Frank Boulton, president of the indy pro Atlantic League, is reportedly in the “discovery stage” of forming a new league that he has described as a “sort of Atlantic League Professional Baseball 2.” Mario Perrucci, a former executive with the defunct indy pro Atlantic City Surf (Atlantic League/Can-Am League), is working with Boulton to bring Altantic City into the fold, if the circuit happens. Read more here.
Creation of New League Could Bring Baseball Back to Atlantic City
Filed under League & Franchise, Market & Location
ballparkbiz.wordpress.com 
The economy is in the crapper…it’s really that simple. Though some have cut back on what made them attendance leaders but why are we talking midwest and northeast as a league? That ADDS costs. And why is Quebec listed with Brockton (DOA) Worcester (life support) and Newark (DOA)?
In your guys opinion, do you feel any of those markets could still do well as a business i.e. Brockton, Worcester, Newark, Quebec, and maybe it is a merger with some of the lower level Mid-West Teams as the Frontier League has seen a major slide in average fans per game, markets like Joliet, Schaumburg, Traverse City, have all dropped from the elite…is it the level of play. is it the market, what is it?
I have friends that own teams in Futures and NECBL
So that’s a “No, I cannot prove this; I can pass along allegations from unspecified persons that I claim to know.” Thank you.
woodenulykteneau,
Now that’s the Wooden I used to know. Loved those “nefan” days.
Alan (aka Pudge/Pudge63)
Those were the days, weren’t they? Sad to see what’s happened to the old Northeast League — just three of ’em left, two if you (a) don’t want to count the Tornadoes since they joined when it became the CanAm (b) believe that they’re the next team to drop down to the collegiate wood-bat level.
How could that be? Cape Cod League has been around 100+ years, and has produced more major league players than any other amateur baseball program in the world. The Cape Cod League also has great fan followings where the teams see between 900-3000 people nightly and franchise values can be sold for more than $500k…The Futures League, although run well and operating in good markets, I know for a fact teams are losing a ton of money…The Rox for example has approx $160k in lease for both the ballpark and the Shaw’s Center and could not make ends meet in the Can-Am League, how are teams like Lynn, Brockton, Nashua getting by? I would love to see them become affiliated at some point with the Sox!
“I know for a fact teams are losing a ton of money…”
Care to offer some proof?
Whats everyone’s take on brockton? We were all told that the Futures League was temporary and that it would return to pro ball…any thoughts?
I hope Brockton can make a return to pro ball. Campanelli Stadium is too nice just to be used by a collegiate summer team. Of course from what I read here, the Futures League is the best run collegiate league ever, so why would Brockton want to leave ?
Sussex taxes are HIGH. If it was lower than the ballpark would have probably sold already. Not like they’re asking a high price for it. It does have income producing properties there. They still run festival type things there, I drove past there one night and it was some farm festival or something.
People always say there aren’t enough cities but there are more than enough cities here in the northeast that can work. Just some don’t have their “ducks in a row” yet.
I personally would love to see New Haven with baseball or somewhere near Hartford, CT, I also think Brockton should be back in pro ball and Carminucci should just stay away from pro baseball!
Yeah I’d like to see New Haven but I heard that Yale doesn’t want a team – pro or collegiate – there. Hartford has the Rock Cats. Otherwise I think Connecticut is out of markets. Unless you put something in Stamford. That undoubtedly affect Bridgeport.
I would love to have the old or the new version of the atlantic league at skylands park. we do need more games there to be profitable.i hope that mr bolton gets in touch with millennium sports management
Yeah I thought, but could be mistaken that they recently renewed their PDC for 2 years….and Joliet would be an awesome option or even Schaumburg given that Schaumburg’s stadium plays at the exact dimensions of Wrigley Field
Guess to be technical, it was leaked, not announced.
Cubs announced a while back that they were going to Kane County. Joliet seems like a natural to drop an affiliated team in, but I don’t know the logistics of that MLB territory-wise.
I agree…just if any team was going to move I would have thought it would have been Binghamton…Also it wasn’t shown here but Peoria just signed a PDC with St. Louis in the Midwest League, what the chances of the Cubs going to Kane County or Joliet?
Based on comments from Beacon Sports, the team moving to Ottawa is Erie. Again, why would the EL President announce that a team was being put there if it wasn’t going to happen ?
Thats a nice vision lol…and Brian, who is going to move there? Bingamton?
In a pretend vision, you would have Atlantic City, Lakewood, Camden, York, Lancaster, Wilmington, Frederick, and Aberdeen in the newly formed Interstate League.
Ron, the Eastern League has said they are moving a team into Ottawa. Why would they lie about that ?
As well as the question of Brockton, Ottawa (not buying into Double A), Bridgeport (struggling in Atlantic League, Newark, Atlantic City…
Interesting … while I don’t think the northeast has enough markets to support an entirely new league, I would never doubt Boulton. He knows how to run a league. I wonder if he’s looking at possibly raiding the Can-Am League, specifically Rockland (who is supposedly a “free agent”). There are empty ballparks in Augusta (NJ) and Newburgh (NY) that are possibilities as well.
Good points, Brian. Sussex is a good option. But don’t they have some tax issues? I can’t see any open markets especially since any open markets are going the low-cost collegiate league route. Elmira, Nashua, etc. I can’t see Newburgh working out. Too close to the HV Renegades.
I know … I’m probably dreaming with regards to Newburgh. Just wish someone would give the Renegades some competition as not everyone enjoys the atmosphere at Dutchess Stadium.
The problem in Sussex is that the ballpark is for sale, so unless a buyer is found, it seems unlikely that a team could move in there.
Lol yeah I hear you about HV. I think they’ve actually toned it down a little and actually respect the game, so I can live with them. Before they’d do all this pageantry and ignore pitching changes. Have fun, fine, but respect the game.
Yeah, you’re right though, don’t bet against Boulton. Maybe he’s planning a Can-Am buyout of some sort. Wasn’t there talk years back about a merger and the Can-Am being a feeder league for the AL or something like that?
And who else could possibly play in this league? Newark….maybe? Rockland…maybe? other markets such as Brockton, Nashua, Lynn, are all part of the futures league and seeing a respectable deal of success in that league in which I believe Worcester will end up in this league eventually. No league that Boulton creates will ever include the Canadian team of the Can-Am League…
I would actually like to see a resurrection of the Northern League/Northeast League – many of those former teams are floundering due to the relatively low level of play in the Frontier League i.e. Schaumburg, Joliet, Gary, River City – when the level of play was closer to the Atlantic League these teams all prospered, and the northeast league the Brockton Rox were a gem when they weren’t part of a diminished Can-Am League…