Ports / A\'s sign Four-Year Player Development Contract
Published on September 22, 2004 under California League (CalL1)
Stockton Ports News Release
STOCKTON, CA -- The Stockton Ports and the four-time World Champion Oakland A's announced the signing of a four-year Player Development Contract (PDC) between the two clubs. The PDC begins on October 1, 2004 and runs through the 2008 season.
"This is a banner day for the Stockton Ports," said Tom Volpe, the Ports President and CEO. "The Oakland A's are both a First-Class organization and a nearby neighbor. We're proud to call them our partners."
Banner Island Ballpark -- the Ports brand-new home -- is a state-of-the-art facility currently under construction on the North Shore of Stockton's Deep Water Channel. The ballpark is set to open in mid-April, 2005. "Our PDC with Texas expired at the end of the 2004 season," said John Katz, Ports General Manager. "We made the decision to explore our options and ended up striking gold and green."
"The Stockton Ports and the Oakland A's are a great fit," said Billy Beane, Oakland's Vice President / General Manager. "With the new ballpark set to open in April, the time was right for us to make a move that was in the best interest of our players."
Oakland's new California League affiliate will retain their traditional name as the Stockton Ports. The team colors will remain red, white and blue. One change fans will notice is that Stockton, like all Oakland minor league clubs, will wear white baseball spikes when they take the field in April. The Ports will also add an Oakland A's sleeve patch to their uniforms.
"This will be a welcome addition to the long-standing tradition of Stockton Ports baseball," said Katz. "White shoes have been part of the Oakland A's tradition for decades."
A Press Conference has been scheduled for Monday, September 27 at 11:00AM in the Weber Point Amphitheater in Downtown Stockton. A's General Manager Billy Beane, regarded by baseball pundits as one of the top general managers in professional baseball, is scheduled to speak. The Ports will have Season Seat information available at the event.
"Bringing the A's to town is a tremendous boost for the City of Stockton," said Mayor Gary Podesto. "Having our Ports as an A's affiliate further emphasizes the fact that Stockton is a city on the move."
Oakland will now have its Major League team, Triple-A team (Sacramento) and Advanced Class-A team (Stockton) all within a 65-mile radius, with Stockton and Sacramento a mere 45 miles from home plate to home plate.
"Stockton has been a hotbed for professional baseball for over 50 years," said Ed Chavez, Stockton's Mayor-elect. "Ports fans will now have the opportunity to catch the future stars of the Oakland A's right here in downtown Stockton."
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2005 Season Seats
Season Seat packages for the 2005 season at Banner Island Ballpark are now on sale. The Scout Seats are now sold out, and a handful of the exclusive Club Seats remain. Full-Season Seat packages start as low as $455 for all 70 games. For more information, please call Mike McCarroll on the Ports Season Seat Hotline at 209-644-1908.
California League Stories from September 22, 2004
- Ports / A's sign Four-Year Player Development Contract - Stockton Ports
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