaced in 2008 with
a new ballpark. And
for those fans who regularly attend Billings
Mustangs games, it will surely provide a more
comfortable experience than Cobb Field did. Yes,
the concourses were small and dark, the restrooms
a little dank, and the seating uncomfortable. But
there was something awfully reassuring about
Cobb Field:
no matter how far you wandered from Billings and
Montana, it was always there waiting for you, a
constant in a sea of change. And as Billings grows
out of its cowtown roots and becomes more
cosmopolitan, there probably wasn't a place left
for
Cobb Field,
a wooden anachronism at a time when fans and team
owners want picnic areas, large concession stands
and plenty of merchandise shops.
More from the Billings Gazette.
New South
Carolina ballpark won't be ready until 2009
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The
University of South Carolina's new ballpark grew
much more expensive -- more than triple its
original expected cost -- and had its debut pushed
back until 2009 on Friday. A panel of the
university's board of trustees approved increasing
the project's budget to $35.6 million, more than
three times the original cost. The panel also was
told the ballpark would not open for two more
seasons, sending the baseball team back to Sarge
Frye Field for one more year. When the university
first announced its plans three years ago, the new
field was to build next to the Colonial Center,
where school's basketball teams play, at a cost of
$10 million. In late 2005, university trustees
approved plans for a 6,800-seat ballpark nearer
the Congaree River with a $20-million price tag.
Now the project was up to $28 million -- and that
was before requesting the extra $7.6 million.
Aberdeen weighs
ballpark parking fee
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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The
board that manages Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen will
study assessing a $2 per car parking fee for minor-league baseball games and other events, part of an
effort to solve financial woes the home of the
Aberdeen IronBirds (short season; NY-Penn League) has
created for the city.
The seven-member Ripken Stadium Management Board
formed a subcommittee to look into the possibility
last week. Though IronBirds baseball games have
been sold out since the 6,000-seat ballpark opened
in 2002, the ballpark has been a financial drain
for the city. The Harford County community owes
$6.7 million in ballpark-related debt, and
millions in interest, on a payment schedule
stretching to 2022. Speaking of Ripken Stadium:
Texas Star Sports recently completed an LED
videoboard installation there. The 6.5’ by 80’
videoboard is being controlled by the new Click
Effects Fascia software/controller system. The
Ironbirds are the first Minor League Baseball team
in the United States to utilize the Fascia control
system.
Tentative spring-training
schedules posted
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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Want to get a leg up on
planning for spring training in 2008? Then check
out our
Spring Training Online site; we've posted some
tentative and incomplete schedules so you can
begin to plan your trips to warmer climes.
Thanks to our readers in the baseball world who
shared information with us.
Cardinals,
Blunt changing resale game
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The
St. Louis Cardinals will be introducing a ticket
exchange for anyone holding a ticket, not just
season-ticket holders, through the Prime Seat
Club. What's more, those tickets may be sold for
any price. So like the guys scalping tickets on
the corner outside the ballpark, sellers can
collect whatever the market will bear. Although
sellers might be able to get more than face value
for their tickets next season, they also will have
to pay a new 10 percent service charge on the
seats they sell. Buyers will have to pay a 15
percent service charge based on the price of the
tickets they buy, down from 20 percent this year.
Also, the Cardinals are eliminating the one-time
$35 Prime Seat Club membership fee buyers had to
pay each season to purchase tickets through the
Web site.
Decision to
open ballpark seen as success
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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The
decision to open Sovereign Bank Stadium, the home
of the York Revolution (independent; Atlantic
League), turned out to be the right one, according to
city and team officials. In fact, on the business
side, the team exceeded expectations. "Our numbers
were awesome," Revolution general manager Matt
O'Brien said. We visited the ballpark recently
(our review will be up this week) and would
concur: it was still a very inviting place to take
in a game, and we can't wait to return next season
when the place is completed.
More from the York Dispatch.
Rogers files
complaint against union organizers
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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Both
sides in the attempt to unionize workers at
Toronto's
Rogers Centre are continuing to snipe at each
other. Rogers Media and Delaware North
Sportservice (which runs the concessions) have
filed a complaint against the union behind the
organizing drive, seeking to restrict union
activity on Rogers Centre property. That move
comes in response to a complaint by the union that
the two companies have been intimidating workers. RELATED STORIES:
Baseball union throws support to concession
workers
Contractors eye
ballpark works
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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The
Ballpark at Harbor Yard , the home of the
Bridgeport Bluefish (independent; Atlantic League)
will sport a new look soon from repairs that
include the application of stucco to all exterior
cement-block surfaces. The new stucco finish is
needed to correct water leaks around the ballpark.
The 10-year-old ballpark has suffered water
problems for years, officials say, and will need a
$1 million facelift to fix them. The structure is
owned by the city. On Friday, six contractors who
might bid on the repairs job took a tour of the
facility to get an idea of the extent of the work.
The new coating for the ballparks cement block
facade will change the look of the ballpark,
although an effort will be made to retain the
facility's appearance as much as possible,
officials said. RELATED STORIES:
Harbor Yard ballpark needs repairs
Bush Stadium
decision on deck
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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Indianapolis
has initiated the redevelopment process for Bush
Stadium, its shuttered sports landmark. The
Metropolitan Development Commission has hired a
pair of local firms for $25,000 to appraise
historic Bush Stadium -- a first step toward reuse
or, more likely, at least partial demolition. For
most of the 20th century, the ballpark was
synonymous with Indianapolis baseball. Its
ivy-covered brick outfield wall was the
inspiration for Wrigley Field’s. When Hollywood
filmed “Eight Men Out,” Bush Stadium was the
backdrop. But after the Indianapolis Indians
departed in 1996 for
Victory Field, the city struggled to find
another use. Bush Stadium is a prominent member of our Endangered
Ballparks listings.
Resurrection
sought for Hinchliffe
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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A
small group of fans of the historic but decaying
Hinchliffe Stadium gathered Saturday to celebrate
the arena's 75th anniversary and discuss how to
make the stadium relevant again. Residents who
attended the three-hour roundtable in the John F.
Kennedy High School auditorium suggested creative
ideas to raise funds and rally the public to
support the stadium's rebirth: sponsoring a
telethon, getting a celebrity spokesperson,
selling T-shirts. Really, historic preservation is
a more complicated process than just selling some
T-shirts: it's a matter of finding a use for the
facility and then identifying the funding sources.
The stadium was once home to the New York Black
Yankees of the Negro Leagues.
Hinchliffe Stadium is a prominent member of our Endangered
Ballparks listings.
Ballpark Notes
Posted Sept. 17, 2007 (feedback)
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(discuss) Kinston
Indians General Manager Shari Massengill has won the inaugural
Calvin Falwell Award as the Carolina League Executive of the Year.
The 2007 season marked Massengill's 11th season with the K-Tribe and second as
General Manager. This season the Indians welcomed 115,195 fans, the biggest
attendance at Grainger Stadium since 2001 and the second largest mark this
decade. The attendance total eclipses last year’s total attendance of 112,253
fans, even with twice as many rainouts as last year. The K-Tribe also saw an
increase in revenues across the board including ticket sales, concessions and
sponsorship in 2007. Along with increases in attendance and revenues the K-Tribe
increased their community involvement during the 2007 season by implementing the
Tribe Tales reading program in local public schools and joining forces with the
Lenoir County Boys and Girls club to help raise money and awareness. Massengill,
a native of Kinston, has worked in a number of roles with the team during her
tenure at Grainger Stadium including Director of Sales, Group Sales, and
Assistant General Manager. She has played a large role in group sales,
merchandise and was an instrumental member of the committee that designed the
new picnic area at Grainger Stadium.
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