Affiliated Minor League Ballparks to Host Six TCL Teams, Bringing Circuit to 10 for 2020

PRESS RELEASE – This morning at 11am in multiple cities in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana press conferences are being held to announce the return of baseball after the COVID-19 pause of the college and professional game.

Missions Exploring Sites for Potential New Ballpark

It’s been nearly four years since Dave Elmore, founder of the Elmore Sports Group, which owns the San Antonio Missions (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League), committed to moving the team from the Double-A Texas League to the higher-level PCL. That commitment came with a hitch: San Antonio (TX) needed to deliver a new ballpark.  Read more here.

More Ballpark Chatter in San Antonio

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who is the namesake of the San Antonio Missions’ (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) current stadium, told a local news station that San Antonio (TX) will need a new stadium if it wants to keep Triple-A baseball in town.  Read more here.

Missions Prepare to Bid Adieu to Texas League

One of the longest running affiliations in American professional sports will come to an end in September when the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) conclude their season.  Read more here.

Elmore Weighing Options in San Antonio, Chooses GM to Ramp Up Amarillo Operations

Nearly a year later after announcing the move of the Colorado Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) to San Antonio (TX), the Elmore Sports Group’s pursuit of a new stadium remains in the exploratory stage.  Read more here.  (Subscription required.)  Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Sky Sox GM Tony Ensor has been tapped to run Elmore’s new Double-A, Texas League club in Amarillo (TX) (the relocating San Antonio Missions).  Sky Sox Assistant GM Chris Phillips has been promoted to GM.  Read more here.

Columnist Bashes Idea of Downtown San Antonio Ballpark

According to one columnist, there is no visible merit to building a minor league baseball stadium downtown San Antonio.  Not in a fast-growing city with major league aspirations.  Not in the name of economic development.  Read more here.

The Latest on the San Antonio Ballpark Plan

While the city of San Antonio (TX) has flirted with plans for Major League Soccer, a handful of movers and shakers have continued to work behind the scenes on a new ballpark for the future Triple-A San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League).  Read more here.

San Antonio Mayor Not Interested in Investing in Minor League Sports for Major League City

San Antonio (TX) Mayor Ron Nirenberg said using Public financing for a downtown minor league baseball stadium is not in the interest of San Antonio.  He doesn’t think the public needs to be investing in minor league sports, because San Antonio a big league city.  Read more here.

Wolff Stadium a Long-Term Solution for Missions?

When the San Antonio Missions start playing Triple-A baseball in 2019, it’s still unclear if Wolff Stadium will be the team’s long-term home.  Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff thinks adding just 1,000 seats would meet the requirements for Triple-A ball.  The owners of the Missions don’t believe the ballpark is their stadium of the future.  Read more and watch news report here.

Scouting Triple-A Ballpark Sites in San Antonio

Land near the Government Hill neighborhood across from the Pearl and an area next to the San Antonio Museum of Art are potential new locations under consideration for the city’s first triple-A baseball stadium.  Read more here.

Colorado Springs Gazette Sports Columnist Takes Swing at Elmore, Rockies

Triple-A baseball in Colorado Springs was not built to last.  And, as we know, it will not last.  The Triple-A version of the Sky Sox is fleeing to San Antonio in 2019, ending three decades in the Springs.  The Elmore family, owners of the Sky Sox, use altitude to justify the departure.  Read more here.

Mayor Wants More Private Financial Support for New Ballpark

City leaders may have a better understanding of San Antonio’s ability to support a new downtown ballpark and a Triple-A baseball team, thanks to the release on Monday of two market studies from different consulting firms.  But what San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor wants to see before endorsing a plan for a new stadium is financial support from the private sector.  Read more here.

No Triple-A Ballpark for San Antonio in 2019

San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor on Wednesday effectively shelved a plan to bring Triple-A baseball to San Antonio (TX) by the 2019 season.  Taylor acknowledged Wednesday that meeting a 2019 launch date is now nearly impossible, based on rough estimates of construction time.  It’s unclear whether David Elmore will continue to push for a new stadium in San Antonio and how this news might affect other cities hoping to land the city’s Double-A franchise.  Read more here.

Missions Trolling Lubbock

The San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas) are apparently trying to cover their relocation bets, as the team is reportedly eyeing Lubbock (TX) for its new home, while in ballpark talks with Amarillo (TX).  As we all know, the franchise will be moved, if San Antonio (TX) builds a new downtown stadium for the to-be-relocated Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League).  Read more here.

San Antonio Ballpark Study Complete, Results Won’t Be Released Just Yet

Washington (DC)-based stadium consultant Brailsford & Dunlavey has apparently completed its downtown San Antonio (TX) ballpark feasibility assessment, but Centro San Antonio is not yet ready to share those findings.  Read more here.

Janet Smith on San Antonio Ballpark: Take Time, Do It Right

If San Antonio leaders want to hit one out of the park with a proposed downtown stadium, they first need to determine what type of development they want around such a new stadium, and how much investment they can expect to attract to a given site, so says big league architect and urban planner Janet Smith.  Read more here.

San Antonio Gets Ballpark Advice from L.A. Dodgers

L.A. Dodgers executive Janet Marie Smith and El Paso city manager Joyce Wilson were in San Antonio Tuesday to speak at a luncheon with local architects and tour potential sites for a new ballpark that would lure the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) to downtown.  Read more here.

Amarillo Looks to Formal Agreement to Lock Down Double-A Franchise, New Ballpark

Future plans for a downtown Amarillo (TX) baseball stadium have temporarily stalled after the owners of the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) declined to sign a letter of intent.  The plan instead is to move toward completing a long-term formal agreement this fall.  Read more here.

Plan for Downtown San Antonio Ballpark Questioned

No real news year, but weeks after Mayor Ivy Taylor announced plans to bring a Triple-A baseball team to downtown San Antonio (TX), current and former political leaders have raised questions about the proposed project.  Read more here.

Dittrich Ponders Double-A Ball’s Return to Amarillo

The Amarillo Globe-News interviewed long-time baseball executive John Dittrich about his time as owner and general manager of the Amarillo Gold Sox (Double-A, Texas League) back in the late 1970s/early 1980s and his thoughts about Double-A ball possibly returning to the city with a new stadium on deck.  Read more here.

If They Built It, Triple-A Sky Sox to San Antonio

San Antonio (TX) Mayor Ivy Taylor announced Thursday that Triple-A baseball will come to San Antonio in 2019 if a new ballpark is built Downtown.  Taylor made the announcement with David Elmore of Elmore Sports Group, which owns the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) and Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League).  Read more here.

Missions to Announce Moves to Bring Triple-A Ball to Downtown San Antonio

Owners of the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League) are expected to announce at a City Council meeting next week that they’re working toward bringing a Triple-A club to the Alamo City.  Read more here.

Charlotte Ballpark, Downtown Development Inspire San Antonio Mayor

San Antonio (TX) Mayor Ivy Taylor just returned from Charlotte (NC) and now has a new downtown ballpark vision for the San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League).  The Missions have called the Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium home since 1994.  Read more and watch news report here.  Read another story here.

Judge Wolff: We’re Making Progress on New Triple-A Ballpark for Downtown San Antonio

The ongoing redevelopment of San Antonio’s urban core could get an assist from pro baseball.  Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said Friday that progress has been made on an effort to build a new ballpark in the center city for a higher level of minor league baseball.  Read more here.

Ballpark Visit ALERT: Wolff Stadium (San Antonio, TX)

MLB.com reporter Benjamin Hill recently visited Wolff Stadium, home of the Double-A San Antonio Missions (Texas League).  Read more and view photos here.

Bexar County Official Wants Downtown San Antonio Ballpark

Bexar County (TX) Judge Nelson Wolff says it’s time to build a baseball stadium in downtown San Antonio for the Double-A San Antonio Missions (Texas League), and Wolff is chiding other city and county officials for not moving quickly enough on the project.  Read more here.