In a piece this afternoon in the Long Beach Press-Telegram, columnist Bob Keisser hacks away at the previous independent ball clubs that made Blair Field their home and raises questions about Godfather Media, the proposed American West Baseball League, and announced Long Beach Splash. When Keissler questioned Long Beach State University Athletic Director Vic Cegles about the possibility of a new team coming to play at Blair Field, he stated the following:
“Some group made an initial contact with Mark Edrington (the facilities chief and associate A.D.), but it never went beyond that,” he said. “We’re really not interested. If anyone did come to our table, they should be prepared to pay heavily, in cash, and up front.”
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I totally agree with you Alan. Any new owner who would like to place a team in Long Beach and even Orange County for that matter will have to buck up and pay some coin. These two cities have been burned so many times by independent baseball you can bet they don’t want to get screwed again. Can you blame them… nope.
That’s what I can’t understand why has the wannabe owner in LB introduced his brand before a lease has been negotiated. Isn’t that the first thing you do? This is why I think the league has already got off on the wrong foot. Another thing is a man was awarded a team for San Diego, from what I hear Tony Gwynn stadium which is the only stadium a indy team could play at in San Diego won’t allow a indy team. So now what. If LB and OC were such good markets than why didn’t someone bring them back in the GBL/NAL? I guess somethings i’ll never understand.
Why do the fans need to ask. Just bring the team and pay the money. I bet Long Beach, San Diego, and Orange County don’t even play in the cities i mentioned. The whole philosophy behind this league blows me away. I’ve never seen a league start this way.
Start what way? With a full year of preparation and development? Yup your right never happened anywhere close to the coast. This AD is a classless character to give first answer to the group via media.
All,
It’s been no secret that Blair Field operators would require risk protection, based on the performance of previous tenants. Whether or not the current suitors had anything to do with the NAL, GBL or WBL is completely irrelevant. When a market gets burned, a future suitor inevitably gets greater scrutiny, and, in many cases, is forced to do more. In the case of Blair, if you really want to get in there, pay the money and agree to the lease terms.
One thing that is troubling here is that the franchise has been announced and the branding introduced before serious lease talks even begin, let alone before the lease deal is locked in. What’s the tactic here, to stir up community support to put pressure on the stadium operators? If so, it’s not a good move. It comes off as presumptuous (which can backfire), you give up negotiating leverage (because the pressure is now on you to deliver the product because you announced the team), and you’ll look like an amateur and generate skepticism with future fans if you fail to deliver. Do your groundwork first, and then worry about your branding. Don’t be one of those leagues.
Alan
Nobody jumped the gun except the reporter. It just sounds like a bored sports writer and the fans want baseball in LB, all they need to do is ask and they will see. But just like everybody on blogs they just make comments on topics they know nothing of.
Seems like the owner in LB jumped the gun yet again.
This is no surprise to me. This league won’t get off the ground.