Archives: Nov. 19-25, 2006
Goodyear ballpark plan hits funding snag
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
Goodyear, Az., might have to prepare to pay more for its proposed spring-training facility if it doesn’t find a second team to share the complex with the Cleveland Indians. City leaders were told that Goodyear’s plans for a spring-training facility might only get 50 percent funding help from the sports authority if the city doesn’t secure a second team (as opposed to the 66.7 percent funding help currently proposed). The Goodyear baseball development team pitched its proposal to secure a spring-training facility before a subcommittee of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority at a meeting Friday. The issue: both Goodyear and Glendale have agreements to lure Grapefruit League teams, but Glendale also has an agreement to bring in the Chicago White Sox from Tucson (itself a controversial move). Authority officials would prefer to see two-team complexes. Goodyear estimates the cost of building a spring-training facility would cost about $56 million for a one-team facility or $77.5 million for a two-team facility. More from KVOA.
Frontier League adds Slippery Rock team for 2007
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
Minor-league baseball will return to Butler County for the first time in 55 years as the Frontier League is bringing an expansion team to Jack Critchfield Park on the campus of Slippery Rock University for the 2007 season.
The association between the Slippery Rock University and the Frontier League will be unique in that it will allow the students of Slippery Rock University to receive hands-on experience in all aspects of setting up and running a professional baseball team.
Slippery Rock Professional Baseball will be overseen by Steve Tahsler, who is entering his 11th season in the Frontier League. Tahsler was most recently the vice president/general manager for the Evansville Otters, and was voted the Frontier League’s Executive of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. The inaugural Frontier League game at Jack Critchfield Park will take place on Tuesday, May 29.
Goodyear ballpark plan hits funding snag
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
Goodyear, Az., might have to prepare to pay more for its proposed spring-training facility if it doesn’t find a second team to share the complex with the Cleveland Indians. City leaders were told that Goodyear’s plans for a spring-training facility might only get 50 percent funding help from the sports authority if the city doesn’t secure a second team (as opposed to the 66.7 percent funding help currently proposed). The Goodyear baseball development team pitched its proposal to secure a spring-training facility before a subcommittee of the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority at a meeting Friday. The issue: both Goodyear and Glendale have agreements to lure Grapefruit League teams, but Glendale also has an agreement to bring in the Chicago White Sox from Tucson (itself a controversial move). Authority officials would prefer to see two-team complexes. Goodyear estimates the cost of building a spring-training facility would cost about $56 million for a one-team facility or $77.5 million for a two-team facility. More from KVOA.
Frontier League adds Slippery Rock team for 2007
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
Minor-league baseball will return to Butler County for the first time in 55 years as the Frontier League is bringing an expansion team to Jack Critchfield Park on the campus of Slippery Rock University for the 2007 season.
The association between the Slippery Rock University and the Frontier League will be unique in that it will allow the students of Slippery Rock University to receive hands-on experience in all aspects of setting up and running a professional baseball team.
Slippery Rock Professional Baseball will be overseen by Steve Tahsler, who is entering his 11th season in the Frontier League. Tahsler was most recently the vice president/general manager for the Evansville Otters, and was voted the Frontier League’s Executive of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. The inaugural Frontier League game at Jack Critchfield Park will take place on Tuesday, May 29.
A’s Fremont ballpark must field host of hurdles
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
Television commercials already were airing last week with the message, "Welcome to Cisco Field, the new home of the A’s." But that’s putting the accompli before the fait, as the A’s and Cisco Systems — which launched the Bay Area ad campaign a day after announcing a plan for a new ballpark — must overcome many hurdles large and small before that home actually can be built. The better-known issues will have to be addressed by the Fremont City Council, including traffic and environmental concerns and decisions on whether the economic activity generated by the stadium and associated development will cover the costs of serving the new residential "ballpark village" the A’s want to build. Other minor issues remain: technically, the A’s will be moving into a territory belonging to the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League). One more hurdle: some residents want to see a referendum on the plan even if taxpayers don’t contribute anything to the ballpark. More on the plan here.
Keeping A’s in Bay Area is important for valley
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
John Chambers, the CEO of Cisco Systems, argues for the importance of keeping the Oakland A’s in the greater Bay Area and portrays his company’s long-term commitment to a new ballpark a civic activity. Perhaps. One of the issues Cisco faces is in its marketing: in the tech world Cisco is known as a leading player in networking infrastructure, but Cisco really hasn’t broken through as a household name — with the accompanying brand value. The deal with the Oakland A’s to set up Cisco Field as a tech showcase has some risks, but some huge rewards if all the high tech works on a daily basis.
Sounds get jump-start on ticket sales for new ballpark
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
The Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) have launched a season-ticket campaign for the team’s new downtown ballpark ahead of approval of the project’s design by local government agencies including Metro Council. The Sounds hope to have the 12,500-seat baseball stadium ready for bats to be swinging by April 2008. Final financing still needs to be worked out, and a loan from a consortium of local banks is not predicated on the number of season tickets sold but a model to service the debt assumes 1,500 season tickets need to be sold. Close to 1,000 season tickets have already been bought. The Sounds are adding a premium area behind home plate, field boxes. They make up the first eight rows in the stands and stretch roughly from dugout to dugout around the infield. The seats are wider and have more leg room than seats at Greer Stadium, the Sounds’ current home. About 1,000 seats have the field box designation.
Brewers adding upgraded club space to Miller Park
Posted Nov. 20, 2006
The Milwaukee Brewers are making another change to Miller Park for the 2007 season. The Brewers recently began construction on the estimated $2.5 million conversion of five suites on the club level of Miller Park into an entertainment area that will seat about 240 fans. A ticket to the area, to be called the "Club on the Club," will cost between $89 and $99 and will include food and drink. The open-air patio includes three types of seating — extra-wide ballpark seating, chairs with counter seating and chairs grouped around tables. We’re seeing more of these premium areas designed to be sold on a per-game basis. Quite honestly, the club level at Miller Park is nothing special when compared to the likes of Minute Maid Park or AT&T Park, so the conversion of ordinary space into a premium space is a good idea.