Any Kalamazoo Kings fans on here?

[tn baseball]

Do we have any Kalamazoo Kings fans on here?

[alkalinefan]

Yes,sort of.I live in West Bloomfield,Mi. about 125 miles from Kazoo but when my son attended Western Michigan University I would make it to town regularly.I also would attend Kings games when possible.The Kings were my Frontier League team for about 5 years.I still follow them but not as much as I did in the past as my son has now graduated and moved away from Kalamazoo.Also with the possibility of the Cruisers playing in my own backyard(nine miles away)I've shifted my interest to them and away from the Kings somewhat.I got to know a few people in the Kings offices and talked baseball with Mr. Rosenhagen on occasion.He was the team's General Manager I believe but has recently left the team.I'm not sure what the future of the Kings is .It looks like Traverse City picked up 3 more home games from Kalamazoo,why would a team with a ballpark in place surrender three of its home games.Kalinefan

[ca]

hey a.k.f. you bring up a real good question as to why the kings would move 3 home games . plus this club still doesnt have a skipper for 2010 either . imo this may be the lasy yr for the kings and the cruisers dont look so well off either with nothing going on from a park standpoint

[ATigerfan]

I was wondering the same thing about the Kings especially after reading this article from this summer about the Kings. http://www.mlive.com/kings/index.ssf/2009/07/kings_are_winning_but_whos_wat.html

I go to more Battle Creek Bomber games because it's closer. But I like going to Kings games too.

[patmc16]

Like alkalinefan, the Kings were my FL team until the Sliders/Cruisers came along. It has been a few years since I have made it to a game being that I am also in metro Detroit. A couple of times when the MWL was in Battle Creek, we made a weekend of it and saw K-zoo play one day and BC on the other. Each time we did that, I can honestly say we had a better time watching the Kings play. Haven't made it to a Bombers game so I don't know it that would still be the case. I have a ball signed by the Kings, I think the '04 team, in my memorabilia collection.

[ca]

i went to battle creek this summer and had a blast . i really would like to see an nwl club in se mi

[alkalinefan]

I also have been to Battle Creek many times and have many good memories of the games and the ballpark.I saw and talked to Ernie Harwell there about 5 yrs ago when he was doing a Blue Cross pro-mo.Not a great park but a good place to enjoy a game.As far as Kazoo,I think they put alot of money into improving the ballpark and wondered why. I believe they invested a considerable amount of money fixing something up that can only be improved so much.Not that this is the only problem but I believe it is part of the problem.The stadium is pretty much 3 grandstands.The lower area behind homeplate(10 to 15 rows)is bench seating.Their marketing of the team seems a little different then the norm as well.They focus on charities and giving back to the community .First ,let me stop briefly,I think this is great to be thinking of giving back to the community like the Kings do,and they do a great job of that. But you have to focus on baseball first ,that is your bread and butter.If you do that ,then the other stuff will fall into place.Maybe I'm talking out of line(let me know if think I'am off base no hard feelings)I've got more thoughts on the subject but its getting late(for me)so I will pick this up at a later date.Patmc16,I also have a ball signed by the Kings from a few years ago,I won it in some contest and don't remember how or what I did to win it.It might even be from '04

[bengalbill]

Reading the dated article and not knowing the 2010 attendence, do you think their management is playing out the season? How is the ballpark in McHenry County coming?

Will the Kings be in Kalamazoo in 2011? What's the rumors?

I must say the few times I've been in Kalamazoo, the crowd's have enjoyed their day.

I didn't get up there this year. Good luck Kings.

[J.J. Smith]

Reading the dated article and not knowing the 2010 attendence, do you think their management is playing out the season? How is the ballpark in McHenry County coming?
.

The McHenry project has been silent for over a year. They recently received the rights to issue 3.75 million in federal economic recovery bonds to build a stadium in Woodstock. They had requested 15 million. They may be able to get a higher limit from other counties unused allotments. This only gives them the option to offer these bonds-they still have to find buyers.

So the K-Nines are hoping for 2012 at this point. I think that's optimistic.

[ca]

the kings may be toast in the fl and imo the division will go with them if oc doesnt get a yd

[ATigerfan]

It sure is looking and sounding like they might be done.:(

http://www.mlive.com/sports/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/08/kalamazoo_kings_future_now_in.html

[ATigerfan]

The latest article about the Kings.

http://www.mlive.com/kings/index.ssf/2010/09/kalamazoo_kings_future_still_i.html

[J.J. Smith]

My reading of the article is that that this ownership group is throwing in the towel.

It looks like the FL is going to need to come up with a road team for next year.

[alkalinefan]

The future of the Kings isn't looking good right now.Like I stated in the past this ownership never ran the Kings like a business(to make a profit).It was more like a PR and charity thing for the community to try and make this thing a go. And again like I stated in the past ,its great to help the community like that but your focus should be on baseball and the baseball fan.With this being said however the stadium might have something to do with problems as well.Like I said a while back also there was alot of money spent fixing up that location where the Kings play. It is a nice place to see a game (this is coming from a man still waiting for a ballpark Oak. Co.)but it can only be improved so much.Should the money have been better spent on a new ballpark.As the initial investment.

[alkalinefan]

ME again sorry ,I've got a couple extra minutes this afternoon.What if you have two road teams in the same league.I'm sure it won't happen but can the FL take a chance.I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I wrote a check for a deposit on season tickets to the Cruisers in April of '07.The last time I drove by the Summit Place Mall nothing has happened since '07.Maybe things will get going and it will be done by May of '11.And I will look silly for saying this stuff.I hope thats the case.But I honestly don't know.

[ca]

if the fl is minus more than 2 teams for the 2011 slate

[J.J. Smith]

if the fl is minus more than 2 teams for the 2011 slate

Besides OC and Kzoo, who do you see gone? WC jumping to some sort of Chicagoland circuit?

[ca]

will go out on their own since no teams in southern lower michigan would create a huge travel gap amongst them . however the proper ownership and markets would have to found to fill that gap which i think can be done under a new loop

[alkalinefan]

I know times are tough in this region.But we have had ballparks built in the past few years in F. Wayne(the 2nd since '93 I think),Charleston,WV,Metro Cleveland Area,going a little further out,Metro Chicago,Normal,Ill.Metro Detroit is overdue for minor league baseball

[ca]

you are spot on and keep the faith as i can see multiple teams soon (or a least one s of 8 mile ) !