Many in baseball were stunned when respected operators Darren and Russ Parker pulled the plug on the Victoria Seals (independent; Golden Baseball League) for the 2011 season, citing issues with the city and concerns about the future of the GBL. Was the decision a harbinger of what’s to come with independent baseball? When the Parkers, […]
Tag Archives | american association
American Association lands Amarillo; ULB loses court bid to halt process
The Potter County Commissioners unanimously awarded a lease for Potter County Memorial Stadium to Southern Independent Baseball, freeing the way for the independent American Association to set up shop there in 2011. The move wasn’t surprising: SIB principal Scott Berry has been an owner in good standing in the AA for several years, and the […]
New naming rights deal on horizon in Winnipeg?
With the CanWest media empire dead, it sound like we could see a new name for one of our favorite ballparks, CanWest Global Park, the home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes (independent; American Association). CanWest Global Media Corp. has held naming rights to the ballpark since it opened. However, the bankrupt firm has been sold to […]
American Association frontrunner to land Amarillo lease
Potter County (Texas) will exclusively negotiate with Southern Independent Baseball for a lease at Potter County Stadium — the former Amarillo Dilla Villa — as the independent American Association is poised to move into Amarillo for the 2011 season. Southern Independent Baseball is headed by Scott Berry, who also own the Shreveport-Bossier Captains in the […]
Griffith works to preserve Northern League
It sounds like independent Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith was working the phones fast and furiously this past week, seeking to augment the four teams remaining in the circuit with expansion teams and maybe even some refugees from the independent Frontier League. A quiet week was actually pretty good news for Griffith: it mean that […]
Four bids submitted for Amarillo ballpark lease
Four bids were received by Potter County for a lease at Amarillo National Bank Dilla Villa (Potter County Stadium), with some familiar faces in the mix — like the Amarillo Dillas and the American Association — as well as some unfamiliar players. The Amarillo Dillas bid did strike us as odd. This whole mess was […]
First look: Proposed St. Paul Saints ballpark
The St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) will be taking another run at state funding for a new downtown ballpark, this time with a design of sorts in hand and a game plan that includes lots of support from the local business community. Gone is Mike Veeck‘s vision of a ballpark oriented to the west […]
Griffith new EVP for Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans (independent; American Association) have a new Executive Vice President, Operations: Jonathan Griffith, formerly Vice President/General Manager for the Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League). “Jonathan has a proven track record of success everywhere he’s been and we think he is the perfect fit for the Pensacola Pelicans,” said Pelicans owner Quint […]
Amarillo can support downtown ballpark: CSL
A new downtown Amarillo ballpark is financially feasible and capable of hosting events other than professional baseball throughout the year, according to a study presented to the City Council by Conventions Sports & Leisure. The report estimated that a market the size of Amarillo could support an independent-league team and draw between 3,700 and 4,200 […]
Rockford, Joliet to Frontier League?
The future of the independent Northern League is in doubt, as the Rockford RiverHawks are set to bolt to the independent Frontier League for the 2011 season and the future of the Joliet JackHammers is in doubt, potentially leaving the Schaumburg Flyers out in the cold. The Northern League, a pioneer in the resurgence of independent […]
It’s official: Four teams defect from NoL to AA
It’s official: four teams — the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, Gary-SouthShore RailCats, Kansas City T-Bones and Winnipeg Goldeyes — will be leaving the independent Northern League for the American Association for the 2011 season. The four teams will leave behind four Chicagoland teams in the Northern League for the 2011 season, presumably with Clark Griffith still as […]
Northern League split: Four to AA, four remain
According to several sources at the ownership level, the current game plan for the independent Northern League has the four Chicagoland teams remaining in the circuit and Clark Griffith continuing as commissioner, while four teams — Winnipeg, Fargo-Moorhead, Gary-SouthShore and Kansas City — moving to the American Association. The four Chicagoland teams — Rockford RiverHawks, […]
Indy realignment: Two scenarios
Insiders tell us there are two scenarios for the potential realignment of the Frontier League, Northern League and American Association. Under both, the current Northern League would cease to exist — but could come back in name only in the second. Things are coming to a head in the potential independent-baseball realignment, first reported here […]