I have been, along with Jeff (one of the owners), working the phones introducing ourselves to college programs across the country. It is a fun sales call to make - and it IS a sales call. We are trying to get young men to commit to a nebulous idea, a dream...because we don't have anything to compare it to. I can't say, "well, last year we did..." because there was no last year.
A couple of good leads on guys from top-level programs in the West, the Midwest, and working on the East coast tomorrow. I am confident that we will have a very good roster of players that represent not only different parts of the country, but are programs that compete regularly for a national title.
More tomorrow...time to create a few sales proposals for sponsors. Which reminds me - if you know of companies in southeastern Washington or nationwide that are interested in an affordable option to creatively reach approximately 25,000 - 30,000 fans this summer, please have them shoot me an email: Zachary.Fraser@pacificbaseballventures.com.
An (almost) day-to-day recap of starting a West Coast League baseball team in Walla Walla. Starting from the ground up...literally. Started in 2009, lucky season #7 has first pitch on June 3, 2016. The time has flown...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Great Baseball!
To be frank, I am not a Minnesota Twins fan, but I do like the Twins - they play hard, smart baseball and despite not being in a "big" market, draft well and compete.
As a kid, I remember that I was in awe with the Metrodome - it was so loud! I loved the homer hankies, and watching Dan Gladden and Kirby Puckett play the plexiglass outfield wall like hockey players playing the boards. Plus, two cities that have been home to me - Salt Lake City, UT and Rochester, NY - have been the Triple-A home for the Twins for the past 15 years or so.
Watching the game last night, it brought back some of those memories...I couldn't get over the fact that there is always amazing October baseball in that building. What made it even more special was that Alexis Casilla was a player that I knew in the minor leagues - I was a broadcaster in Provo (UT) with the Angels when he was a second basemen who helped us win a league title. His hit made up for his less-than-stellar base running in the 10th.
We will never have 55,000 people in Walla Walla (the whole region has about 45,000) at a ballgame, but watching last night reminded me of how exciting baseball can be and how good it is for a community.
As a kid, I remember that I was in awe with the Metrodome - it was so loud! I loved the homer hankies, and watching Dan Gladden and Kirby Puckett play the plexiglass outfield wall like hockey players playing the boards. Plus, two cities that have been home to me - Salt Lake City, UT and Rochester, NY - have been the Triple-A home for the Twins for the past 15 years or so.Watching the game last night, it brought back some of those memories...I couldn't get over the fact that there is always amazing October baseball in that building. What made it even more special was that Alexis Casilla was a player that I knew in the minor leagues - I was a broadcaster in Provo (UT) with the Angels when he was a second basemen who helped us win a league title. His hit made up for his less-than-stellar base running in the 10th.
We will never have 55,000 people in Walla Walla (the whole region has about 45,000) at a ballgame, but watching last night reminded me of how exciting baseball can be and how good it is for a community.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
League Updates
Good stuff at the league meetings. It is great to be around owners and league leaders that are this passionately committed to good baseball that benefits their communities.
Look for our team to do more in terms of driving the way with social media - blogging, micro-media tools such as facebook and twitter, and bringing baseball to the fans of Walla Walla that is actually affordable. It's a novel concept.
What are ideas that you want to see incorporated into Borleske Stadium next year? Would love your thoughts...
Look for our team to do more in terms of driving the way with social media - blogging, micro-media tools such as facebook and twitter, and bringing baseball to the fans of Walla Walla that is actually affordable. It's a novel concept.
What are ideas that you want to see incorporated into Borleske Stadium next year? Would love your thoughts...
Friday, October 2, 2009
Two more links
In the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin: http://tiny.cc/SVMBt
In the Whitman College Paper: http://www.whitman.edu/content/news/borleskebaseball
Enjoy...
In the Whitman College Paper: http://www.whitman.edu/content/news/borleskebaseball
Enjoy...
At the league meetings...
In Portland, OR at the hotel Monaco for the league meetings...Very fun and exciting for the next few days. I'll share some insights as what is being discussed - but in short, this league is prepared for some fantastic growth, great affordable baseball, and what will be a strong reason to come to the ballpark for families in Walla Walla.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Check out some photos of the construction that is underway
LAND BEING CLEARED FOR NEW GRANDSTAND SEATS
3rd BASE DUGOUT GETTING, WELL, DUG OUT.
Today it is official...
This morning, we issued the press release that officially started the franchise. Read below:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009
Walla Walla, Washington (October 1, 2009) – After nearly 30 years, summer baseball in picturesque Walla Walla will be back at Borleske Stadium in 2010.
Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC (PBV), a group of investors with strong ties to the Walla Walla community, announces today that they have been granted an expansion franchise in the West Coast League (WCL). The team will begin administrative operations in Walla Walla in November of 2009, and will play a full WCL schedule starting in June 2010. They will play home games at historic Borleske Stadium, bringing minor-league style baseball back to the park for the first time since 1983, when it last hosted the likes of Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Tony Gwynn.
The club is welcoming community feedback in preparation for the official team name and colors. Starting October 7, fans can go to http://www.wallawallabaseball.com/ to provide their ideas, with the chance for one local family to win season tickets for 2010. The official team name, brand, website, ticket prices, and leadership staff will be announced at a date to be determined in the fall.
PBV is led by wireless communications pioneers John Stanton and Theresa Gillespie. Partners of the group include former Major League Baseball All-Star Jeff Cirillo, former Microsoft executive Greg Shaw, Peter Van Oppen and Mikal Thomsen. Both Van Oppen and Thomsen are partners in the investment firm Trilogy Partnership of Bellevue, WA.
In addition to playing their home games at Borleske, PBV is partnering with the Borleske Stadium Association, the entity that oversees management of the field, to make capital improvements to the facility that will enhance the baseball atmosphere. Improvements for 2010 will include new grandstand seats behind home plate, new dugouts, and improved fan amenities. Additional improvements will be announced in the spring of 2010.
“I remember going to Borleske as a student at Whitman College, watching future major leaguers,” said Stanton, the managing director of PBV and a Whitman graduate. “I can’t wait to see who the next big league prospect to play there will be. We look forward to fielding a competitive and aggressive ball club, offering unique and fun promotions, and making Borleske an exciting place to once again bring your family.”
“We are excited to see minor league-style baseball returning to Walla Walla and to have a terrific ownership group with ties to the local community,” said WCL president Ken Wilson. “Many in southeast Washington and northern Oregon remember the likes of Smith and Gwynn, and we look forward to creating new memories.”
About the West Coast League
The West Coast League is quickly developing into one of the best collegiate wood-bat leagues in the country, as the nation’s top collegiate baseball players are drawn to the beauty and strong communities of the Pacific Northwest. Collegiate wood-bat leagues allow college players develop their skills in professional settings and stadiums without sacrificing their college athletic eligibility. Players such as Jacoby Ellsbury (centerfielder for the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox) and Jeff Francis (pitcher for the 2007 National League Champion Colorado Rockies) began their careers in the West Coast League. For more information, please visit http://www.westcoastleague.com/.
About Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC
Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC is a group of civic-minded individuals with strong ties to the Walla Walla region and to the game of baseball. PBV will strive to provide their fans, sponsors, business partners, and investors with the very best in competitive baseball and entertainment, including atmosphere, comfort, food & beverage, safety, competition, fun and value. For more information, please visit http://www.wallawallabaseball.com/.
Pretty fun stuff! We had a few local news outlets pick it up - which is kind of fun. Here are the links to the stories:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/601/story/1095848.html
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/738470.html
It's still early in this news cycle so I will see what pops up over the next few days. Very exciting - now we need to start signing some players!!
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009
JOHN STANTON, JEFF CIRILLO AMONG GROUP
TO BRING SUMMER BASEBALL BACK TO WALLA WALLA
Group awarded an expansion franchise to compete in the West Coast League
Walla Walla, Washington (October 1, 2009) – After nearly 30 years, summer baseball in picturesque Walla Walla will be back at Borleske Stadium in 2010.
Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC (PBV), a group of investors with strong ties to the Walla Walla community, announces today that they have been granted an expansion franchise in the West Coast League (WCL). The team will begin administrative operations in Walla Walla in November of 2009, and will play a full WCL schedule starting in June 2010. They will play home games at historic Borleske Stadium, bringing minor-league style baseball back to the park for the first time since 1983, when it last hosted the likes of Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Tony Gwynn.
The club is welcoming community feedback in preparation for the official team name and colors. Starting October 7, fans can go to http://www.wallawallabaseball.com/ to provide their ideas, with the chance for one local family to win season tickets for 2010. The official team name, brand, website, ticket prices, and leadership staff will be announced at a date to be determined in the fall.
PBV is led by wireless communications pioneers John Stanton and Theresa Gillespie. Partners of the group include former Major League Baseball All-Star Jeff Cirillo, former Microsoft executive Greg Shaw, Peter Van Oppen and Mikal Thomsen. Both Van Oppen and Thomsen are partners in the investment firm Trilogy Partnership of Bellevue, WA.
In addition to playing their home games at Borleske, PBV is partnering with the Borleske Stadium Association, the entity that oversees management of the field, to make capital improvements to the facility that will enhance the baseball atmosphere. Improvements for 2010 will include new grandstand seats behind home plate, new dugouts, and improved fan amenities. Additional improvements will be announced in the spring of 2010.
“I remember going to Borleske as a student at Whitman College, watching future major leaguers,” said Stanton, the managing director of PBV and a Whitman graduate. “I can’t wait to see who the next big league prospect to play there will be. We look forward to fielding a competitive and aggressive ball club, offering unique and fun promotions, and making Borleske an exciting place to once again bring your family.”
“We are excited to see minor league-style baseball returning to Walla Walla and to have a terrific ownership group with ties to the local community,” said WCL president Ken Wilson. “Many in southeast Washington and northern Oregon remember the likes of Smith and Gwynn, and we look forward to creating new memories.”
About the West Coast League
The West Coast League is quickly developing into one of the best collegiate wood-bat leagues in the country, as the nation’s top collegiate baseball players are drawn to the beauty and strong communities of the Pacific Northwest. Collegiate wood-bat leagues allow college players develop their skills in professional settings and stadiums without sacrificing their college athletic eligibility. Players such as Jacoby Ellsbury (centerfielder for the 2007 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox) and Jeff Francis (pitcher for the 2007 National League Champion Colorado Rockies) began their careers in the West Coast League. For more information, please visit http://www.westcoastleague.com/.
About Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC
Pacific Baseball Ventures, LLC is a group of civic-minded individuals with strong ties to the Walla Walla region and to the game of baseball. PBV will strive to provide their fans, sponsors, business partners, and investors with the very best in competitive baseball and entertainment, including atmosphere, comfort, food & beverage, safety, competition, fun and value. For more information, please visit http://www.wallawallabaseball.com/.
Pretty fun stuff! We had a few local news outlets pick it up - which is kind of fun. Here are the links to the stories:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/601/story/1095848.html
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/738470.html
It's still early in this news cycle so I will see what pops up over the next few days. Very exciting - now we need to start signing some players!!
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