Potential ACL Markets

[wellington]

The other thread has gotten a little stale. So I thought I'd start a new one examining potential markets/cities (other than former SCL markets) that may be suitable for the ACL. I'll start with these cities...

Athens, GA
Gastonia, NC
Sumter, SC
Spartnaburg, SC

[MikeH]

The other thread has gotten a little stale. So I thought I'd start a new one examining potential markets/cities (other than former SCL markets) that may be suitable for the ACL. I'll start with these cities...

Athens, GA - No stadium
Gastonia, NC - They never responded back to me
Sumter, SC - We are looking at Sumter
Spartnaburg, SC - Currently unavailable due to Duncan Park renovations

[wellington]

What about UGA baseball stadium in Athens?

[MikeH]

What about UGA baseball stadium in Athens?

They never answered me back.

I'm iffy with college stadiums. They are a bit on the whacky side. It's a beautiful stadium.

I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable about college stadiums. Plus being turned down by them is getting old. Mount St. Mary's, Clemson, Florida State, Catawba College, Wofford, Georgia, Georgia State, Lander, USC Upstate, USC Aiken, etc.

[wellington]

What about Hendersonville, NC?

There was talk of the Spartanburg Stingers moving there before deciding to relocate to Forest City (very nice stadium -- http://www.forestcitybaseball.com/index.php/site/normal_site/mcnair_field ).

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20070314/NEWS/703140348

They seem very eager to bring baseball to Hendersonville. Even with the renovations the ballpark will only seat 1,500. Not a huge stadium by any means, but could be a good fit for a start-up league like the ACL.

[ca]

here's a list of towns that would make a good team roster for the acl
albany ga , macon ga , columbus ga , pikeville ky , huntington wv , richmond in , lorain oh and ypsilanti mi

[MikeH]

What about Hendersonville, NC?

There was talk of the Spartanburg Stingers moving there before deciding to relocate to Forest City (very nice stadium -- http://www.forestcitybaseball.com/index.php/site/normal_site/mcnair_field ).

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20070314/NEWS/703140348

They seem very eager to bring baseball to Hendersonville. Even with the renovations the ballpark will only seat 1,500. Not a huge stadium by any means, but could be a good fit for a start-up league like the ACL.

Yeah, but, the CPL is looking at an expansion team to make 16 and looking to place that team in Hendersonville.

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20070510/NEWS/705100333

[MikeH]

here's a list of towns that would make a good team roster for the acl
albany ga , macon ga , columbus ga , pikeville ky , huntington wv , richmond in , lorain oh and ypsilanti mi

I thought I had an owner for a Lorain team. That did not pan out.

Huntington, WV converted St. Cloud Commons into a softball field.

Ypsilanti, MI would be too far, as will Lorain and Richmond, IN.

We are in talks with Albany. We are waiting to secure 4 to 5 before we approach Macon again.

I leave for Columbus in a few short hours.

Other locations include:
Glens Falls, NY
Albany, NY
Johnstown, PA
Zanesville, OH
Canton, OH
Sumter, SC
Columbia, SC
Gastonia, SC
Fayetteville, NC
etc.

If I can contact Tallahassee again, they may build a stadium. They were interested once in the ACL. It was deemed as a "project".

I generated interest in Tallahassee, so if I can contact them again, they may be willing to build a stadium for us.

[ca]

would be better choices in my opinion for the acl since many of the markets listed in the previous post already have tennants . as for many of these northern markets being a bad geographical fit the mahl and the sal will have or have clubs in these northern markets

[MikeH]

would be better choices in my opinion for the acl since many of the markets listed in the previous post already have tennants . as for many of these northern markets being a bad geographical fit the mahl and the sal will have or have clubs in these northern markets

MAHL is located around the Great Lakes in a centralized area.

The SAL does not have to worry about money because the teams get money from their Major League clubs.

From a start-up standpoint, that kind of traveling would kill this league.

None of the players are going to want to sit on a bus for a long time going from Columbus, GA to Ypsilanti, MI.

That is a long drive.

[Baseball Insider]

Valdosta??

[MikeH]

Valdosta??

Is there a stadium in Valdosta? Or is there any kind of suitable baseball field there?

[JayTee]

How much money do South Atlantic League clubs get from the Major League clubs?

[MikeH]

How much money do South Atlantic League clubs get from the Major League clubs?

I don't know how much, or if any of them at all do. I would some that most of them do. I know they don't have to worry about players salaries which eases their costs a bit, however, they have some huge operating costs. And their traveling is not exactly beautiful.

However, the SAL and MWL is rumored to be restructrued. MiLB is debating whether or not to remove Bowling Green and Lake County and place them in the MWL.

[Baseball Insider]

The whole college stadium thing in Valdosta. At one time, I had heard rumors thrid hand, the SCL was looking to go there......

[MikeH]

The whole college stadium thing in Valdosta. At one time, I had heard rumors thrid hand, the SCL was looking to go there......

Again, I am iffy about college stadiums. Just call me crazy, but after many no's, I tend to say oh well.

People on the outside are portraying the ACL as something related to the SCL.

Jon Willis of Equip-It asked, is this the same as the SCL, or did you work for them.

I'm not saying a college stadium could not or would not work, look at the relationship the Worcesr Tornadoes have. The have stadium naming rights on that field.

[ca]

till the playoffs with a north / south alignment of teams from the great lakes and the southeast ?

[MikeH]

till the playoffs with a north / south alignment of teams from the great lakes and the southeast ?

It is too much travel. Ypsilanti, MI is 801 miles from Columbus. 12 hours on a bus will not be a moral booster for players.

[JayTee]

Has anyone else heard about the Georgia-Florida league starting back up? I heard from an artchitect friend today that the owners have an inside track on Macon and Columbus today...... does anyone know who is involved?

[Baseball Insider]

I don't know if this is the same league that you are referring to, but I heard a college wooden bat league, that will be sanctioned by a major league baseball, and supposedly already has investors, is trying to form, and the guy who is the point person is Ric Sisler, former GM of the Music and VP/Georgia operations of the Sout Coast League.....

[ca]

is too far then isnt lorain and zanesville oh too far as well since they are within 200 miles of ypsi give or take 100 miles

[wellington]

is too far then isnt lorain and zanesville oh too far as well since they are within 200 miles of ypsi give or take 100 miles
That's a nice idea especially down the road -- a north and south division -- with possibly some interdivisional play thrown in.

[Baseball Insider]

Who said they have the inside track "on every market" in the south? I just mentioned Macon, and tried to suggest to Mike how he may be able to bring credibility to his league with their city government - that was all. I will say this. If anyone wants to be in this business, you can't give up just because people are telling you no. That is part of the process. Many colleges have good relationships with the pro teams - Provo, New Haven (it wasn't their relationship with Yale why theams there struggled, etc.) Most people we try to sell to don't read this site, and most people will tell us no.

[wellington]

Yeah, but, the CPL is looking at an expansion team to make 16 and looking to place that team in Hendersonville.

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20070510/NEWS/705100333

There's no guarantee the CPL will expand. Even if they do there's still no guarantee that Hendersonville would get a team. My thoughts are that the city seems very interested in attracting a minor league team. Not only that but they are willing to fork over money to renovate the ballpark. It couldn't hurt to talk with them. There choices are limited for them: CPL or nothing.

When it comes to a city deciding between a college wooden bat league and the ACL what are the pros/cons? In the short-term the CPL may be a safer bet since it is an established league with a track record (what's is the average attendance for CPL?). However, the potential long-term growth is going to be limited. The opposite is true of the ACL. Its a much riskier bet initially because its a start-up league, but the pay off potential is much greater. When making a pitch to a city it may be good to have some sort of tabulated comparison between ACL and CPL. Part of the process is educating the cities about the ACL and showing them the distinct advantages of the ACL compared to other leagues.

[wellington]

I mapped out the cities CA was talking about. Not a bad geographic distribution:

ACL North? (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=38.307181,-83.935547&spn=20.265317,32.211914&z=5&msid=115633819319975169532.0004507ef263b3755e284)

[ca]

with their pro teams" , now that is a quote that makes some sense B.I. !btw thank you wellington for the kudos on an acl north as the towns make sense . let me do some handicapping on them
zanesville - 4 yr member of the frontier league
richmond IN - 11 yr member of the fl
lorain - a 1,500 seat pk that was built a yr or 2 ago
ypsilanti / eastern michigan university - a town that also wants baseball and is centally located near the 11th largest market in the country
so i cant see why an acl north cant happen now for if the scl couldnt find 4 decent markets in acl south land how can that be done now ?

[Baseball Insider]

Ca (Einstein) - Many college teams have hosted (or still do) "pro" teams on their campuses. The New Haven Ravens/Cross cutters have enjoyed a nice relationshship with Yale. Provo in the Pioneer League plays at a junior college. Cal State Fullerton has a team in the Golden League. I was simply pointing out that somone should not discount the use of college campuses for a "pro" team. As I have a full time job that takes most of my time, I felt that most of the people who got in this site are smart enough to know what I meant, but I guess I was wrong.........

[ca]

i no way was i trying to insult you

[Baseball Insider]

I apologize then, but if you re-read what you wrote, and the title, I think you can see why I tought that.........Bottom line is in a new, un-proven league, you may not be in a position to pick and choose every location and facility you are in.....

[ca]

is something established loops have had problems with in my opinion as for new loops doing that it makes what might be a tough task even tougher

[wellington]

...a tough task even tougher

True. That's why it may be better starting small (at most 6 teams). The emphasis should be on quality and not quantity.

[Baseball Insider]

I give the SCL credit in that regard. I have to think the hardest thing to do with a new league is the actually "launching" it on the field. If you keep planning, analyzing, researching, etc. you will always find reasons not to do move forward, or to stall. They had some bumps in the road, less than ideal venues, etc. but they did move forward as far as that aspect goes.

[wellington]

I thought I'd follow-up on CA's idea of ACL North and go through each potential market and look at possible stadiums...

Zanesville, Ohio: Gant Municipal Stadium (http://www.ballparkreviews.com/zville/zville.htm#)

Richmond, Indiana: Don McBride Stadium (http://www.ballparkreviews.com/richin/richin.htm)

Lorain, Ohio: The Pipe Yard (http://www.ballparkreviews.com/lorain/lorain.htm#)