The Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) are throwing the World’s Greatest Ticket Exchange Policy in Sports promo tomorrow night, where fans are invited to redeem any ticket for admission. Fans can redeem their ticket stubs from any sporting event (used or unused) for free admission to watch the Joliet Slammers take on the Frontier Greys […]
Archive | Independent Baseball
Startup Diamond League postponed to 2015
The startup independent Diamond League won’t launch until the 2015 season, as finding six open ballparks for next season proved to be a difficult task for founder Frank Boulton. Here’s the statement issued by Boulton today: The Diamond League of Professional Baseball will not start in 2014 with the contemplated 60-game schedule. Although I am […]
Lumberjacks sold, reorganized
The East Bay Lumberjacks, a semipro team added to the independent Pacific Association lineup this season on a partial basis, have new ownership and now play under the Bay Cal Lumberjacks moniker. The new owners: Candice Macari, Cristin Franklin, Thomas Macari and Wayne Franklin. “We are very excited about the addition of the Bay Cal […]
New Malden ballpark pushed back to 2016
With land acquisition still a major issue, the opening of a new Malden (Mass.) ballpark has been pushed back to 2016. The issue: even though Alexander Bok has a $20-million lease for the former National Gas site in downtown Malden, the ballpark project requires three other parcels to work. So far there’s been no deal […]
Saints, city make up $8.8M ballpark funding shortfall
The St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) formally increased their contribution to a new Lowertown ballpark by another $1 million and agreed to take over daily maintenance of the facility, helping to close a $8.8-million funding gap. The gap arose after cleanup costs at the former Gillette/Diamond Products plant — former manufacturing home of Dippity-Do! […]
Skeeters awarded 2014 Atlantic League ASG
Live today from the Fox Valley Stadium press box today, so postings will be minimal. First off: the Sugar Land Skeeters are hosting the 2014 Atlantic League All-Star Game. “We are delighted for Sugar Land to be awarded the 2014 All-Star Game,” said Opening Day Partners President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Danos. “The quality […]
Saints add $1M to new ballpark funding
With a projected $9 million funding gap that needs to be addressed, the St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) upped their contribution to a new Lowertown ballpark by $1 million — but the city may want more. The issue: the cost of preparing the site for construction has risen sharply since the original budget was […]
United League Baseball to finish season with four teams
As we suspected, the traveling McAllen Thunder won’t finish out the season for the independent United League Baseball season, leaving the circuit at four. We already knew the Alexandria Aces would not complete the 2013 season, and to keep the league at an even number of teams for 2013 the McAllen team suspended operating as […]
Demise of Admirals spurred by player strike over unpaid wages
Before the independent Pacific Association suspended the Vallejo Admirals, the team was crippled by a player strike and a front-office exodus over unpaid wages and salaries. When Pacific Association commissioner Mike Marshall announced the team’s suspension from the league, he referenced the team’s unpaid bills, ranging from player wages to front-office salaries to ballpark rent. […]
Pacific Association suspends Vallejo Admirals
The Vallejo Admirals will not be part of the independent Pacific Association until the team comes current on its bills to players, staff and the city for the ballpark lease. From a league press release: “Pacific Association Commissioner Mike Marshall informed the Admirals’ ownership that effective July 15th all future Admirals’ games would no longer […]
No more Alexandria Aces for 2013
Putting a team in partially condemned Bringhurst Field didn’t end up working out for the independent United League, as the Alexandria Aces have reportedly folded. A report in the Brownsville Herald quotes United League Baseball chief executive officer John Bryant as saying the team’s season is over, and that the league’s schedule will be accommodated […]
New rules speeding play in Atlantic League
This season the independent Atlantic League instituted a series of rules designed to speed up and shorten games. So far, the plan has shaved 10 minutes off game times. The results were compiled by John Walk of the York Dispatch, who analyzed game times this season and then talked to players and front-office personnel about […]
Price tag for new Saints ballpark could rise $9M
The cost of a new St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) ballpark could rise another $9 million after further testing revealed more environmental issues than anticipated. The increased cost has nothing to do with the actual ballpark, and the city would be on the hook for the clean-up costs no matter what was built on […]