GBL4AV wrote:

---

As far as I go, I have a new 2009 GBL Vision. I do see an America Division and a Canada Division. However, I see more U.S. teams than Canada teams. I say 7 U.S. teams and 5 Canada teams. Here's the full:

GOLDEN BASEBALL LEAGUE: 2009

GBL CANADA
Calgary Vipers
Regina Regals
Saskatoon Snow Falcons
Edmonton Cracker-Cats
Kelowna Lions

GBL AMERICA
Medford Valley Snakes
Chico Outlaws
Apple Valley Trailblazers
Orange County Flyers
Yuma Scorpions
Long Beach Armada
Provo Predators

I honestly think that Reno would move to Medford, OR, and that St. George won't make the 2009 season. Provo could vastly support a GBL team, playing at BYU's field. The five Canada teams (Calgary, Kelowna, Edmonton, Regina, and Saskatoon) will all be strong. Kelowna could nicely support a team, Regina could spot a last-minute team, and Saskatoon=automatically there.

This seems a bit more realistic; no, let me rephrase that; a LOT more realistic than my first.

This does seem more realistic, except your name for the Saskatoon team. But that's simply because I don't like Saskatoon being associated with cold and snow, since it was always billed as the sunniest city in Canada. I'm not sure about the actual numbers anymore, but it used to be accurate. But whatever the team is called, I just hope it isn't named after something stupid like the Riot were. Dumbest idea ever to name a team after a post-game occurance. For those who didn't know they were named after the fact Saskatoon was the only city to have a riot after the Jays won the '93 World Series. After the paper mentioned this, it was spun that the team was named as such as games were a riot of fun. Anyway, if I were the owners of the team I'd hold a name the team contest in each city. Its a good way for the fans to feel some connection toward the club before it even hits the field.

I can't comment on your American teams as I simply know very little about the cities you've mentioned. But from the reports I've heard from the GBL most of them have been mentioned before. The only new city on there is Provo. I honestly don't much about it other than BYU football is well supported. I'm also not entirely sure about an unbalanced league. I'm not trying to be critical of you or your ideas, but to me an unbalanced division in a league this small would create problems with interdivisional play. I'd say a 6 and 6 would work better from a scheduling standpoint as it would make it easier to schedule the interdivisional games. But then again if you develop a computer program (or perhaps software is already on the market) and add the rules in, such as the number of games against the other division etc., the computer could figure out a system that would work.

Edit: At some point, I think this discussion warrants moving to the OSC GBL forum instead of here as this has drifted miles away from the Northern League, unless nlfan doesn't mind this wild tangent this thread has taken.

On the flip side to the Kamloops story, here's a story out of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, which seems to be a lot more upbeat and welcoming to the GBL.

Sunshine boys eye Saskatoon

Kevin Mitchell, The StarPhoenix

Published: Saturday, October 27, 2007

Things are moving fast in baseball's Golden League, which cast curious eyes into Saskatoon during a Friday meeting with Mayor Don Atchison.

The independent California-based league, which also had teams in Utah, Arizona and Nevada this season, is making an aggressive advance into Canada.

The Edmonton Cracker-Cats and Calgary Vipers, formerly of the Northern League, joined the Golden League this month following an acrimonious split with their old circuit.

Golden League CEO and co-founder Dave Kaval has already been in Kamloops, B.C., and he stopped into Saskatoon on Friday.

"We know there's been teams in the past that haven't panned out (in Saskatoon)," Kaval said. "We want to take one step at a time, be deliberate and move with the right type of pace to make it successful."

The five-year-old Golden League faces a tough chore in Saskatoon, which has been burnt by several failed leagues and franchises, many leaving big debts.

That's a fight Kaval said he's willing to wage, should Saskatoon join the fold.

"We've encountered the same thing in many of the markets we operate in California and the western U.S.," said Kaval, whose ownership group includes Wheel of Fortune game show host Pat Sajak.

The Golden League sold 15 player contracts to Major League organizations this season.

Kaval said a Saskatoon franchise would run a budget in the $600,000 to $700,00 range. Players average $1,000 a month in salary, plus housing provided by the team.

Kaval said there's a 30-day window to get a team into the league for 2008. Anything that happens after that would be geared for 2009.

He said the league has received feelers from potential Saskatoon investors.

"The key thing from our perspective is we're looking to partner with local folks to make the team a reality. We need to find people tapped into the community who also want to be involved, from running the team to potentially investing in the team."

kmitchell@sp.canwest.com

- - -

Golden League Cities

Chic, Calif.

Fullerton, Calif.

Long Beach, Calif.

St. George, Utah

Yuma, Ariz.

Reno, Nev.

Calgary

Edmonton

© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=fdbd8ca5-5eff-4a32-9bcf-9ac1ff05f904

The key point to take out of this story, compared to the above Kamloops is the bolded part. There are feelers being put out by local investors as opposed to people "who own summer homes there." I'm thinking these feelers will turn into more concrete investments in the near future.

By comparison it mentions a franchise costs between $600 and $700,000 per year to run, is this more, less or about the same as a Northern League team?

As an aside, the Star-Phoenix and its sister paper in Regina (the Leader-Post) have been running a comparison of the two cities written by a journalist from the opposite city. In today's paper it was comparing the sports in the two cities. I found it funny that this quote from a Regina reporter made it past the editors of the Saskatoon paper who ran the above story: "The Northern League, a professional baseball circuit in Canada and the northern U.S., would love to expand into Saskatoon but has yet to find financiers."

GBL4AV wrote:

---

The Star-Phoenix doesn't seem to know how to spell "Chico".

Yes, I do know that there is a 30-day window for 2008 hopes. Honestly, I think Saskatoon, Kamloops, Kelowna, and maybe even Regina could squeeze into the league as far as Canada goes. But, they still want U.S. expansion, which Kaval has noted several times in the past. I say there will be at least one or two U.S. expansions. I was thinking they'd revive their franchise in San Diego (the Surf Dawgs), but they suspended that operation until 2009, so I know we'll have U.S. growth for then. As far as the next 30 days, I have the feeling the following 5 places for the U.S.A. will be contacted (not necessarily added, but contacted):

*Medford, OR
*Apple Valley, CA
*Mesa, AZ (maybe for 2009, because Mesa originally moved to Reno, so Reno may move back to Mesa)
*Ventura, CA
*Flagstaff, AZ

I honestly do think these 5 U.S. places will be notified that the GBL is expanding and would like to talk with their city (or town). Again, Kaval has talked with Saskatoon and Kamloops, but I believe he will go on to Kelowna and Regina as far as Canada goes, maybe even Victoria.

Agree or disagree?

I think you're right on the money as far as Canada goes. Except, the article from Kamloops makes it sound as if they are maybe not as guaranteed as it seems. I think Kelowna and Victoria would work. The only thing with Victoria is they need a proper baseball stadium. Royal Athletic Park apparently is slowly turning into a soccer only facility. Even when the Capitals of the Canadian League played there, it was a fastball field (i.e. no grass on the infield) with a portable mound installed. Perhaps the GBL is willing to overlook this and allow them to play there temporarily while a proper stadium is constructed.

As for Regina their field is in shambles, I wouldn't play there until major renos are done to their park. I'd compare it to the last few seasons at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Yes the field was nice but the facilities were a hair away from being condemned at the best of times. I also think Regina would be hingent on Saskatoon getting a team. Regina is not as ideal a location from Calgary and Edmonton's perspective as Saskatoon is. Its roughly the same distance to either city from Calgary, but Edmonton is much closer to Saskatoon than to Regina. I would think for a team to be placed in Regina, they would need a Saskatoon team. The other major problem with Regina is the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders, they take the majority of corporate sponsorship. Thus, any GBL team would be left without the major companies in the city to contribute to them.

Eddie CCPBA wrote:

---

I can see them with a full Canadian division. I can see them adding Kamloops and Saskatoon in the next month then expand from there. But then you have the issue where one of the current teams was going to go to Saskatoon in 2008 for a few games (don't remember which one right now). There are plenty of cities there with ballparks already, though some may need renovations. The type of renovations they need can be done before next season.

For some reason I can't remember the condition of the ballparks or anything about them (may need more coffee) but if they wanted to throw caution to the wind they could expand further but of course they need owners since it looks like they're finally moving from central ownership.

Edmonton was planning on moving to Saskatoon for 3 weeks in July of next year. I guess if Saskatoon gets a team, then that plan will be scrapped. The only other thing I can figure is that they would play a homestand in Saskatoon against the Saskatoon team.

Saskatoon doesn't need any renovations to be capable of hosting games next season. Granted, the ballpark would be more comfortable if they did renovate, but it is usable as is. I believe Al Coates said to be up to Northern League standards roughly $1,000,000 of work was needed in Saskatoon. With the way Saskatoon winter is I'd say put off starting renos now and wait until spring. I'm not sure what needs to be done other than a better concession stands and washrooms, but I haven't been in the clubhouses/umpires rooms so perhaps those needed some upgrades. Both of those can be easily done in March/April and be done for the beginning of the season. The only other thing that needs to be improved that I know of is drainage in the dugouts. Seems to me that was one of the things the Yellow Jackets (or maybe it was a visiting team I don't recall) mentioned was that if there was a heavy rainfall the previous day, the dugouts tended to have puddles in it. So they need better drainage for them it would seem. Ideally, wooden bench seating could be placed over the cement stands they have now there, but that doesn't need to happen immediately.

What I hope is that Saskatoon will bid on something like the World University Games or Pan-Am Games and have a new ballpark built for those games, much like Winnipeg did. I haven't heard anything about those sort of events being bid for, but perhaps the Police/Fire Games the city will host next summer will lead to it. But I doubt it as it seems like the City is more interested in bringing the 2010 Memorial Cup (CHL finals), 2012 World Junior Hockey tourney and another Vanier Cup (CIS football championship game) to Saskatoon. But then again these type of events are generally held pretty close to their vests until the bidding deadline is approaching.