We have the official announcement of the new summer-collegiate West Coast League team taking up occupancy at RE/MAX Field, as an ownership group unveils the Edmonton Riverhawks.
Yesterday we previewed the announcement, noting that the West Coast League was placing a team in an established Western Canadian Baseball League market and wondered how the league would handle logistics by expanded to a market nine hours away from the nearest WCL team. The WCBL team, the Edmonton Prospects, came up short in a competition for the RE/MAX Field lease to a group led by Dr. Randy Gregg, a former Edmonton Oiler. Both groups had laid out efforts to play ball at RE/MAX Field as well as develop the area surrounding the ballpark. Spurned by Edmonton, the Prospects announced plans to be part of a new baseball development in nearby Spruce Grove.
Gregg introduced the team name and announced improvements to RE/MAX Field, including new synthetic turf, a new scoreboard, and new lighting. At the press conference, Gregg noted the league would be subsidizing air travel for the teams visiting for nine home series.
“We are very excited to bring one of the best summer collegiate leagues in all of North America to Edmonton,” Gregg said in a press statement. “In the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft, 90 West Coast League players were picked, including the No. 1 and No. 3 selections. Local sports fans will see future major league stars while they are playing in Edmonton during their college careers.”
Besides managing director Gregg, Baseball Edmonton includes Dale Wishewan, the owner of Booster Juice; D’Arcy Durand, an orthopedic surgeon; and Gary Gregg, who oversees Gregg Distributors. In addition, there are another 24 shareholders.
“Adding a growing metropolis like Edmonton to the West Coast League is obviously a real coup for us,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer via press statement. “Toss in this outstanding ownership group and a tremendous stadium, and it’s easy to see why we’re so thrilled to welcome the Riverhawks to what is already the West’s top collegiate summer league.”
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