IndependentBaseball.net

Here is a new development on the situation in Ramapo, NY.  The residents voted down a city-back guarantee of the new stadium construction, but the construction may still proceed anyway:

• http://www.lohud.com/article/20100825/NEWS03/8250353/Ramapo-rejects-16-5-million-financing-plan-for-ballpark

Should the stadium be constructed then it would aim to host a Can-Am League team in the upcoming seasons.  Feel free to leave your comments on this situation.

Resources for those involved with baseball at any level:

If you, or someone you know, is a youth baseball parent and frustrated with the experience then click here: Youth Baseball Parents

If you, or someone you, want guidance from actual independent minor league baseball executives on how to succeed in the independent minor leagues then click here: Independent Baseball Advice Interviews

If you simply want to find out about independent minor league baseball tryouts then click here: Independent Minor League Baseball Tryouts Notification List

If you, or someone you care about, want to improve the mental game of baseball then click here: Improving Your Baseball Mental Game

If you, or someone you know, need to improve your 60 yard dash time then click here: Click Here

Click this link if you, or someone you know, need baseball equipment which occasionally is on sale and/or offers free shipping (check the site for any such incentives):

Here is an interesting aspect of new independent baseball stadium construction:  a speakers bureau was formed for the new Atlantic League stadium which is being built in Sugar Land, Texas:

• http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/08/20/47385

I know that many people only care about the on-field action when it comes to independent minor league baseball; but this information is useful to get a better understanding of the bigger picture of what is happening in the industry.  Decisions made early in the planning phase ultimately can affect some aspect of the play on the field and, even moreso, the experiences which fans will have at the games.

Feel free to chime in and leave your comments on cities creating speakers bureaus regarding sports venues.

Resources for those involved with baseball at any level:

If you, or someone you know, is a youth baseball parent and frustrated with the experience then click here: Youth Baseball Parents

If you, or someone you, want guidance from actual independent minor league baseball executives on how to succeed in the independent minor leagues then click here: Independent Baseball Advice Interviews

If you simply want to find out about independent minor league baseball tryouts then click here: Independent Minor League Baseball Tryouts Notification List

If you, or someone you care about, want to improve the mental game of baseball then click here: Improving Your Baseball Mental Game

If you, or someone you know, need to improve your 60 yard dash time then click here: Click Here

Click this link if you, or someone you know, need baseball equipment which occasionally is on sale and/or offers free shipping (check the site for any such incentives):

One of the large appeals of minor league baseball (affiliated or independent) is when new ballparks are built.  Here is something which helps explain the business of baseball better:  a new stadium’s RFQ:

• http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/sugarland/cultural_district/index.asp

Surprisingly, the decisions made during the RFQ process and beyond will affect the experience fans have (positive or negative) for years to come.  They even may affect who plays on a team because of stadium dimensions and nuances.  For example, a change in the location of a new stadium, or the dimensions of the field, determine whether certain advantages/disadvantages will exist for pitchers, certain types of hitters, and those players who may (or may not) be signed to a team due to how the wind affects the action on the field.  It may sound ridiculous at first, but these types of conversations have been had by independent baseball managers and GM’s; and many times the roots of these decisions can be traced back to the stadium’s construction.

Feel free to chime in and leave your thoughts.  I just wanted you to see a different side of the independent baseball business which most fans never see.

Here is an interesting announcement from the Laredo Broncos of the United League.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH43zN0YKwY
• http://ballparkbiz.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/save-the-broncos/

The Broncos may be forced out of the city due to the playing rights for the new Laredo stadium going to the Ventura Group, which owns teams in the American Association.  If you have any opinions on the matter then you are welcome to leave your comments on this post.

Here is an interesting article about the business of baseball:

• http://www.pnj.com/article/20100803/SPORTS/8030324/1002/SPORTS/Studer-eyes-Affiliation

What is interesting is the addition of the new team president to help transition the Pelicans to the new stadium.  Feel free to leave your thoughts about the Pelicans as an independent baseball organization and what they bring to their fans.

Here is an interesting article about the possible new owners for a potential independent baseball team which will play in Ramapo, NY as a part of the Can-Am League:

• http://www.lohud.com/article/20100706/NEWS03/7060344/-1/newsfront/Don-Mattingly-baseball-camp-eyes-Ramapo–proposed-stadium

What is of interest is this quote from the article:

”

“The owners include former Yankee catcher John Flaherty of Pearl River and Stephen Mulvey, a golf course developer in Rye whose family owned a piece of the Brooklyn-Los Angeles Dodgers from 1912 to 1975 and ran Dodgertown in Florida.

Other owners include Clarkstown resident Michael Aglialoro, a businessman who runs the nonprofit Clarkstown Education Foundation and a trustee with the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.

The team will be run by Ken Lehner, a part owner and former executive with the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball team who has been involved with professional football and hockey teams. Shawn Reilly, a Florida real estate developer, worked for the New York Mets.”

There are a significant number of MLB ties to this possible expansion team, so we will see what happens with the city of Ramapo and the possible new stadium.

Here is an article from a local Abilene, Texas website which reviewed the recent 4-game series played there by the United League:

• http://www.reporternews.com/news/2010/jul/03/for-abilene-it-comes-down-to-more-than-just-beer/

Of interest is the concept of a new stadium.  As reported on this site in recent weeks, there seems to be a nationwide trend developing of constructing new stadiums for independent baseball teams; and there also has been some “push back” from certain cities about using public financing for any such construction.

Abilene used to be the home of the Prairie Dogs of the old Texas-Louisiana League.  Whether the fans will show their support for the concept of bringing back independent baseball to the city is still to be determined.  If so, the next question is whether the ULB or another league can garner the private financing required to construct a stadium.

Hopefully this can be the case so that independent baseball has a chance to go back to a market where it existed for several years.

Last week, the Lake County Fielders (Northern League) independent minor league baseball team finally played its first home game at its temporary stadium.  The stadium construction has been the topic of much conversation in recent months (see earlier posts by clicking on the “Lake County Fielders” tag).

Even though the stadium does not have lights yet, the home opener drew over 6000 announced fans.  Here is an article detailing the specifics from the stadium and fan experiences:

• http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/2460666,5_1_WA03_FIELDERS_S1-100703.article

Here is an article about yet another proposed independent baseball stadium, and this one is proposed to be built in suburban Indianapolis, IN:

• http://www.ibj.com/the-score/2010/06/23/is-new-westfield-pro-baseball-team-taking-aim-at-indians/PARAMS/post/20714

If you have more information about the ownership group, the region’s demographics, the community’s level of interest, or other information then feel free to leave a comment.

Please remember that this new stadium construction possibility does not exist in a “vacuum.”  Many other cities are in the process of considering (or are already building) new independent league stadiums.  Here is a quick list:

• Zion, IL (Lake County Fielders – Northern League)
• Ramapo, NY (Can-Am League)
• Omaha, NE (multiple leagues vying for the opportunity)
• Laredo, TX (American Association)
• Montgomery County, TX
• Sugarland, TX
• Oakland County, MI
• St. Paul, MN

In addition, other new stadiums have been built in the last few years:

• Grand Prairie Airhogs (Grand Prairie, TX)
• Normal Cornbelters (Normal, IL)

This does not even include financing situations regarding current team’s stadium renovations such as in Pensacola, FL.

Bob Wirz, who writes the Independent Baseball Insider column, has an excerpt from his column on the Ventura Group which owns multiple teams in the American Association.  The excerpt covers the group’s plans to build multiple independent minor league baseball stadiums in the upcoming months outside of Houston, in Laredo, and in Kansas:

• http://www.thesportsbank.net/northern-league/ventura-sports-will-deliver-two-more-american-association-teams-in-%E2%80%9912/