Brandon, Manitoba is set to welcome a new summer-collegiate Expedition League squad, as the team will begin play at Andrews Field in 2019. Branding for the club will be announced at a later date.
The Expedition League teams play a 64-game season beginning on May 24, 2019 and ending on August 5, 2019 with one week of playoffs after the regular season. The 2019 season will include 10-member teams. The All-Star break will be July 15-17, 2019.
“We are extremely excited to be adding an Expedition League team in Brandon”, said Steve Wagner, Expedition League President. “Brandon is a fantastic community and it’s growing. Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba and it’s the economic and cultural hub of all of Western Manitoba. The people in and around Brandon are wonderful people and we’re excited to bring our brand of high caliber, nonstop fun, family entertainment to this great City. Andrews Field is a beautiful ballpark and the perfect venue for Expedition League baseball. Andrews Field is consistently voted one of the top ballparks in Canada and it’s easy to see why. The City of Brandon and Andrews Field Management Group have done an outstanding job of maintaining and improving the facility. We’re looking forward to a few additional upgrades coming for the 2019 season that will enhance the fan experience. I can’t wait for 2019 opening day. Andrews Field will definitely be rockin’ all summer long. It’s thrilling to add a Canadian team to the Expedition League. Brandon’s proximity to both Minot and Dickinson, North Dakota will create some fun rivalries and it will be great for fans to be able to travel back and forth to these cities.”
Brandon’s Mayor Rick Chrest noted, “Brandon is thrilled to be among the host communities for this exciting baseball league. Expedition League baseball will no doubt provide Brandon and area baseball fans and visitors alike the opportunity to experience top caliber pre-major league ball players through an entertaining experience. Andrews Field is the perfect backdrop and we look forward to seeing the rivalry build among the communities on both sides of our international border.”
“The City of Brandon’s Community Services Department is very excited to see the addition of an Expedition League team at Andrews Field,” said City of Brandon Manager of Parks Operations Bryce Wilson. “Having competitive baseball return to the facility will be excellent for the City of Brandon and surrounding communities. With the addition of the Expedition League team’s activity in the community, we can all look forward to youth baseball in Brandon growing and the caliber of baseball in our city flourishing.”
“The Andrews Field Group is extremely excited to see the Expedition League coming to Brandon”, commented Nate Andrews. “I’ve been involved in the management of this facility since 2001 and I started playing on the field in the early ‘90s. I have seen it go through many different stages including a late ‘90s resurgence of the MSBL to the demise of the MSBL just a short time ago. We saw a variety of baseball events, most notably the ever popular 1991 and 1994 World Youth Baseball Championships. The timing of this announcement is tremendous as the numbers in Brandon Minor Baseball continue to grow and these young kids will only benefit from the Expedition League’s presence here. These kids and their families will get to watch a level of baseball that hasn’t been played here for a long, long time. We will see some players pass through here that will likely be selected in the MLB draft in any given year. I’m excited as a baseball purist, but I am more excited because of the Expedition League’s focus on affordable summer time entertainment. Expedition League baseball caters to anyone or any group looking for a fun social outing. We know that the entire region will enjoy this new attraction and we look forward to hosting all of our neighbours here at Andrews Field.”
“The Andrews Field Group is excited to see a new team from our city join the Expedition League and play at Andrews Field beginning in 2019”, said Alex Campbell. “We believe that the people of Brandon and the entire area are going to be provided with some great entertainment and baseball played at a high level. Equally as important, the caliber of play will have a great impact and influence on youth baseball in our area. The Expedition League is geared to not only provide good baseball but also provide those attending the games with a great fan experience. Exciting times for our region.”
“The Expedition League selecting Brandon as home for a team in the league is a strong testament to the quality of our recreation, event hosting amenities and strong partnerships”, stated Sandy Trudel, Director, City of Brandon Economic Development. “Not only will the Expedition League generate secondary economic activity through event tourism and their operating budget, they are also creating new jobs in Brandon and contributing to Brandon’s quality of life.”