Expedition League Launches Team in Caldwell (Idaho)

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League, with 11 teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and Manitoba Canada, today announced the arrival of its affiliate in Caldwell, Idaho. The Canyon County Spuds will play at Wolfe Field.

It’s the ‘Mining City Tommyknockers’

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League’s Butte affiliate, which will begin play in May of 2021, has announced the team’s name and unveiled the official logo. The team name is the Mining City Tommyknockers and the logo, designed by Jason Stemm of Stemm Creative, has been released. Orange, Black and Gray are the official team colors.

Expedition League Adds Butte to Lineup

Press Release – The Expedition League, with 10 teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Manitoba, Canada, today announced the arrival of its affiliate in Butte, Montana. The team will play at 3 Legends Stadium at the Copper Mountain Recreation Complex in Butte. 3 Legends Stadium is a beautiful ballpark that was completed in 2017.

Expedition League Postpones Start of 2020 Season

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League has been closely monitoring the developments regarding COVID-19 and the corresponding directives from Federal, State and Local governmental authorities. While none of the four great states where Expedition League teams play – North Dakota,

Expedition League’s Sioux Falls Team Unveils Name and Logo

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League’s Sioux Falls affiliate, which will begin play in May of 2020, has announced the team’s name and unveiled the official logo. The team name is the Sioux Falls Sunfish and the logo has been released. The sunfish, or bluegill, is a popular panfish throughout the Sioux Falls region and all of South Dakota. Anyone who has fished for sunfish knows how much fun it is to catch them and what a beautiful fish it is.

Butte Still Waiting on Expedition League

Plans to bring an Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) baseball franchise to Butte (MT) haven’t panned out so far, even though the city has enthusiastically embraced the idea of hosting one of the college-level summer teams. The hold-up has been finding at least one other Montana city to join, but Expedition League President Steve Wagner says he’s had very promising talks with several of them.  Read more here.

Jackalopes Won’t Play in 2020

In May, the Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) announced that a team would be launched in Rapid City (SD), where the league offices are located.  League president Steve Wagner is now saying that team was still at least one more year away.  Securing funding for necessary stadium upgrades is the problem.  Read more here.

Expedition League Expands to Sioux Falls

The Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) has announced that it is expanding to Sioux Falls (SD). The yet-to-be-named team will play at Augustana’s Karras Park, as did the Sioux Falls Pilots and Gold, summer college league teams that folded after one season. Baseball front-office veteran Bill Larsen will serve as the club’s general manager.  Read more and watch video here.

Horseheads to Host 2020 Expedition League All-Star Game

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League today announced that the 2020 All-Star Spectacular, presented by Hydrotex, will be held at Mike Lansing Field in Casper, Wyoming, home of the Casper Horseheads. The Expedition League’s All-Star break is July 20-22, 2020.

Expedition League’s Hotshots Suspend Operations

After two seasons in Aberdeen (SD), the Hub City Hotshots (Summer Collegiate, Expedition League) have suspended operations for the 2020 season.  As reported, in a letter from Expedition League President Steve Wagner, who took over operation of the Hotshots this summer, he cited neglect by former team owners Chuck and Mayra Heeman.  Read more here.  Read more background here.

Expedition League Targeting Laramie

Laramie’s (WY) demographics, Cowboy Field on the campus of the University of Wyoming, and a 14-year run for the former Laramie Colts (Summer Collegiate, Rocky Mountain Baseball League/Mountain Collegiate Baseball League) could make the city next up in the expansion of the Expedition League (Summer Collegiate).  Read more here.  Read about Colts here.

Expedition League Adds Rapid City Jackalopes to Lineup

It was announced on Wednesday that the Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) will add the expansion Rapid City Jackalopes to the circuit’s lineup beginning the 2020 season.  Read more here.

Trappers Announce Cowboys Throwback Night

PRESS RELEASE – The Pierre Trappers of the Expedition League announced they will be holding a “Pierre Cowboys Night” promotion on July 24th, 2019 when they take on the Hub City Hotshots and will wear Pierre Cowboys throwback jerseys.

Snyder Steps Down as Horseheads GM

PRESS RELEASE – The Casper Horseheads of the Expedition League today announced the departure of General Manager Matthew Snyder. Snyder, who joined the team in September 2018, steps down due to ongoing and increasingly serious health concerns.

Paulson Departs Hotshots

PRESS RELEASE – The Hub City Hotshots of the Expedition League today announced the resignation of General Manager Tyson Paulson as he moves to a position outside of professional sports.

Expedition League Unveils 2019 All-Star Game Logo

The Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) has revealed the 2019 All-Star Game logo and provided information about related All-Star Extravaganza festivities, which will be held in Minot (ND) on July 15-16, 2019, at Corbett Field, home of the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs.

Butte Plays Waiting Game with Expedition League

Butte (MT) will have to wait at least another year for Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) baseball, because efforts to put companion teams in Helena and Bozeman haven’t panned out.  Read more here.

It’s the ‘Fremont Moo’

PRESS RELEASE – Fremont, Nebraska’s expansion baseball team in the Expedition League has been named the Fremont Moo. Along with the announcement of the team name, the official logo designed by Chip David of Dogwings.us has been unveiled. Team colors are purple, orange, black, and white.

It’s the ‘Wheat City Whiskey Jacks’

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League’s Brandon affiliate, which will begin play in May of 2019, has announced the team’s name and unveiled the official logo. The team name is the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks and the logo, designed by Ross Johnson of Ross Johnson Design Company, has been released. Carolina Blue, Dark Gray and Light Gray are the official team colors.

Name the Team Contest Underway for Brandon Franchise

PRESS RELEASE – The Brandon, Manitoba affiliate of the Expedition League has announced the five finalists for the “Guess the Team Name” Contest and we want you, our great fans, to help in selecting the team name. Please let us know which team names are your favorites. Your team name selections will be an important part of the process of selecting the Brandon Expedition League team name!

Pioneers Ballpark Honored with Tourism Award

The Oregon Trail Ballpark in Gering (NE), home of the Western Nebraska Pioneers (Summer Collegiate, Expedition League) has been recognized by the Nebraska Tourism Commission with the Outstanding Tourism Attraction Award.  Read more here.

Sabre Dogs to Host 2019 Expedition League All-Star Game

The Souris Valley Sabre Dogs (Summer Collegiate, Expedition League will host the 2019 Expedition League All-Star Extravaganza July 15 and 16 at Corbett Field.  Read more here.

Second-Year Expedition League Adds Canadian Market to 2019 Lineup

The Brandon Marlins are unlikely to return to the Manitoba Junior Baseball League next summer without a management team in place, but the Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) is set to take their place.  Read more here.

#Andrews Field in #Brandon, Manitoba will be rocking one tear from now! #baseball pic.twitter.com/lmaSJUs8db

— Expedition League (@Exp_League) June 20, 2017

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Expedition League Adds Fremont (NE) to 2019 Lineup

The Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) officially announced the launch of its Fremont (NE) affiliate team, which will begin play at soon-to-be-upgraded Moeller Field in 2019.  The league completed it’s inaugural season of operation this past August.  Read more here.  Watch announcement here.

Start-Up Expedition League Wraps Up Regular Season, Playoffs Underway

The start-up Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) wrapped up its first regular season this past weekend with all eight teams still in operation.  If you have experienced this new league and attended any games, feel free to share your feedback here in comments or via e-mail at contact@ballparkbiz.com.  In the meantime, view attendance numbers here.  Read more here.

Expedition League Awarded $250K Forgivable Loan to Bring Team to Fremont (NE)

The Fremont (NE) City Council approved a $250,000 forgivable loan to the first-year Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) to improve Moeller Field and bring a new franchise to the Omaha-area community.  Read more here.

Expedition League Makes Pitch in Rapid City

The first-year Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) presented a proposal to the Rapid City Parks and Recreation board at its meeting Thursday night to renovate McKeague Field and bring an expansion franchise to town.  Read more and watch news report here.  McKeague Field is right next to Floyd Fitzgerald Stadium, home of the Post 22 American Legion team, which we assume is not too keen on the idea.

Debating the Future of Helena’s Kindrick Field

The Helena Brewers (Rookie, Pioneer League) will play their final baseball game Sept. 3 at 86-year-old Kindrick Field.  The team will be relocating from Helena (MT) to Colorado Springs (CO) beginning the 2019 season, bringing up an interesting question: What will this mean for the future of the old ballpark?  Read more and watch news report here.

Expedition League’s Inaugural All-Star Game Tonight

The start-up Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) will hold its inaugural All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at Duncan Field in Hastings (NE) on Monday July 2, 2018.  The All-Star Game logo was designed to highlight the region’s rich agricultural history as well as the sandhill crane migration through Central Nebraska each year.  Learn more and view rosters here.

Start-Up Expedition League Opens Inaugural Season

The start-up Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) kicked off its inaugural season Friday night with home openers in Hastings (NE), home of the Hastings Sodbusters (read more and view photos here), Spearfish (SD), home of the Spearfish Sasquatch (watch news report here), Aberdeen (SD), home of the Hub City Hotshots (read more and view photos here), and Casper (WY), home of the Casper Horseheads (read more and view photos here).  The HotShots reported 1,138 in attendance.

Let the Games Begin: Start-Up Expedition League Kicks Off Inaugural Season Friday

Will the start-up Expedition League solidify a long-term place in the summer collegiate baseball landscape?  The test begins Friday, May 25, as all eight (8) teams across North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming will take the field for the circuit’s inaugural Opening Day.  We’ll be watching closely.  Feel free to share with us photos and experiences tonight and as the season progresses.  Good luck to all.  View schedule here.  View map here.

Start-Up Expedition League Targets Grand Forks, Not So Fast Says Editorial Board

Grand Forks (ND) has gone nearly 20 years without a summer collegiate baseball team operating out of Kraft Field.  Steve Wagner wants to end that streak.  He is president of the Expedition League (Summer Collegiate), a start-up circuit set to launch its first season later this month.  Read more here.  The Grand Forks Herald editorial board disagrees.  Read more here.

Start-Up Expedition League Targets Montana for Expansion, We Have Thoughts

The start-up circuit hasn’t yet played a game, but Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) founder Scott Wagner is already targeting Butte, Bozeman and Helena in Montana for expansion in 2019, along with Sheridan in Wyoming, Rapid City in South Dakota and Brandon in Manitoba.  The league plans to begin play this season in eight cities located in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming.

Start-Up Pierre Trappers Get Permission to Sell Beer

The Pierre Trappers (Summer Collegiate, Expedition League) will be playing home games at Hyde Stadium, which, until now, has been closed to alcohol.  Tuesday night, the Pierre (SD) City Commission approved a malt beverage license for the new franchise.  Read more here.

Hyde Stadium renovation rendering, Ciavarella Design Architects via Post 8

Start-Up Sabre Dogs Name PA Announcer

PRESS RELEASE – Jack Springgate, KMOT’s news reporter and personality, was named the public-address announcer for the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs for the 2018 season.

It’s the ‘Badlands Big Sticks’ for New Dickinson (ND) Franchise

The start-up Expedition League’s Dickinson (ND) franchise will the known as the Badlands Big Sticks.  The name originates from Teddy Roosevelt’s saying, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”  Dickinson is near Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The team’s logo was designed by Ross Johnson Design Company.  Read more here.

Sodbusters Unveil Logo

The logo for the start-up Expedition League’s Hastings Sodbusters (Summer Collegiate) has been unveiled.  Read press release here.

New Spearfish (SD) Franchise Unveils Team Name and Logo

The start-up Expedition League (Summer Collegiate) announced the team name for the Spearfish franchise will be the Sasquatch.  Greg Streeter, under the direction of Rob Henry of The HomeSlice Group, designed the logo.  The team colors are black, silver and blue.  Read more here.

New Pierre (SD) Franchise Unveils Team Name and Logo

The start-up Expedition League’s Pierre (SD) franchise will be known as the Pierre Trappers.  The team’s logo was unveiled on Monday.  The Trappers will begin play at Hyde Stadium in 2018.  Read press release here.

New Minot (ND) Franchise Unveils Team Name and Logo

The start-up Expedition League’s Minot (ND) franchise will be known as the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs.  The logo was designed by Ross Johnson of Ross Johnson Design Company.  Read press release here.