The sad demise of the London Rippers, ballpark changes for 2013 and potential ballpark deals in Hagerstown and Oakland. The most popular stories on Ballpark Digest this past week, as measured by page views. Developer: I can build new A’s ballpark with private financing Rippers pull out of Frontier League; to be replaced by road […]
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No beer here: the sad history of the London Rippers
The demise of the London Rippers (independent; Frontier League) has some fairly basic lessons for potential baseball entrepreneurs: know your market and read your contracts carefully. The London Rippers withdrew from the Frontier League Wednesday morning at 12:01 a.m., days after being locked out of its team office/gift shop for nonpayment of rent. It was […]
Rippers pull out of Frontier League; to be replaced by road team
Facing financial problems, the London Rippers (independent; Frontier League) ownership is withdrawing its membership in the circuit as of midnight tonight, replaced by the Road Warriors, with any home games moving to the opponent’s ballpark. The word comes from league officials, who have been presented with a steady deterioration in the team’s finances, a deterioration […]
Bringing the wild back to Wild Things
The Washington Wild Things (independent; Frontier League) was once a flagship franchise, but new owner Stuart Williams is spending his time trying to bring the team back from a slump at the box office. Washington used to lead the Frontier League in attendance, but these days the team is next-to-last at 1,595 fans a game, behind […]
Olerud adds VP title at P-Nats
Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) General Manager Josh Olerud has been promoted: he’s now vice preident/general manager of the team, as announced by President Lani Silber Weiss. “Josh has just been wonderful in trying to find ways to amplify the in game experience for our fans,” says Silber Weiss. “His management and leadership skills […]
More weather woes: Tarpocalypse in Joliet
It’s been an intense week for weather impacting ballpark operations; check out this video of the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) staff strugging to keep a tarp down. During a June 29, 2012 rain delay, the Slammers staff put down the infield tarp, but that action didn’t take. Heavy winds blew the tarp off the field, […]
No beer for Rippers fans; owner seeks unique solution
Lacking approval to sell beer at Labatt Park, the owner of the London Rippers (independent; Frontier League) has an unusual solution: he challenged the license owner to a winner-take-all playoff. The London Majors, a semi-pro team in the Intercounty Baseball League, hold the liquor license for the ballpark. Since law dictates that only one liquor license […]
The first pro baseball team to sport uniform sponsor logos? Rockford
This, to the best of our knowledge, is a first: the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) are wearing uniform sponsor logos for every game, in a straight sale of sponsorship rights. We’re not counting auto racing, golf or MLS soccer and don’t want to embark on a discussion of whether these are major sports; for the […]
Macomb County: We want minor-league ball
A long-term development plan for Macomb County in suburban Detroit calls for the development of a minor-league ballpark in Utica. Macomb County’s Blue Economy Strategic Development Plan lists 49 projects to be undertaken by the county. It’s not as though there’s not been an effort to bring baseball to the region — a group failed […]
Pro baseball returns to Schaumburg
The Schaumburg Boomers (independent; Frontier League) kicked off their home schedule last night with a 5-2 victory over the Florence Freedom before 6,067 fans. As you’ll recall, there was no pro baseball in Schaumburg last year after the Schaumburg Flyers (independent; Northern League) were evicted and folded under a sea of debt. Now, we’re going to […]
Boomers, Rippers debut in Frontier League
The two newest teams in the independent Frontier League — the Schaumburg Boomers and the London Rippers — made their debuts last night, both on the road. Four Boomers pitchers combined to shut out the Lake Erie Crushers, 4-0, at All Pro Freight Stadium. The Boomers scored in the top of the first and never […]
Rippers owner: No plans on changing team name
Despite some official disapproval from the City Council, the owner of the London Rippers (independent; Frontier League) says he has no plans to change the controversial team name. It’s fair to say there was a little disturbance in the Canadian community over the team name, which associates one of history’s most notorious mass murderers with a […]
Two new ballparks emerging in Champaign?
University of Illinois officials are debating the merits of a renovated Illinois Field, but city officials say their pursuit of a Low Class A Midwest League team won’t allow any cooperation on a new facility. Illinois Field, the home of the Illini baseball team, has been surpassed on the facilities front by other Big Ten […]