WORLD-HERALD EXCLUSIVE
A group of investors is pushing to put an independent professional baseball team in Omaha's new downtown ballpark next year, but time may be running out.
The group was close earlier this fall to making a deal with the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority for an expansion club of the Northern League to play ball in 2011 at TD Ameritrade Park, said Brad Ashford, an attorney for the investors.
That deal was put on hold mainly because of turmoil within independent baseball, although discussions are still ongoing.
Independent league baseball has been seen as a potentially attractive tenant for Omaha's new $128 million downtown stadium, since the Omaha Royals decided to build their own stadium and play in Sarpy County.
The independent leagues have no affiliations with the major leagues. Their teams of former minor leaguers, college and high school stars and a few ex-major leaguers play a lower level of baseball than do the Royals and their AAA minor league opponents. But two leagues that have taken a serious interest in Omaha — the Northern League and the American Association — historically have been considered premier leagues, and have had successful franchises in such places as Lincoln and St. Paul, Minn.
Teams in those leagues play about 50 home games, and thus would fill many dates between TD Ameritrade Park's primary event, the College World Series, and other events such as Omaha Nighthawks football, Creighton baseball and concerts.
Roger Dixon, MECA's president and CEO, said in June that he was in talks with the American Association and that the Northern League also was interested.
Miles Wolff, commissioner of the American Association, said this week that his league's pursuit of an Omaha team was put on hold because MECA was working with a group that was pursuing a Northern League team.
“We were sort of out of the picture this summer,” Wolff said.
The Northern League deal apparently fell through in recent weeks, largely because four of the league's eight teams bolted for the American Association. The American Association would appear to at least be a good geographic fit for Omaha. Its 14 teams include the Lincoln Saltdogs and clubs from St. Paul, Minn., Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Falls, S.D., Kansas City, Kan., and Fort Worth, Texas.
The defection made the Northern League look wobbly, gave MECA officials cold feet and dimmed the prospects for a professional team at TD Ameritrade Park in 2011.
Northern League Commissioner Clark Griffith, a former Minnesota Twins executive, said Friday that he believes MECA officials are “holding out for assurances that (the Northern League) is solid.”
Griffith said he can provide those assurances. He said he could add two new teams for 2011, including Omaha. And Griffith said the Northern League could add four existing franchises from another league, which he declined to name.
Dixon declined an interview request last week. But he released, through a spokeswoman, a prepared statement that made it sound unlikely that MECA will make a deal this fall for a team to play ball downtown next summer.
MECA “is very interested in bringing a professional baseball franchise to TD Ameritrade Park Omaha,” Dixon's statement said.
MECA officials have had discussions with local and national groups as well as officials from various leagues, including the Northern League and American Association.
“We have noted the recent announcement that four Northern League teams will play in the American Association next year, and that does raise concerns about the future of the Northern League,” Dixon said in the statement.
It is important, he continued, that a baseball franchise be a part of an established and sustainable league, and represented by a solid ownership group.
“We owe it to the fans to make sure all of these elements are in place to ensure a successful future for a team at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. To date we have not found this combination. We continue to work towards bringing minor league baseball to our park and the city.”
The investors aren't giving up, though.
“MECA's doing its due diligence, and it should be,” said Ashford, a Nebraska state senator from Omaha who was on the original MECA board. “What I'm saying a little differently is, don't give up yet. Don't create a self-fulfilling prophecy by saying it's not possible.”
Ashford, who would not identify the individuals involved, said the group has its financing in place. The majority of the money would be from outside Omaha, but there are local investors involved and more are being sought, he said.
The investment group is talking with officials from the Northern League, American Association and Frontier League, Ashford said.
Fall typically is a tumultuous time of year for independent professional baseball, with teams moving among cities and leagues, and with leagues realigning.
Wolff said he has heard from a group interested in putting an American Association team in Omaha in 2011, and from another group that wants to put one at TD Ameritrade in 2012. He said 2012 would be much more likely.
Wolff said it would be “nearly impossible” to add a new team to his league for 2011.
“Something remarkable would have to happen,” he said.
Lincoln business executive Jim Abel, owner of the Lincoln Saltdogs, has heard the buzz about Omaha and thinks it could have potential as an independent league market despite the presence of the Omaha Royals. But he doesn't expect a team in Omaha next year.
“We just had our (fall) meetings,” Abel said. “We've got 14 teams. We added those four teams, and we're trying to get a schedule out by Nov. 1. ... There isn't really much thought about adding anybody other than who we've already added.”
The American Association has “room for more expansion,” he said.
“It's highly unlikely for 2011,” Abel said. “After that, who knows?”
Omaha officials seem to be saying the same thing: It's unlikely in 2011.
“I'm excited about the prospect, but we need to do it the right way, with the right league and the right franchise,” said Jim Vokal, chairman of MECA's board.
He said he'd like to see a team in the new ballpark in 2011.
“But we don't want to get involved with a team that's associated with a league that's falling apart,” Vokal said. “We need a team with strong ownership and a strong league. If that means waiting until 2012, that means waiting until 2012.”
But Ashford and members of the group he represents are reaching for their rally caps.
“This group is ready to move forward today, if we could get a league relationship that is satisfactory to MECA,” Ashford said. “We need to play baseball at TD Ameritrade next year. I'd hate to see that stadium dark.”
Contact the writer:
444-1057, christopher.burbach@owh.com
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