Ballpark Digest had a brief article the other day regarding the proposal for a new stadium:
What is of interest is that the GBL has had teams playing in college-owned (or influenced) stadiums for years due to the facilities issue in the area. The Long Beach Armada played through the 2009 season in a college facility which was part of the reason why the team is no longer operating, although it is probable that many other factors existed.
In the Texas market, many college coaches who have influence with college baseball stadiums have said “over my dead body” when it comes to an independent baseball team leasing their facilities during the summer. It may exist elsewhere outside of Texas and California, so feel free to leave your comments.
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There has been some success in sharing indy ball parks back here in the Middle Atlantic, and it may extend beyond my vision. The Jackals of the CanAm play at Yogi Berra stadium, on the campus of Montclair State, a division III college that has had a very successful baseball program for years, as part of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. But I do not know what the arrangement is concerning ownership/lessee. It could be a joint venture as it has been successful for both. Don’t know if Newark or Sussex share.
I’m not sure what Camden-Rutgers did for a field before Campbell’s Field was built by the Riversharks (don’t know if the city of Camden helped). But the Scarlat Raptors have used it each early spring since it was completed. The college also has a multiuse soccer and softball field across the street from the stadium, which is quite near the edges of the campus and basketball facility. The NJAC has held its conference playoffs at both venues here at least once…this probably depends on the rotation of hosts.
Stockton State has its own rurally located field, but did often use The Sandcastle in Atlantic City when the Surf were functioning, and maybe even after its disbandment. Not sure who or if the field is maintained now or not. It was usually top notch.
Somerset has hosted the Big East playoffs several times, and maybe another league, as well as key local high school rivalries. I do not know if Lancaster has allowed Franklin and Marshall or Millersville to play there much, but it would not surprise me if they did.
So it’s not an unknown thing to be done, depending on who is in charge of the facility, and what their attitude is toward usage. For me, I get sick in the offseason when even the little league fields are not being used. Gratefully I see a large increase now in fall play and adult fall softball and baseball, and I think that’s just great. Hey, use the fields, people!! That’s what they were built for!!