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 […]
Barons reach deal to play at new ballpark
The last piece in a new downtown Birmingham ballpark is in place, as the owners of the Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League) confirm they’ve reached initial agreement with the city on a lease, clearing the way for construction to begin. A letter of intent was signed yesterday. The participation of the Barons was key: […]
Padres make it official: Beavers to Tucson in 2011
It’s the worst-kept secret in Minor League Baseball, one we reported a few weeks ago: the San Diego Padres will place the Portland Beavers in Tucson Electric Park for 2011 and possibly beyond, according to a press release issued by the club. An ownership group, led by the Padres’ Jeff Moorad, are in the process […]
In memoriam: Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson, the manager of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine World Series champs and later a Series winner with the Detroit Tigers, passed away today at the age of 76. He had been in poor health and recently hospitalized for dementia. Anderson was the first manager to win World Series with two different teams in two […]
Mets lower ticket prices for 2011
Increased supply meets diminished demand, as the New York Mets lowered prices for many seats at Citi Field for the 2011 season, decreasing costs by an average of 14 percent across the entire ballpark. Within the 14-percent average price decrease, the Mets have made a range of market-based adjustments to Citi Field’s 41,800 seats: Ticket […]
Logo of the Year: Richmond Flying Squirrels
The debut season of the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Class AA; Eastern League) was an immensely successful one, with the team leading the circuit in attendance and registering one of the biggest attendance hikes in all of baseball. Anchoring that rise: a unique look to the team, led by one of the most distinctive logos in […]
Compromise on the way in SWB ballpark squabble?
Concessions by the New York Yankees and Mandalay Baseball regarding the terms of a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (Class AAA; International League) lease may keep the team at a renovated PNC Field for 30 years. The pair have an option to buy the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and have shown a clear inclination to do so, but a purchase […]
Padres: Leaving Bevos permanently in Tucson is option
With the electoral landscape and support for total public funding of a new Escondido ballpark altered after Tuesday’s elections, reps from the San Diego Padres say buying the Portland Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and leaving them permanently in Tucson is definitely on the agenda. The dynamics of Escondido politics changed Tuesday when ballpark […]
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 […]
Crum new GM in Traverse City
The Traverse City Beach Bums (independent; Frontier League) have a new general manager for the 2011 season: Jeremy Crum, promoted from his position as AGM. “Jeremy has grown with us since our inception, working his way up from an intern in 2006,” said Beach Bums Managing Member/COO John Wuerfel. “As a family owned and operated […]
SI Yankees, NYC spar over rent, comps
The Staten Island Yankees (short season A; NY-Penn League) and New York City are disagreeing over the team’s rent, which is partially based on ticket sales, as the city wants to count comps as part of the total attendance figures. The issue: whether 1,756 tickets designated by the SI Yankees as comps should be included […]
Election shows mixed support for new Escondido ballpark
Last night’s election in Escondido (Cal.) was a mixed bag for ballpark proponents, as a vocal opponent of the proposed Portland Beavers (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) ballpark was voted in over the former mayor, a staunch advocate of the project. Former councilman Ed Gallo, an opponent of public funding for the ballpark, won a […]
New Cubs spring facility approved by Mesa voters
Despite the anti-tax sentiment carrying the day in most of America, Mesa voters yesterday voted to spend almost $100 million on a new Chicago Cubs spring-training facility, funded by higher hotel taxes and a selloff of city land. The approval came via two ballot issues. The first, which passed with 63 percent of the vote, […]