A's: Don't expect new ballpark before 2012
Posted April 17, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
This is something we've assumed for months based on discussions with team officials and architects over the last several months, but apparently it's news to the locals: Co-owner Keith Wolff says the earliest the Oakland A's will be playing in a new Fremont ballpark is the 2012 season, not the official 2011 date the team has been peddling. There are a whole host of factors delaying the ballpark development. First. nothing happens until an environmental-impact study is completed, and that's not likely to happen before next year. Then the Fremont City Council must then approve an actual proposal with actual numbers and specific plans. And then Wolff must arrange financing for the complicated development proposal, which calls for a 32,000-seat ballpark, a commercial center, a school and plenty of parking. So if you think little is being done on the project, you'd be right to a certain extent.
    RELATED STORIES: Ex-mayor steps up criticism of A's Fremont ballpark proposal; Team touts new survey as proof Fremont wants A's; A's submit long-awaited application for Fremont ballpark; Baseball fans weigh in on pitch for new A's park; Staying in Oakland out of the question for Athletics; Oakland's dream ballpark, or traffic nightmare?; Fremont not ready to declare proposed A's 'baseball village' utopia; A's revised plan for ballpark village gets warmer reception; A's ballpark village plan moves school away from the landfill; Preview of Oakland ballpark plan isn't a home run; Ex-mayor: Ballpark still makes no sense; A's ready to make noise and not just ballpark construction; A's ballpark vision takes shape; Wolff takes hands-on approach to A's Fremont ballpark; A's Wolff sees new ballpark as super site; A's sign contracts for land in Fremont to build new ballpark; Entitlements key in funding Cisco Field; Study: A's ballpark worth $109 million to economy; Toxic hazard creates bump in road to new A's ballpark; A's tout Cisco Field in ticket mailer; Will global warming swamp AT&T Park, new A's ballpark?; A's owner not sweating lack of BART at Fremont ballpark site; A's owner raises more questions than answers; Wolff seeks tax rebate for new ballpark village; Oakland A's owner buys office park near proposed Fremont ballpark; Fremont, A's continue talks for new ballpark; If Selig's coming, A's must be going; Wolff ready to go public on ballpark; Cisco blending tech and baseball; Records show evolving talks between A's, Fremont; Are the A's worth it to Fremont's neighbors?; More meetings with A's slated after new year; Fremont kicks off negotiations with the A's; A's detail Fremont plans down to the letter; San Jose still ponders illusory ballpark; Transit teams try to solve Cisco Field 'challenges'; A's Fremont ballpark must field host of hurdles; A's plan $400 million to $500 million ballpark village in Fremont; New A's ballpark would boast heavy Cisco tech; The next big thing: the San Jose A's?; A's ready to pull trigger on new Fremont ballpark; Oakland City Council grants A's extension; A's could move away; A's owner Wolff buys prospective ballpark land in Fremont; Fremont looking more and more like future home of Oakland A's 

Nationals Park transformed into place of worship for papal Mass
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Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass today at Nationals Park before an enthusiastic crowd of over 46,000. Folks were lining up at 6 a.m. to enter the ballpark for this morning's service, as the concession stands were serving doughnuts and coffee and confessional booths were installed throughout. The large crowd also caused some strain on public transit: officials with the local Metro system say this should be the biggest day in terms of transporting people. (We retain enough of our Missouri Synod upbringing to know Nationals Park wasn't technically turned into a church -- no matter what the Washington Post says -- but that doesn't diminish the majesty of the facility. For the record, to be a church in the Christian tradition the entire building must be consecrated. We're guessing Nationals Park wasn't consecrated. In these situations, the altar instead is consecrated. There's your lesson in religious architecture for the day.) The local archdiocese had an interesting argument to prevent ticket scalping: it's against church law because Mass is a sacrament and selling a sacrament is a no-no. (We're guessing Bud Selig is quite envious of this invocation of divine law.) The pope will also celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Video of today's event from the Washington Times.

Barons release 2009 All-Star Game logo
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The Birmingham Barons and State Farm Insurance formally unveiled the logo for the 2009 Southern League All-Star Game. The contest will be played in Birmingham at Regions Park on a date yet to be determined during the summer of 2009, and State Farm Insurance will be the presenting sponsor.
    The 2009 All-Star Game logo was designed by Hartwell Studio Works of Atlanta, Ga., the same company that redesigned the Barons’ logos and uniforms this past off-season. It primarily features the Barons’ logo colors (red, black, and white), with the exception of two brown bats that form an “X” behind the logo. The text of the logo was designed to fit in and around a pentagonal “home plate” shape. A small Barons “B” is also featured in the logo.
    The 2008 All-Star Game will be played in Zebulon, N.C. on Monday, July 14, and will be hosted by the Carolina Mudcats.

Aramark snares concession deal at Rogers Centre
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The Toronto Blue Jays have reached a ten-year food and beverage services agreement with concessionaire Aramark. Under terms of the agreement, Aramark will provide Rogers Centre with general and club level concessions as well as manage the HSBC Club VIP Restaurant.
    The new partnership will seek to elevate the dining experience for Blue Jays fans and all guests attending events at Rogers Centre. In an effort to offer the widest possible variety of menu offerings and provide the highest quality of service, Aramark and the Blue Jays will be reaching out to Jays' fans to conduct a series of fan-based research initiatives to determine fan preferences.
    Aramark assumed control of operations on March 28th and executed its first major event, AMA Supercross, just one day later.

Visalia officials: Oaks an important economic engine
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Visalia officials say the Visalia Oaks (High Class A; California League) are an important economic engine worthy of support. This will be a transitional year for the Oaks, who open at home tonight: because of construction the team is losing 900 or so seats at Recreation Park, which really only holds 2,100 or so anyway. The Visalia Times-Delta talks to local restaurateurs and hotel owners who sing the praises of fans arriving and spending money.

Eastern League, Diamond Pro set up sport-field award
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The Class AA Eastern League announced a partnership with Diamond Pro, a provider of infield conditioners and other professional groundskeeping products, in recognizing the top sports field manager in the Eastern League. The recipient of the 2008 Eastern League Diamond Pro Sports Field Manager of the Year Award, which will be chosen through balloting of Eastern League coaches and umpires, will be announced in August as the 2008 season comes to a close.
    "We are very excited to be partnering with Diamond Pro to recognize the excellent work done by all of the sports field managers," said Eastern League President Joe McEacharn. "Without the hard work of these individuals and their crews, we would not be able to provide fans the exciting baseball action they see day in and day out throughout the spring and summer."

Giants struggle on, off the field without Bonds
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Everyone assumed the San Francisco Giants would take a hit at the box office after the team decided to part ways with Barry Bonds, but we're guessing no one assumed how much of a slide in attendance would take place. Of course, it doesn't help that the team is 6-10 and sporting a roster dotted with unproductive veterans. The smallest crowds ever at AT&T Park have been recorded this week, and Wednesday tally of 30,510 was the best of the bunch.

Pittsfield wants debt resolved before Dukes play season at Wahconah Park
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The city of Pittsfield wants Pittsfield Dukes (summer collegiate; NECBL) to pay an unpaid bill of $8,351.62 before the team will be allowed to play at historic Wahconah Park this summer. Much of the unpaid bill is in the form of rent payments of $330 per game from last season. Dukes owner Dan Duquette says he's in the process of paying the city, but the local newspaper seems to have overreacted to the news, wondering if the NECBL will need to change its schedule if the Dukes can't begin play in June.

Forbes releases annual MLB team valuations; Yankees, Mets lead the way
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Forbes released its annual MLB team valuations, and as usual the New York Yankees led the way with a $1.306 valuation. There's quite a gap between the Yanks and the second-place franchise, the New York Mets, which was valued at only $824 million, followed by the Boston Red Sox, valued at $816 million. The valuations for the Yankees and Mets will go up even more next year after both teams move into new ballparks and open new revenue streams. In general, the business of baseball has never been better. Overall MLB revenues were up 7.7 percent, rising to $5.5 billion. Team values are also up: the average team is now worth $472 million, up some 9.5 percent on average. In what is perhaps the most interesting stat, Forbes estimates that every MLB team turned a profit in 2007. Only three -- the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays -- were estimated to have actual losses, but these were more than made up for with big profits on the cable side of things. All three are involved in cable networks (YES, NESN, Rogers, respectively), and profits generated through these ventures do not show up in the teams' ledger books. Of course, you can expect all the usual disclaimers from MLB teams decrying the valuations and profit estimates; the industry likes to brag about successes in some situations (like when any pundit compares MLB to the NFL) and poverty in others, especially when funding for a new ballpark is at stake.

Baseball's flee market
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Normally we don't spend a lot of time discussing memorabilia here, but we'll note this Newsweek article because we're quoted in it. The topic is how the New York Yankees and the New York Mets plan on stripping Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, respectively, after the end of the season. We don't particularly have a problem with it: if the ballparks are going to be torn down anyway, it's a good idea to take what's memorable and let the fans have a shot at it.

Leaving behind the ghosts of Yankee Stadium
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Speaking of Yankee Stadium: a paranormal expert says the ghosts currently inhabiting the old ballpark won't make the move when the team moves into a new Yankee Stadium. We're not entirely sure why disembodied souls are tied to a building on a physical plane, but Dominick Villella, who works for Paranormal Investigation of New York City, thinks the ghosts of former Yankee greats -- or, rather, their energy -- will stay behind. (We're guessing a lot of them went away when Yankee Stadium was rebuilt in the 1970s.)

Defenders add submarine to Dodd Stadium
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Tonight the Connecticut Defenders (Class AA; Eastern League) will unveil  the General Dynamics Electric Boat Submarine. The twenty-foot long submarine was fashioned in just two weeks by John Wilson of SignCraft. It features a 778 near the scope to signify General Dynamic’s most recent project, The New Hampshire, which is in development for the military. It also features a t-shirt cannon with what the team calls an impressive range. The submarine will be the focal point for promotions at Dodd Stadium as a “Captain of the Game” will be named for every Defenders’ home games. The “Captain of the Game” will sit in the perch of the sub and help fire the t-shirts at fans in between innings.

BlueClaws unveil improvements for 2008
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The Lakewood BlueClaws (Low Class A; Sally League) are unveiling improvements to FirstEnergy Park, including a new external video marquee, a center-field bar and party area with a big-screen TV, and a new sound system. You can read all about the improvements here.

New for 2008: QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie
Posted April 16, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Grand Prairie AirHogs (independent; American Association) announced a ten-year naming-rights deal with the QuikTrip Corporation of Tulsa, Okla. The brand-new, $20-million ballpark project will now be known as QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. It is the first ballpark in the independent circuit where a team has sold naming rights -- which is a pretty amazing fact when you stop and think about it.
    QuikTrip operates nearly 500 gasoline and convenience stores in nine states, including over 50 in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, with concentrations in other major markets such as St. Louis, Phoenix, Kansas City and Atlanta. Fortune magazine listed the corporation as No. 28 in its "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2008, QuikTrip’s sixth consecutive year on the list.
    "We are so excited to have QuikTrip as our naming rights partner," said Mark Schuster, president of the AirHogs. "There were several suitors for the naming rights, but it came down to two deciding factors for us. First, we wanted a retail partner that we could cross-promote with. With QuikTrip having over 50 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, and having access to the thousands of people who visit their stores daily, this made them the ideal partner to promote our games and events. Second, we were completely sold on the leadership at QuikTrip. Their vision for what we could accomplish with this partnership mirrored ours."

Ballpark Preview: QuikTrip Park at Grand Prairie
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Mark Schuster tells us this will be the best ballpark in the independent American Association, but he might be aiming his sights a little low. The new home of the Grand Prairie AirHogs features permanent seating for 6,000 fans, a 6,000-square-foot sports bar and restaurant beyond the left-field fence, a cigar bar, a swimming pool overlooking the right-field wall, and a 17,000 square-foot Wide World of Parks Kids Zone, which includes a rock-climbing wall, a miniature golf course and a wiffle-ball field, among other attractions. More information and renderings within.

Warthogs announce Mandalay partnership
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As we reported on March 28, the Winston-Salem Warthogs (High Class A; Carolina League) are entering into a partnership with Mandalay Baseball Properties to manage the team's new downtown ballpark and other team operations. Mandalay will receive a management fee. The firm owns several teams -- the Dayton Dragons (Low Class A; Midwest League), the Erie SeaWolves (Class AA; Eastern League), the Frisco RoughRiders (Class AA; Texas League) -- and manages other teams either as a minority owner or in a straight management deal. The move is the latest in an attempt to make over the franchise: the team will lost the Warthogs moniker next season as well.
    RELATED STORIES: Changes in the offing for the Warthogs

Bulls, Rays extend PDC
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The Durham Bulls (Class AAA; International League) and the Tampa Bay Rays have extended their player-development deal through the 2010 season. No surprise: the Rays have sent some pretty good players through Durham and ensured the team was competitive most seasons, and the organization is know for cordial relations with its affiliates.

This week's podcast: Springdale opens a new park, while two more celebrate notable anniversaries
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On this week's podcast: Springdale sees the opening of a new ballpark; two teams ramp up efforts to sell naming rights; two notable ballparks celebrate anniversaries; and an attempt to curse the Yankees is foiled by a discovery in a service area. Publisher Kevin Reichard and Senior Editor Dave Wright review the hot topics in the baseball and ballpark worlds in the weekly Ballpark Digest podcast. We've added the ability to listen directly to Ballpark Digest podcasts from the front page of the site: just click on the audio button in the box directly below this -- no need to load a media player or other software. The Ballpark Digest podcast has proven to be a popular feature of the site: according to the Feedburner stats it's been heard 10,396 (!) times via that service alone since Sept. 17, 2007. To directly subscribe to the feed using Firefox or Internet Explorer, go to this page and click on the "Subscribe Now" button. Comments are welcome. You can listen directly to the podcast on your own PC via this link (it's a standard MP3 file). More on Ballpark Digest podcasts here.

Sarasota officials waiting, waiting, waiting for a call
Posted April 16, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Sarasota officials are patiently waiting by the phone for a call from the Baltimore Orioles or the Milwaukee Brewers about their interest in moving spring operations to Ed Smith Stadium after the Reds move out after Spring Training 2009. We're not surprised either team immediately jumped to respond to the city: the Orioles continue to say privately their first choice is to stay in Fort Lauderdale and continue to work on a backup plan with Indian River County officials to renovate Dodgertown. The Brewers, meanwhile, can't move until 2012, and it doesn't take a master negotiator to reason that Sarasota should develop a little hunger for spring training to return; there's just no reason to hurry. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
    RELATED STORIES: For Sarasota, planning for life after Reds begins; Goodyear approves Reds spring deal; Goodyear to consider hotel-tax hike to pay for ballpark expansion; Goodyear officials: Reds spring move not a done deal; Reds close to striking deal for Arizona move; Deadline approaching on Goodyear pitch to Reds; Sarasota County offers $17.6 million toward Ed Smith Stadium renovation; New Arizona spring-training venues on schedule; Reds eye move west; Sarasota delays decision on Ed Smith Stadium improvements; Reds ask about Lee County as possible spring-training home; Sarasota to woo Reds; Reds exploring spring move to Arizona; Orioles on their way to Dodgertown?; Community must face up to future of Ed Smith Stadium; New Dodgers/ChiSox training facility still up in the air

Mets unveil specifics of Jackie Robinson Rotunda at new ballpark
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The New York Mets, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and naming-rights partner Citi unveiled the imagery and text for the Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field, the Mets' new ballpark opening in 2009. The Jackie Robinson Rotunda at Citi Field pays tribute to Jackie Robinson, the American trailblazer who became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball's modern era when he broke the sport's color barrier 61 years ago today.

Giants mark 50th anniversary of move to San Francisco NEW!
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The San Francisco Giants marked the 50th anniversary of their move from New York City to the Bay with two relatively low-key ceremonies. First, the team laid a plaque commemorating the move at the site of the former Seals Stadium, the team's home before Candlestick Park opened. (Seals Stadium is shown below.) The site is now host to big-box retailers. Then, at the game itself at AT&T Park, legendary Giants were on hand and broadcaster Jon Miller re-created the opening minutes of the play by play from the initial game. Lost in the hoopla over the Dodgers game at the Coliseum in late March: the first West Coast regular-season MLB was played at Seals Stadium when the Giants hosted the Dodgers.

New Nationals ballpark already impacting DC neighborhood
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An authority no less than the New York Times says Nationals Park, the new home of the Washington Nationals, has had a positive impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Now, it wouldn't take much to be a slight improvement: the area was basically a red-light district before the bulldozers came in. But what follows is what is important: new retail, housing and office space are in the works. Speaking of Nationals Park: the Baltimore Sun admits the food is better at the DC ballpark than at Oriole Park.
    RELATED STORIES: Nationals launch new era with opening of ballpark; Early reviews on new Nats ballpark: mixed; Nats unveil new ballpark with test run; Doubts linger over Nats; Feds deny use of key parking garage to Nats fans; Crews pick up pace to renovate Metro station; Nationals ready for opening of new ballpark; Land acquisitions push up price of new Nats ballpark; Parking to be limited near new Nats ballpark; Nationals to open regular season at home on March 30; DC ballpark neighbors fear fan inundation; PNC Bank buys naming rights for Nationals' seats; Nats to open new ballpark March 29; Photo tour of new Nats ballpark; Nationals make effort to address parking woes at new ballpark; On deck: Playing field for new Nats ballpark; Goals unmet on ballpark construction jobs for D.C. workers; RFK is full of concrete memories; Nationals choose Centerplate to manage concessions at new ballpark; Lessons for the Lerners: what to steal from other ballparks; Nats ballpark to have extensive seating for wheelchairs; Metro, District and Nationals talking possible 'ballpark fare'; Signing off on the last beam; Top price for ducats at new Nats ballpark: $400; Nationals' transition extends off field; National crisis: Capital franchise in turmoil; Ballpark brings hope but no guarantee; Nationals ballpark 'on time, on budget' for 2008 opening; Future distinctly on rise for Nationals; District not over park cap; New Nats ballpark to feature cherry blossoms beyond left-field fence; As ballpark rises, battles over land continue; For Nats' home, a rapid ascent; Nats ballpark cost tops cap, council members say; Nats owners to pay $20 million for ballpark upgrades; With new Nats ballpark, name of the game is money; D.C. Council approves ballpark parking garages; The D.C. ballpark parking debate; Severe penalties await city if parking garages aren't provided, Gandhi warns; Ballpark garages proposal rejected; Fenty promotes aboveground parking to end fight over new Nats ballpark; New Nats ballpark construction on schedule for 2008 opening; Cropp pushes for decision on parking at DC ballpark; Mayor proposes lifting cap for DC ballpark parking; DC ballpark to be first LEED-certified ballpark in country; Legislation would revive condo and garage development at new DC ballpark; New focus at D.C. ballpark: parking; D.C. parking issue threatens budget; Development plan near new Nats ballpark falls flat; Garage plan at new D.C. ballpark at risk

Consultant expects Normal ballpark deal shortly
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Consultant Mike Thiessen says meetings scheduled for tomorrow and Friday should yield a solid bid for a new ballpark at Normal's Heartland College. Several potential owners have contacted Thiessen about the plan, which involves private capital building a new ballpark at Heartland College. We continue hear an ownership group from the independent Frontier League is in the lead, though groups interested in an affiliation with the independent Northern League and American Association are in play.
    RELATED STORIES: Future of Normal ballpark, team should be clear in coming weeks

Fan falls to his death at Shea Stadium
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Brooklyn resident Antonio Nararainsami, who installed heating and air conditioning systems for a living, fell to his death last night after the New York Mets game at Shea Stadium. He was walking down an escalator (which was not running), slipped and then fell two stories. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

T-Bones to mock Vick jail term with promo featuring prison garb
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The Kansas City T-Bones (independent; American Association) are building a promotion around former NFL quarterback Mike Vick's prison term in nearby Leavenworth with a promotion where the team will sport black-and-white striped prison shirts and the visiting team, the Gary-SouthShore RailCats, will be sporting the tops from orange jumpsuits. Not quite sure the garb is in good taste. We're not a fan of Michael Vick promotions -- as you'll recall we criticized the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) for a Vick promotion -- and while the T-Bones have lots of community partners on this one (Pets Without Partners, American Pit Bull Society, The Pet Connection, Heart of America Humane Society and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City), the decision to put players in prison garb is going over the line. The game is scheduled for May 28.

Baldwin: Current ballpark proposal won't work in Richmond
Posted April 15, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A proposal by the city of Richmond to build a replacement for The Diamond near the existing ballpark won't work because of its proximity to I-95, says Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League) GM Bruce Baldwin, whose team is decamping for Gwinnett County next season. It would be possible for a long homer to make it on the freeway based on initial sketches, although a ballpark in that location surely would have nets installed to prevent that sort of thing. We don't see anything happening with a ballpark proposal in Richmond until the R-Braves formally release the territory and St. Pete can begin fielding applications for relocation. The plan for an 8,000-seat ballpark will more than likely be overkill for whatever team ends up with the Richmond territory, even if it's an Eastern League team like the Erie SeaWolves.

IL to honor Hall of Famers with statue
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The International League announced today that inductees into the circuit’s Hall of Fame will be presented with a special memento to honor their
designation among the League’s immortals. The International League’s 125th Anniversary Committee has commissioned the creation of a statue presented to members of the IL Hall of Fame upon their formal induction. The statue, a replica of a player tipping his cap to the fans, is symbolic of having been recognized for a job well done. A list of the 2008 inductees, as well as a photo of the statue, can be seen here.

Fans impressed with the big screen at D-Backs games
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There's nothing like a new high-definition scoreboard to please the fans, as the front office of the Arizona Diamondbacks will tell you. The D-Backs installed a new mondo hi-def display at Chase Field before the start of the season, and so far fans seem happy with the results, according to this Arizona Republic article. It is 6,256 square foot; some teams have similar installations (the Blue Jays have a spectacular center-field display in Rogers Centre), and we're expecting virtually every team to fo this route in the next several years.

Ballpark Notes
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Mike Sanchez is the first public-address announcer of the new Harlingen WhiteWings (independent; United League Baseball). A native of Miami, Florida, Sanchez enters his first season as the stadium-address announcer for the Harlingen WhiteWings, but previously he could be heard as the voice of the Brownsville Lopez Lobos where he has announced hundreds of baseball games since 2000...The Spot makes its return at Commerce Bank Park beginning this Thursday, as the Harrisburg Senators (Class AA: Eastern League) are opening a Spot at the Park booth at the ballpark .Harrisburg has been without the Spot Restaurant since its closing on September 28 after nearly 70 years in business. But now thanks to the efforts of the Billy Kaldes, the Senators, Sportservice and Marc Butler of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, the Spot Dog and Rendell Burger are being resurrected.....

MECA approves ballpark deal; O-Royals lease not a sure thing
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
A new 24,000-seat ballpark for the College World Series is a step closer to reality after the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority (MECA) board today approved an agreement with the city of Omaha to manage and build the facility. The deal pretty much hews to the structure of what had been previously made public, though now the city must put up a little more in maintenance and debt reserves. The two sides plan on formally signing an agreement before presenting a final plan to the NCAA. We're not sure the financing plan is as solid as many believe: the $140 million budget calls for $59.4 million in private donations, and that's a big number to be raising when the country is in or on the verge of a recession. Also, it's not a given the Omaha Royals (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) will be a tenant: we've been reporting for weeks that the O-Royals would look elsewhere if the proposed ballpark lease were unacceptable (and apparently there's not a lot of flexibility in crafting a favorable lease: the MECA agreement specifically prohibits any "sweetheart deals"), and the Omaha World-Herald finally catches up with our reporting. Apparently PCL President Branch Rickey III has already weighed in against playing in the new ballpark because of its large size and potentially bad lease, and we know the O-Royals owners have talked fondly of markets like Vancouver and Tucson. One problem: Warren Buffett and Walter Scott still own a small chunk of the O-Royals, and they'd need to sign off on any move of the franchise. Currently the O-Royals pay $5,000 per year to play at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium and keep the concession money; we're guessing MECA is talking about charging the team a whole lot more than that.
    RELATED STORIES: Omaha, MECA reach agreement on new ballpark; NCAA on board; MECA, city break off talks on new Omaha ballpark; Letter: NCAA neutral on new Omaha ballpark; Parking issues at play at proposed Omaha ballpark; Rosenblatt defenders give Omaha mayor an earful; Omaha formally commits to 24,000-seat downtown ballpark; Should Omaha tell to NCAA to live with Johnny Rosenblatt?; Committee recommends new downtown Omaha ballpark; MECA formally opposes new ballpark on its land; Is Omaha ballpark plan falling apart?; O-Royals ready to bail on new downtown ballpark?; Downtown ballpark remains choice of Omaha officials, despite higher price tag; Nebraska Legislature enters Omaha ballpark fray; Lot C emerges as frontrunner for new Omaha ballpark site; Two sites emerge as frontrunners for new Omaha ballpark; Omaha ballpark panel picks architects to evaluate sites; Save Rosenblatt Committee wants representative on mayor's ballpark committee; NCAA's feelers out for CWS sites; Omaha mayor's public pitch for ballpark begins; More options introduced for new home of College World Series; Skeptics of Omaha ballpark proposal look for return on funding; Public to have say on Omaha ballpark proposal; Omaha restaurant owners vow opposition to ballpark tax; Omaha mayor unveils $117-million ballpark plan; Rosenblatt group sends petitions to NCAA; Omaha and the CWS: City bids for 20-year deal; Omaha Royals support plan for new ballpark; NCAA ties College World Series to new ballpark; Today's video: Kevin Costner: Save Rosenblatt Stadium; Costner: Save Rosenblatt Stadium; New downtown Omaha ballpark would be near Qwest; Rosenblatt fans try to draft Costner; Rosenblatt demolition among Omaha ballpark suggestions; Royals president says two baseball facilities can work; Petition drive aims to save Rosenblatt; Could Indy someday be host for CWS?; New Omaha ballpark could feature other pastimes; Coaches reminisce as talk turns to proposed downtown ballpark; Plan B: Fix up Rosenblatt; Omaha wants at least 10-year CWS extension before ballpark work; Mayor: NCAA shows interest in new Omaha ballpark; Omaha floats new ballpark for CWS, O-Royals

Ballpark Visit: NYSEG Stadium, Binghamton Mets
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NYSEG Stadium, the home of the Binghamton Mets (Class AA; Eastern League), may not be the flashiest facility in the minors, but may be the most family-friendly facility we've run across in a long time. It's a ballpark where kids can run the bases in the middle of the fifth and it's a ballpark where dollar hot dogs are available every night of the week. With a host of attractions geared toward kids -- like the giant mascot inflatable shown to the right-- NYSEG Stadium is a place where families of all sorts can go out and have a safe, affordable time. Read our full account here. UPDATE: We love our readers! We were wrong, wrong, wrong about NYSEG Stadium being the only place to buy spiedies in pro baseball. The Tri-City ValleyCats (short season; NY-Penn League) not only offer Lupo’s Spiedies at the Buddy’s Barbeque area of Joe Bruno Stadium, they have a mascot, Spiedie the Chicken, who throws sandwiches out to the crowd while riding a Vespa. Nice. We will be seeing Spiedie in action when we visit Bruno Stadium for the NY-Penn League All-Star Game this August. Thanks to Vic Christopher of the ValleyCats for the information.

Knights shopping naming rights to new ballpark
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Charlotte Knights are selling the present and the future: In addition to promoting this season at Knights Stadium, the team is also shopping naming rights for a new Uptown Charlotte ballpark. Private Sports Consulting has worked with the team on a plan to sell the rights for between $500,000 to $1 million annually. That's a little on the high end, but not unreasonable for a city the size of Charlotte: the team's profile should dramatically rise in a new ballpark, which may open as early as next season (though we're growing more and more skeptical about the team meeting that deadline).
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Pelicans, Braves extend PDC
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans (High Class A; Carolina League) announced a two-year extension to their player-development contract with the Atlanta Braves. The extension will continue the Pelicans partnership with the Braves, which has been intact since the franchise’s inception in 1999, through 2010. The announcement was made by Pelicans’ President & Managing Partner Chuck Greenberg and Braves’ Director of Player Development Kurt Kemp in a special pre-game ceremony prior the Pelicans home opener against the Frederick Keys. More on the current state of affiliations here.

Bees reevaluate future naming-rights deals
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Franklin Covey is debating whether to renew their naming-rights deal at Franklin Covey Field, the home of the Salt Lake Bees (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League). Franklin Quest, a predecessor to the firm, entered into a 15-year deal for naming rights for $1.4 million, and the Bees front office says they can get more on a new naming-rights deal. More from the Deseret News.

It's official: Nationals Park is LEED certified
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
So many people were discussing this as a foregone conclusion we were a little worried it might not happen. Nationals Park, the new home of the Washington Nationals, is the first major-league facility to be LEED-certified. LEED is a point-based system where projects earn points for satisfying specific green building criteria. This project incorporated enough green design elements, such as water conservation, using efficient field lighting, adding a green roof and incorporating recycling at the ballpark, to qualify it for a higher level of certification. (Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, also the home of the State College Spikes, was the first ballpark to be LEED-certified.)
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Thunder mark 15th anniversary of Waterfront Park
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The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) has been one of the most successful franchises in pro baseball, and the team marks the 15th anniversary of Waterfront Park this summer. It's an amazing story: Trenton may not be one of the economic hot spots of the country, but the Thunder regularly draw over 400,000 a season and should welcome their six-millionth fan this season.

Avon mayor: new ballpark to open in 2009
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Avon (Ohio) Mayor Jim Smith says his city will break ground next month on a new 5,000-seat ballpark for an independent Frontier League ballpark. He sounds pretty confident about the ballpark opening next season; given the later start to the Frontier League season, they should be fine barring any weird weather. We think the mayor is smoking crack when he estimates 2 million people will visit the ballpark next season: the Southern Illinois Miners led the Frontier League last season with a total attendance of 259,392, and we can't see enough big events in Avon to argue 1.6 million plus will be attending events other than baseball games.

Happy birthday, Blair Field
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
When it was first built in 1958, folks in Long Beach held out the dream Blair Field would be the home for a future major-league baseball team. That didn't happen ... although it hosted a few exhibition games and several future major leaguers played there.
    It was used heavily over the years as the home for three minor-league
teams, including the Long Beach Armada (independent; Golden Baseball League), thousands of high school games and (for a decade), a practice facility for the NFL Los Angeles Rams.
    The place fell into disrepute but has been refurbished and (since 1993) is the home field for Long Beach State, the preseason pick to win the Big West Conference. On Friday, April 11, the Dirtbags hosted UC-Irvine on the 50th anniversary of the first game ever played there.
    The Long Beach Press-Telegram is taking the occasion to look back fondly on a field that is now considered one of the best college baseball facilities in the country.

Should Richmond say goodbye to baseball?
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Paul Woody is trying to raise trouble when he argues Richmond should just ignore baseball once the Richmond Braves (Class AAA; International League) move out of town. He's right that there's likely to be a battle over the territory; we would expect at least one Eastern League to put in a claim for Richmond, and they won't care whether The Diamond is in bad condition; their angle will be for a new ballpark.

Curses, foiled again! Attempt to hex Bombers fails when jersey is uncovered
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
An attempt by a Red Sox-loving construction worker at the new Yankee Stadium to place a curse on the Bronx Bombers failed when workers uncovered a David Ortiz jersey buried in the ballpark. Construction worker Gino Castignoli, a Red Sox fan who helped lay cement at the new ballpark as a day worker, surreptitiously hid the jersey under a service entrance behind home plate, and then bragged to the New York Post about his deed. (Apparently his thinking was the burying of the Ortiz jersey would put a curse on the Yankees similar to the Curse of the Bambino.) That didn't sit too well with other Yankee Stadium construction workers, who deduced where Castignoli laid the jersey and asked to look for it. Sure enough, they found the Ortiz jersey. Now, if you're going to go to the trouble of sneaking a Red Sox jersey into a Yankee Stadium construction site, you probably should be smart enough not to brag about it until it's too late to dig up the jersey.
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Topeka moves forward with ballpark plans
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
Topeka officials announced tentative plans for a 2,500-seat ballpark based on feedback from area residents. Doug Stewart of the Stewart Sports Group and Bob Carlson, principal at DLR, made a presentation last Friday. Though no location was specified, it sounds like officials are leaning toward a downtown location. We've heard from the mayor's office and will be posting some renderings and other details later today.

Ballpark Notes
Posted April 14, 2008 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss)
The Trenton Thunder (Class AA; Eastern League) introduced its new character, Strike, at Kids Opening Day on Sunday, April 13. Throughout the month of March, fans were invited to visit www.trentonthunder.com and suggest a name for the new character. Suggestions were also accepted at Thunder community and school appearances throughout the month. Over 1,000 suggestions were made with "Strike" being the most suggested name....Jake Bowen, who played infield for the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) in 2006, was killed Saturday in a traffic accident in his hometown of Cedar Park, Texas. Bowen, a passenger, was involved in a single-car wreck.