GBL Future?

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Post by Silver Sox Fan » Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:57 pm

The unfortunate part of this whole situation is that GBL seems to have lost its way. Kevin Outcault really gives great interviews in the media and, in the early days of the league, really responded well to fans both on this board and in personal e-mails. One bit of info he gave is that the goal of team owners is to make a profit in the first three years. In fact he talked about this in an article this season about Maui. He said that if things totally bomb in the first year, you pull out. But if the signs are positive (sponsorship, ticket sales, etc) you stick with it knowing the first two years will be at a loss.

So why would they bring in three owners (St. George, Yuma, and Tijuana) who don't even have the resources to make it out of their first year?

I think this is where the ponzi scheme allegations come in. The bottom line is that the GBL has a history of not paying its bills and that had a number of second and third order effects that included killing San Diego and Long Beach. Chico was also in that boat according to an article where Mike Marshall said this year that he had to mend a lot of bridges and that this was a turning year as the lease with Nettleton was coming up.

So the GBL makes money by selling franchises. This is where the ponzi scheme comes in. Each year, franchises are sold and that money runs the league. It would appear the GBL really needed the money as they brought on owners who may have had the entry fee but not the proper financial backing to run a team.

With annual operating expenses at about $1M (give or take) and expecting to take a loss for two years one would expect, with the addition of start up costs, that a potential owner would need to have access to several million dollars to be a viable candidate. That obviously was not the case this year.

In fact, Dave Kaval has stated many times that his goal was to have 50% of the teams league owned and 50% privately owned. It would appear that they needed extra money as they sold more than 50% of the teams and lowered their standards as to who could own a team (compare ownership groups of OC, EDM, and CAL to TJ, YUM, and STG).

So now 3 privately owned teams collapse and with them, the league is damaged. Having games cancelled, putting a team on the road (STG), and having what basically amount to patsy teams in TJ and Yuma (TJ gave up 25 runs in a game to OC...seriously?) now reduces the value of all teams. Less people come to the games when the game day product is poor and I can tell you from first hand experience in Reno, that is exactly what happened here.

The ponzi scheme works as long as you keep expanding but now that money will be poured back into the three teams the league seized. And you know the successful teams (i.e. Canadian) hate that as schedules will be rearranged or games will be cancelled which affect ticket sales (especially group sales) and sponsorships.

Sports are an interesting business and I am a GBL supporter for many reasons. But this year it is obvious that the wheels fell off of the organization. Will they survive? I think so. But it is a huge step back for a league that has steadily improved for the past 5 years in many areas.
-- Keith K.

Author, the (retired) Now Official Reno Silver Sox Blog:
http://renosilversox.blogspot.com/

Favorite Teams: NL: Arizona Diamondbacks, AL: Baltimore Orioles, AAA: Reno Aces, AA: Bowie Bay Sox, A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Ind: Chico Outlaws

TOROSFAN
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Post by TOROSFAN » Thu Aug 05, 2010 5:52 pm

E-TOWN....totally agree...but I would go to 16 games(80)...4 sets of 4 games would increase revenue and not hurt the expenses. I would also schedule so season including playoffs ends by 8/31...dbl hdrs will help this and the fans will appreciate it.
Last edited by TOROSFAN on Thu Aug 05, 2010 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Starwing1272
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Post by Starwing1272 » Fri Aug 06, 2010 3:02 pm

I've gotta agree with you there. Would definatly make it easier for the fans to see some good baseball games

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Post by Lunkhead » Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:29 pm

One of the biggest problems with the GBL is the league sells teams to whomever has the funds, they do not check the financial background and when the deal has been completed they give no support nor do they train the new owners how to run a successful franchise. The owners run out of funds and then the league takes the team back and repeats the process. It is a sad day when everybody blames the ownership groups that bring baseball to your communities, the blame should lay with the GBL and communities should filing grevenaces with them and demand they provide a better product from the beginning, however nobody will do this since the league makes money, the city, county or university makes money and the suppliers make money. The losers are the team owners who put up millions of dollars, sponsor who support the team and spend money and of course the fans get it the worst because they buy merchandise, tickets and put their support behind the team to find out in the season or the end of the season they no longer have a team or they have changed names due to a new ownership. It is very disappointing and the GBL should be ashamed of themselves, but they are not since Kaval and Outcalt are doing fine.

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Post by TOROSFAN » Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:47 pm

News Flash...will Maui come to the Mainland again? My guess is that with financial issues they got a break from the last trip...it wasn't just a Yuma/TJ issue...now will the GBL give them another break and let them skip their next trip or will something come up that will change the schedule again in their favor. Their 11 gm trip 8/19-8/29 with chico, OC and yuma is still not a done deal....it is critical to the South division! We'll see.

And, looking back, why did they get the only forfeit in the entire league vs TJ when many other teams had to change schedules....no forfeits...hmmmm and they won the 1st half by how much? .005 guess what, Yuma would have won it had they not received another gift from the GBL...hmmmm?
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Post by Lunkhead » Sat Aug 07, 2010 8:31 pm

I am sure they will make it to the mainland and they got the Forfeit because TJ had there equipment stolen and could not play, get your facts straight. And if you do not beleive the Maui would have beat TJ even if they played you do not pay much attention to the league and besides that they spanked Tuscon. So, you know everybodies financial situation and the outcome of games not played, you should not write the blogs you should be in a circus.

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Post by TOROSFAN » Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:38 pm

Lunkhead...good name! TJ's equipment being stolen has nothing to do with a forfeit...they could make up the game like many have done and are doing in this GBL debacle. To call some one out like you have with no idea of my backround or knowledge is the circus...anyone can speculate and the truth is Maui IS getting the sweet side of every issue...what other team will have had27 home games in a row, sleeping in their own beds and no travel...give me a break...that is way out of line!!
Maui may have beat TJ, I'll give you that, but you said I knew the outcome...sounds to me like you are the expert...if the game isn't played you never know, and what I said is it should be a make up game not a forfeit. Get a life and learn respect... ;)
And oh by the way, if that game wasn't counted as a win, Yuma would have WON the 1st half by .010...think how Yuma feels with all that they have been through....or can you see another side?
Last edited by TOROSFAN on Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Lunkhead » Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:37 am

My Dear Friend :cool: Respect goes to those who know what they are talking about, Maui does not run the league it only participates in it and watch this week and see who goes the victor, I would put money on it that Yuma will not be the winning team. And in the GBL rules if a team cannot play due to no equipment, no players anything that is not caused by mother nature or airlines problems then it is a forfeit, plan and simple. If you know so much why do you not know that. :D

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Post by TOROSFAN » Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:33 pm

As I thought, you have no rebuttle to my blog...either on the home games in a row(27) or the way in which the GBL is handling the league in regards to leadership. I agreed that Maui is the better team, and that the week in Maui will not benefit Yuma's 2nd half...and that is my POINT...maui is getting the sweet side of a poorly run and managed league. I dont care who you favor as a team, but the scales have been tipped and there is no fixing this mess.

I haven't found nor do I think you have found or seen any GBL rules or rulebook posted or otherwise that speak to forfeits due to no equipment...my disagreement is in the process not the outcome...that the game could have been made up...is it TJ's fault that someone stole their equipment?...surely not, and definitely a mitigating exception IF there is such a rule. My concern is with the GBL and their never ending lack of deciseness and leadership.

Do you even know that the new players are being paid and traveled without the least bit of concern for the former players and their plight of not being paid for three checks...absolutely irresponsible and on the edge of criminal. In the interest of my thoughts and concerns and yours, I will say good day and move on. This message board speaks to the GBL and their lack of what I have spoken to.

Regards,
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Post by Sinsan » Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:24 am

It's comical to watch your back and forth--lunkhead and torosfan. It's amusing that one of you insists that TJ's equipment was stolen --how about repossessed due to lack of payment? Yep--upper management walked in,gathered up uniforms and equipment, and said toodle-o. How about locking them out of the field? How about putting them in a 20 peso a night motel with no air? How about not being paid YET? There are players that are STILL owed pay from the early weeks of the TJ team. A few of them got 2 weeks pay the day they were flying to Maui--and thank goodness,cuz they have to pay 6 bucks for the meals after the games--there are no freebies! How about having to play baseball after you have had to lug all your suitcases across the border, hire a taxi to take you to a restaurant because the promised bus that was to take you to your next set of games didn't show up for hours and hours? Then having to play a game after many many hours of travel--ludicrous! Three weeks in Canada, no idea where there home field is when they return--oops, you don't have one--you're going to be a travel team,so we will put you on the back field at Yuma--oops, cant finish the game, cuz the lights went off. And yet, these guys play baseball,and are doing it well. Don't look for Maui to come back this way soon.

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