New scoreboard on tap in Cedar Rapids
Lots of change in Iowa, as fans of the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low Class A; Midwest League) will be enjoying a new scoreboard at Veterans Memorial Stadium in addition to the team’s new affiliation with the Minnesota Twins. The new scoreboard was approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council earlier this week, with Daktronics slated […]
New for 2013: Saratoga Phillies
The former owners of the Oneonta Outlaws (summer collegiate; PGCBL) are back in Saratoga (N.Y.) and will be fielding a team in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. This will be the third league in five years for Keith Rogers and Dan Scaring, who originally owned the Saratoga Phillies in the New York Collegiate Baseball […]
Patrick Day new Southern Maryland GM
Some personnel news to note: Patrick Day, former GM of the Lansing Lugnuts (Low Class A; Midwest League), is the new GM of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (independent; Atlantic League). Day will focus on providing strategic direction and assist the Blue Crabs in maintaining their status as a community leader, as well as focus […]
Augusta ballpark plan unveiled; Eiseman, Schoen to buy GreenJackets
A new plan for an Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) ballpark was unveiled today, as was confirmation that Ripken Baseball VP Jeff Eiseman and investor Chris Schoen would be buying the team. Agon Sports & Entertainment is technically the buyer of the team; Agon is made up of Eiseman and Schoen. Eiseman has […]
New for 2013: Watertown Rams
The Watertown (N.Y.) entry in the summer-collegiate Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League will be known as the Rams, with the owner close to a new lease for Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds. The status of the team has been a matter of speculation in recent days: there reportedly was an effort by another summer-collegiate team to […]
Citi Field revenues down again in 2012
For the third straight year revenues were down at Citi Field, as New York Mets ownership struggles to find the right mix between ticket and concession prices. Newsday obtained the team’s revenue statement via FOIA; the statement is a requirement of the bonding deal that funded ballpark construction. In 2012 ballpark revenue for the Mets […]
Spring training brings $632 million to Phoenix economy: studies
Spring training in Phoenix pumps $632 million into the local economy year-round, according to studies released by the Cactus League Baseball Association and Elliott D. Pollack & Co. From the Arizona Republic: The study found that 56 percent of the 1.7 million fans attending games this past spring were out-of-state visitors and the median stay in […]
Kenosha approves Simmons Field lease for Northwoods League team
It’s official: the Kenosha Common Council approved a lease and ballpark-improvement plan for Simmons Field with the owners of the Madison Mallards and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, as a 2014 Northwoods League team is on the horizon. Simmons Field is the former home to Midwest League and Frontier League baseball in the Wisconsin community. Under the […]
El Paso to set up corporation to oversee ballpark construction, management
The El Paso City Council is considering the formation of a local government corporation that would oversee financing and construction of a new downtown ballpark for a Pacific Coast League team. The corporation would be made up of the mayor and current members of the City Council. This isn’t uncommon to have the city council […]
Opposition already rising against North Augusta ballpark
City officials, developers and the Augusta GreenJackets (Low Class A; Sally League) haven’t even unveiled specifics of a proposed new ballpark in North Augusta, but that’s not stopping some local residents from speaking out against it. Normally it takes an unveiled plan for the NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) folks to make their presence known, […]
Delaware North, Rangers extend ballpark concessions deal
Delaware North Companies Sportservice will continue to be the concessionaire at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, extending a partnership with the Texas Rangers that began when the ballpark opened in 1994. The previous contract had two years remaining. “The Rangers have been a terrific partner right from the start,” said Sportservice President Rick Abramson. “The organization […]
Updated look for St. Lucie Mets unveiled
The St. Lucie Mets (High Class A; Florida State League) unveiled a new look for 2013, complete with new logos and uniforms. The new look is a mix of logos borrowed from parent New York Mets and images native to Florida. For instance, the Mets logo is augmented with a palm tree, and Mr. Met […]
Letter of intent signed for new Malden ballpark
An executed letter of intent between National Grid and developer Alex Bok pushes a proposed $50-million ballpark project in downtown Malden (Mass.) closer to reality. A sterling lineup of politicos, including Rep. Ed Markey and Attorney General Martha Coakley, was on hand to commemorate the occasion yesterday. Bok, who has been working on a Boston-area […]