Actually - they did not ever want it to be a travel team -- but if they could not get a contract with the Hilo stadium - thats what it woud be -- so everybody is right - it was a travel team and now - to a much lesser degree it still is. But they have a contract for most of the season in Hilo --- but will play some home games on Maui. Personally, I am rooting for a full Hawai'ian league --
And don't count on Arizona for teams - they start playing in a new independent league - tomorrow - the freedomprofessional league.
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Phoenix
NABL 2012 Season
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bladekeeper
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Watching Eye
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[quote=""bladekeeper""]Anyone notice the NAL southern division is being called the United division on their website. Thought that was curious...[/quote]
Has anyone noticed that the new operators have obviously taken over the NAL site. I noticed today that the team names have been changed as well. Looks like the site could finally be starting to be updated on a regular basis.
Has anyone noticed that the new operators have obviously taken over the NAL site. I noticed today that the team names have been changed as well. Looks like the site could finally be starting to be updated on a regular basis.
[quote=""E-TownCaps""]Article out of San Angelo says the Colts first season in the UBL. Later on in the article it says the Colts along with five other teams have parted ways with the NAL. Not surpried, just wondering if the UBL will have there own website or keep on with the NAL.[/quote]
They'll probably set up a website unless they're still part of the NAL. They had their own site in the past and it was updated, etc. Wasn't the mess that goes on with the NAL.
They'll probably set up a website unless they're still part of the NAL. They had their own site in the past and it was updated, etc. Wasn't the mess that goes on with the NAL.
I've never understood why that part of the country just isn't a strong indy area. I was looking at attendance numbers and the NoL, AA, AtL, even FL have basically had teams drawing between three and six thousand a game for the past 20 years. Meanwhile out west, regardless the league, only a handful of teams ever really drew near the 3K mark, let alone the 6K one. There are obviously good markets out there like Edmonton and Calgary, but is it simply due to the leagues that there has been so much failure, or are the markets just not into indy ball/not large enough to make it profitable. You'd think if Sioux City and Sioux Falls can make it, how could some burbs or LA or SF not (other than poor ownership of course).
[quote=""pilots13""]I've never understood why that part of the country just isn't a strong indy area. I was looking at attendance numbers and the NoL, AA, AtL, even FL have basically had teams drawing between three and six thousand a game for the past 20 years. Meanwhile out west, regardless the league, only a handful of teams ever really drew near the 3K mark, let alone the 6K one. There are obviously good markets out there like Edmonton and Calgary, but is it simply due to the leagues that there has been so much failure, or are the markets just not into indy ball/not large enough to make it profitable. You'd think if Sioux City and Sioux Falls can make it, how could some burbs or LA or SF not (other than poor ownership of course).[/quote]
Poor ownership is a major issue.
Poor marketing is another.
Some minor things I've noticed are ballpark design. If you want someone to sit in your park on a 100 degree day then you better have some shade or something because those people are most likely with kids or on a date or something and want comfort.
Prices. Have you seen the prices of the NAL teams over there? They were higher than some major league prices. Referring to concessions of course.
Don't know if I'd consider Edmonton and Calgary as west but they keep ending up in bad situations since they lost their affiliated teams. Hopefully they can work something out with the AA or a new league (not AWBL or NAL)
Plus I don't think any of those ballparks has 6000 seats
I have a list of cities that should work and we know some that already do like Edmonton. If I could, I'd love to be the one to give it a try. Some of those teams in the Western League did draw and affiliates were looking at those cities like Chico.
AWBL sounds like NAL Part 2. Would not be surprised if Godfather Media is some type of shell company and they're part of it in some way.
You don't need 3000 to make it work of course but it keeps you moving forward year to year with more attendance. Can't target high school fields either. College works to a point, have to have real ballparks and not just lights and dirt.
If you look at the successful teams it's not rocket science.
And the Siouxs are bad examples, they keep teetering on the edge. Though they do have better attendance than some of these teams.
Poor ownership is a major issue.
Poor marketing is another.
Some minor things I've noticed are ballpark design. If you want someone to sit in your park on a 100 degree day then you better have some shade or something because those people are most likely with kids or on a date or something and want comfort.
Prices. Have you seen the prices of the NAL teams over there? They were higher than some major league prices. Referring to concessions of course.
Don't know if I'd consider Edmonton and Calgary as west but they keep ending up in bad situations since they lost their affiliated teams. Hopefully they can work something out with the AA or a new league (not AWBL or NAL)
Plus I don't think any of those ballparks has 6000 seats
I have a list of cities that should work and we know some that already do like Edmonton. If I could, I'd love to be the one to give it a try. Some of those teams in the Western League did draw and affiliates were looking at those cities like Chico.
AWBL sounds like NAL Part 2. Would not be surprised if Godfather Media is some type of shell company and they're part of it in some way.
You don't need 3000 to make it work of course but it keeps you moving forward year to year with more attendance. Can't target high school fields either. College works to a point, have to have real ballparks and not just lights and dirt.
If you look at the successful teams it's not rocket science.
And the Siouxs are bad examples, they keep teetering on the edge. Though they do have better attendance than some of these teams.
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Minor League Man
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[quote=""E-TownCaps""]It's all on how you run things. If you look at attendance in cities like El Paso, Lardeo, Amarillo, San Angelo they seem to have no trouble getting people in the ballpark in the heat. The Texas teams in the AA play quite a few games in the afternoon, and they still draw 2,000 +.
I have no clue what prices were like in Yuma, Chico etc... but I know in Edmonton you could get a ticket from $10-20 dollars. The food prices in Edmonton are pretty decent, you could get a beer & hot dog for $5 or Soda & hot dog for $5, can't beat those prices. It all depends on how big your ballpark is and what's the budget your operating on. I see in San Rafael you can get a ticket for $10 to 22 dollars pretty decent in my mind. I don't know what the food prices will be. If you think you can get a ticket for $5, you must be kidding, teams have to try and make money. Last year in the playoffs in Edmonton you couldn't get a ticket cheaper than $15, and yet Telus Field still had 3,000 + all playoffs.
I heard the other day the San Rafael management group has the rights to a team in Chico. Any true to this?[/quote]
Please tell me NO...NO more North American League in Chico-they need to get a new ballpark and a CALIFORNIA LEAGUE team!
I have no clue what prices were like in Yuma, Chico etc... but I know in Edmonton you could get a ticket from $10-20 dollars. The food prices in Edmonton are pretty decent, you could get a beer & hot dog for $5 or Soda & hot dog for $5, can't beat those prices. It all depends on how big your ballpark is and what's the budget your operating on. I see in San Rafael you can get a ticket for $10 to 22 dollars pretty decent in my mind. I don't know what the food prices will be. If you think you can get a ticket for $5, you must be kidding, teams have to try and make money. Last year in the playoffs in Edmonton you couldn't get a ticket cheaper than $15, and yet Telus Field still had 3,000 + all playoffs.
I heard the other day the San Rafael management group has the rights to a team in Chico. Any true to this?[/quote]
Please tell me NO...NO more North American League in Chico-they need to get a new ballpark and a CALIFORNIA LEAGUE team!
Proud to be a veteran of these boards for the last 5 years...
[quote=""E-TownCaps""]It's all on how you run things. If you look at attendance in cities like El Paso, Lardeo, Amarillo, San Angelo they seem to have no trouble getting people in the ballpark in the heat. The Texas teams in the AA play quite a few games in the afternoon, and they still draw 2,000 +.
I have no clue what prices were like in Yuma, Chico etc... but I know in Edmonton you could get a ticket from $10-20 dollars. The food prices in Edmonton are pretty decent, you could get a beer & hot dog for $5 or Soda & hot dog for $5, can't beat those prices. It all depends on how big your ballpark is and what's the budget your operating on. I see in San Rafael you can get a ticket for $10 to 22 dollars pretty decent in my mind. I don't know what the food prices will be. If you think you can get a ticket for $5, you must be kidding, teams have to try and make money. Last year in the playoffs in Edmonton you couldn't get a ticket cheaper than $15, and yet Telus Field still had 3,000 + all playoffs.
I heard the other day the San Rafael management group has the rights to a team in Chico. Any true to this?[/quote]
To a degree some of that is true. Some places can still draw but they don't have you bake in the sun or there are ways to avoid it. Some places even have a mister system.
San Rafael has $22 tickets? WTF. That right there is the problem. I used to go to like 20 games a year with my wife to any number of teams in this area and never paid more than $10 a ticket each though some have gone up in recent years. Maybe if San Rafael had more than 800 seats you wouldn't have to be so high to pay the rent.
NAL had $5 hot dogs and even higher priced beer.
Edmonton had AAA baseball so they might be able to charge those prices since people remember those prices or any number of factors.
Some teams have raised their prices due to lower attendance and all that, inflation, etc. But the best tickets for the Long Island Ducks is $15. Atlantic League in a rich area. Brooklyn Cyclones highest ticket is $16, used to be less also. NJ Jackals highest ticket is $11 and that's a lower level park when compared to some of the others in this area.
Prices that high are hard to swallow for minor league games when it's supposed to be AFFORDABLE family fun.
Having no one in the park doesn't make money. Having people there and buying stuff does. Seems some teams have the equation backwards.
800x10 = 8000 This is what they should be aiming for
400x20 = 8000 This is what they seem to be going for
800 people buying $20 of food and stuff each vs 400....
Advertisers will advertise mroe with a team that sells out games vs an empty park also.
Ticket sales are not where the money is made unless you're really packing the house. There is everything else that goes into the equation.
I have no clue what prices were like in Yuma, Chico etc... but I know in Edmonton you could get a ticket from $10-20 dollars. The food prices in Edmonton are pretty decent, you could get a beer & hot dog for $5 or Soda & hot dog for $5, can't beat those prices. It all depends on how big your ballpark is and what's the budget your operating on. I see in San Rafael you can get a ticket for $10 to 22 dollars pretty decent in my mind. I don't know what the food prices will be. If you think you can get a ticket for $5, you must be kidding, teams have to try and make money. Last year in the playoffs in Edmonton you couldn't get a ticket cheaper than $15, and yet Telus Field still had 3,000 + all playoffs.
I heard the other day the San Rafael management group has the rights to a team in Chico. Any true to this?[/quote]
To a degree some of that is true. Some places can still draw but they don't have you bake in the sun or there are ways to avoid it. Some places even have a mister system.
San Rafael has $22 tickets? WTF. That right there is the problem. I used to go to like 20 games a year with my wife to any number of teams in this area and never paid more than $10 a ticket each though some have gone up in recent years. Maybe if San Rafael had more than 800 seats you wouldn't have to be so high to pay the rent.
NAL had $5 hot dogs and even higher priced beer.
Edmonton had AAA baseball so they might be able to charge those prices since people remember those prices or any number of factors.
Some teams have raised their prices due to lower attendance and all that, inflation, etc. But the best tickets for the Long Island Ducks is $15. Atlantic League in a rich area. Brooklyn Cyclones highest ticket is $16, used to be less also. NJ Jackals highest ticket is $11 and that's a lower level park when compared to some of the others in this area.
Prices that high are hard to swallow for minor league games when it's supposed to be AFFORDABLE family fun.
Having no one in the park doesn't make money. Having people there and buying stuff does. Seems some teams have the equation backwards.
800x10 = 8000 This is what they should be aiming for
400x20 = 8000 This is what they seem to be going for
800 people buying $20 of food and stuff each vs 400....
Advertisers will advertise mroe with a team that sells out games vs an empty park also.
Ticket sales are not where the money is made unless you're really packing the house. There is everything else that goes into the equation.
