SCL Comeback

The South Coast League (SCL) forum
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gameon
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SCL Comeback

Post by gameon » Sat May 03, 2008 7:09 am

I've read a lot of articles about the SCL suspending operations for the 2008 season, and it seems that in all of them the spokes-people for the league ownership group talk about resuming play in 2009 but with new ownership.
So, I was curious to know, how bad are the feelings with the people the league is in debt with, and the remaining four communities? Would a new ownership group taking over stand a chance at being successful, or have all the bridges been burned?

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gameon
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No Chance?

Post by gameon » Mon May 05, 2008 5:49 pm

Thank's for the reply! I'm sure you are correct concerning the current ownership group. However, what I'm really looking for is the viability of a new ownership group taking over like the SCL quotes in every release about the league suspending operations. Also, they keep talking about only being $500,000 in debt. If your millions in debt is correct, then that would tell me that there would really be no point in another group taking over!
So, I have to ask, how reliable is your information? If you're accurate, then No Chance is right!

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Post by Morris Mott » Mon May 05, 2008 6:01 pm

Smart business men would not restart the SCL. The best thing to do would be to start an separate league, one that is not responsible for the debts of the old SCL. Then either invite ownership groups from the old SCL cities to join, or set up franchises in those cities themselves.

You'll end up with almost the same league, with the same cities, but with zero debt. No one wants to start off a new business venture already in debt.
Wanna post more about Indy Baseball?...http://indyball.webs.com/index.htmll

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gameon
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SCL Comeback

Post by gameon » Mon May 05, 2008 6:26 pm

[quote=""Morris Mott""]Smart business men would not restart the SCL. No one wants to start off a new business venture already in debt.[/quote]

While it's true that no one wants to start a new business venture already in debt, smart businessmen also know that leveraging your business wisely is a big factor in sustained growth and success- see corporate America. Therefore, if your purchase of a league with four teams involves little more than assuming a manageable level of debt, it would cost less to assume control than to start from scratch.
Therein lies the rub!
1. What is the true level of debt?
2. How bad does current ownership want to get out from under it?
3. What is the level of deteriorated goodwill in the existing communities? i.e. would assuming and then squaring the debt still leave new ownership in a no-win situation?

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Hmmm. Baseball in town again.....

Post by Mark » Tue May 06, 2008 4:17 pm

As for myself, I would LOVE to see Baseball in Albany again. However, I agree that it's a near impossible task for the SCL to resurrect itself. The problems centered not only in the amount of debt, but in the nature of the debt as well. The hotels used by the league in the various cities refused to do business with them this year (personally, I think THAT was the final straw). In each city, utility bills went unpaid. In some circumstances, the rent on the stadiums also went unpaid. Add to that paychecks that bounced, vendors that were stiffed, and suppliers that went unpaid, and you have quite a lot of ill feelings to overcome.

Unfortunately, when poorly-run organizations sink, the wake left behind makes for more difficult sailing for those following behind. One of the mountains the SCL had to scale--and failed to do so--was the list of Used-To-Be's that went before them. There have been five or six franchises in Albany alone, and all of them left bad feelings behind them. The ACL will have to prove themselves for several years to truly be a success. No matter how ardently I or any other fan supports them, they're going to have to win over the local merchants or they don't stand a chance.

That said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring Baseball back to town!

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Kearupt
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Can it be fixed?

Post by Kearupt » Tue May 06, 2008 5:17 pm

I don't know much about the SCL situation, but I have seen it go both ways in indoor football. There were a couple of situations where new owners came in and immediately squared accounts and that opened so-called closed doors to the new group. Then, they operated properly and were able to make the franchises successful. However, for every success story there were two failures where no matter what new ownership did, the ill-will was too much to overcome in the community.
Personally, I have walked away from two possible acquisitions where research told us no matter what we did, we could not mend relationships, even though the price was far better than right. It was probably for the best in the first instance because after a "time of healing" without indoor football, that city now has an af2 team that is dealing pretty well. In the second instance, I still have my doubts about whether we should have completed the deal or not because, while the team is still alive, it has been a constant battle for the two ownership groups that have acquired it since. The point is that no matter what your told, find out, or think you know about the situation, it's still a crapshoot.

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gameon
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More on the SCL

Post by gameon » Tue May 06, 2008 5:42 pm

Is there anyone who knows what the attendance situations were like for the four remaining teams?
How about anyone with true knowledge of the debt scenario?
Personally, I tend to like indy baseball more than minor league baseball because I get a sense of the longshot accomplishing the impossible when those players make it! So, I would like to see a southern indy league make it and possibly expand my way.

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Kearupt
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Interesting

Post by Kearupt » Thu May 08, 2008 4:00 am

It would be interesting to know those figures, but I doubt anyone with that sort of insider knowledge would tell you. Especially in an open forum like this.

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Kearupt
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BaseballKid3

Post by Kearupt » Thu May 08, 2008 11:54 pm

What is the stadium capacity in Aiken? I know Anderson is not that big, and unless some major improvements have been done since I coached High School Baseball there, it is also a rat-trap. However, I have heard that USC Aiken has a pretty nice field!
Why do you think you guys didn't get much fan support? Those numbers are poor, even for a small southern town!

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gameon
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Scl

Post by gameon » Fri May 09, 2008 12:02 am

Thanks for the details. Except for struggling with attendance and having the league shut down on you, how was your experience with that league?
What do you think was the BIGGEST problem in the SCL? Was it poor attendance or something else?

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