Should we expand the Australian Baseball League?

Australian Baseball is moving forward rapidly. This year we had the first Australian draft where all six of the Australian Baseball League (ABL) clubs got to pick out the best of local Australian talent.

These are signs the league is moving forward, with rising attendances in the ABL this year and the first major league game played on Aussie soil all grabbing the public interest what better time to expand than now?

Here are the candidates (note, all capacities are by approx capacity for baseball, not the full capacity of the venue)

East Melbourne
Possible stadium: Waverly Park (2,000 seated)
Possible Name: East Melbourne Reds
Possible colours: Red

With the Aces playing all their games in the suburb of laverton, which is very, very far west of the CBD, East Melbourne baseball has been forgotten, the Aces fan base is entirely made up of people situated around Melbourne’s Western suburbs, as the venture from eastern suburbs such as Dandenong and Caulfield is to long and gruelling to make regularly.

I can see the league organising for temporary grandstands to be placed around the now 2,000 seater Waverly Park. I feel a Waverly Reds reincarnation would be the most appropriate way to bring back the old Waverly fans, and with the East Melbourne brand reaching out to the entire East Melbourne community. Could work, but is Melbourne ready for two ABL teams?

Albury/Wodonga
Possible stadium: Lavington sports ground (3,000. 1,250 seated)
Possible Name: Murray River Tigers, Pirates
Possible colours: Red or yellow

Alubry and Wodonga has a population of around 90,000 and has a ready made appropriate venue. Before you disagree remember the Adelaide Bite play at Football ground. A team in this region may well pull in enough crowds to survive, and expand the great game of Baseball to regional Victoria/NSW where it is rarely played.

The problem of not having many local players would be solved with the new national draft system. On the other hand the team could struggle to get support from the community as baseball is not a well known sport in this part of the country. Adding a team to this city will be a risk, but like in many other sports in the country, you can never fully know what to expect. the team may end up like Gold Coast United (A-League) and crash and burn, or it could be a success story similar to that of the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Northern Territory
Possible stadium: Tio Tragger Park baseball facility (capacity unknown), Alice Springs
Possible Name: Northern Territory Buffaloes
Possible Colours: Yellow, Black, Orange

Little known to most outside Alice Springs, TIO Trager park, the host to numerous NAB cup games, has a baseball facility. Although the NT would not jump to mind as an ideal spot for an ABL team, one should reflect on the off field Success of the former claxton shield team the NT Buffaloes that lasted a full eight years.

Locals would probably jump on board the city’s first team of any sort to compete in a national league for years. Although pulling interest away from cricket and AFL will prove difficult. If the ABL were to consider awarding the NT a franchise they would probably have to move some Adelaide Bite games up to the terriotry to see how much local interest there is for the games .

Like the above option awarding the NT a side would be a shot in the dark.

Gold Coast
Possible Stadium: Palm Meadows Baseball Facility (2,500 seated)
Possible Names: Clippers, Dolphins, Cougars
Possible Colours: Yellow, Red or Blue,

Former home to the Gold Coast Clippers/Daikyo Dolphins/East Coast Cougars who were one of the most successful sides in the old ABL. Although the Gold Coast is seen as a grave yard for sporting teams following the recent demise of the city’s A-League and NBL sides.

Fortunately the former baseball side was a different story, a foundation member of the old ABL that was renound for success and survived the whole span of the ABL until the leagues demise in 1999. The sides former stadium Palm Meadows is one of the countries finest ballparks.

A Gold Coast side is the best option in terms of expansion as it is almost a guaranteed success.

Geelong
Possible Stadium: Geelong Baseball Centre (5,000. 1,500 seated)
Possible names: WildCats, Baycats
Possible colours:Navy Blue

Geelong has arguably one of the best ballparks in the country situated in the peaceful suburb Grovedale, Geelong. The venue has hosted Claxton Shield matches and the 2009 World Masters Games.

It is host to Victorian League side the Geelong Baycats. Public interest for the game is high in Geelong with the Geelong Baseball Association being one of Victoria’s finest leagues.

The city has hosted professional baseball games in the past and have proven their worthiness with extraordinary attendances.

Geelong Would be an ideal location for a second Victorian side.

Newcastle
Possible stadium: Hunter Stadium (33,000)
Possible Name: Eagles
Possible colours: Blue

Although Hunter Stadium isn’t the ideal venue for baseball it did host baseball during the 90s when it served as the home to the Hunter Eagles. Gaining local interest would be tough as baseball isn’t very strong in the hunter region; like with Albury the national draft will solve the problem of finding local players.

However, the national draft can not solve the problem of finding fans, as baseball junkies will remember the Hunter Eagles folded due to financial issues caused by lack of attendances. Getting a successful professional baseball franchise up and running in Newcastle would be like praying for a pancakes to fall from the sky – it could happen, but it’s not very likely.

Gosford
Possible Stadium: Gosford Stadium (20,000. 5,000 for baseball)
Possible Name: Marlins
Possible Colour: Orange

Baseball is not unknown to the New South Wales central coast, introduced to the area in the early 1950’s the region nowadays comprises of many amateur and junior leagues. The Central Coast Marlins are the team representing Gosford in the NSW Major League. Not much else is known about baseball in this region of the country which makes deciding wether or not to award it a team very difficult.

Gosford has never hosted any major baseball event before so interest for the proposed side will be minimal.