Australian Baseball League

One round to play in the ABL before the Post Season.

Brisbane Bandits have surged to third and hope to hold on for a place in the post season.

Game against Sydney Blue Sox at 6:30pm online here - http://freezone.iinet.net.au/vod/fre...blue-sox/15547

Canberra Cavalry already have a couple of investors interested in the ABL club
http://www.canberratimes.com.au

Canberra Cavalry boss Donn McMichael says he already has a couple of interested investors for the Australian Baseball League's most financially successful club.

McMichael backed Baseball Australia's plans for ABL expansion and move to sell off the six foundation clubs as franchises.

Baseball Australia revealed on Monday they would look to make the ABL an eight-team competition in 2019, while also looking for external backers for the clubs.

The ABL came extremely close to adding a Korean team for the upcoming season.

A Korean team would be favourites for one of the two expansion spots, with Japan another option.

McMichael said that would boost the profile and increase the revenue of the ABL, with Asian television rights likely to create valuable income for the league.

He said it would also open doors for Australians to play in the highly popular Asias leagues.

McMichael was already in discussions with two parties interested in becoming involved with the Cavalry.

"I think that's a really good model to adopt that will potentially bring some investors into the game, people who previously haven't been associated," he said on Tuesday.

"I've got at least two parties that are interested in having that early discussion ... there's some very live interest in the Cavalry."

McMichael was confident putting ABL clubs on the market wouldn't lead to the relocation of the Cavalry away from the smallest baseball populations in the league.

They begin their ABL campaign against reigning champions Brisbane in Brisbane on Thursday, as they look to return to play-offs after missing out last season.

"I have no concerns about that at all. [Baseball Australia boss] Cam Vale has made it very clear that he sees Canberra as a very strategic part of the league moving forward," he said.

"We've got a very strong baseball community here. We've got very good corporate support here. Our attendances are increasing ... we're in a healthy position."

​ABL ROUND ONE

Thursday: Canberra Cavalry v Brisbane Bandits in Brisbane, 7.30pm. Game 2 Friday 7.30pm, game three Saturday 4.30pm, game four Saturday 7.30pm.

A Korean and Japanese team in the ABL would be amazing. I can definitely see it getting support in Brisbane.

ABL growth now a real Korea move
http://www.couriermail.com.au

SOUTH Korean owners will have an Australian Baseball League team based in regional Australia for at least five seasons after the competition publicly started expansion moves yesterday.

The addition of a team of South Korean players, probably based in Geelong, and one soon to be announced from Auckland for next season means the Claxton Shield is likely to leave Australia sooner rather than later as part of an eight-team ABL.

Live television broadcasts of all 40 of the team’s games each season to South Korea, the world’s third-ranked baseball nation, would provide benefits by offering sporting and business opportunities to Australia, said Baseball Australia CEO Cameron Vale.

Each of the six ABL foundation cities will have clubs, with the Brisbane franchise among four locations to have owners appointed in the next month, Vale said.

“The opportunity for Australian businesses to seek exposure into Korea is unrivalled to any other Australian domestic sporting team,’’ Vale said.

Vale said beyond an eightteam ABL he would see a second Queensland team as welcome, with the Gold Coast an option hampered by the lack of a modern facility.

“Queensland is a huge opportunity for us after this process, whether it’s a team in regional Queensland or not,’’ Vale said.

“A facility at the Gold Coast is one of our challenges.

‘‘We’ve had discussions with (the Gold Coast City) Council, we’d love to have an ABL team on the Gold Coast.

‘‘Our administration is based on the Gold Coast.”

I think a Korean team should be based in a city with a large Korean population.

Two new teams will enter this year.

New Zealand and a Korean team based in Victoria.

Pitch in for new outfit
http://www.gcbulletin.com.au

THE Gold Coast’s major football teams could hold the key to the city scoring its own national baseball franchise.

The new-look format for the 2018-19 Australian Baseball League season was released this week, with Korean and New Zealand teams to join the existing six clubs and the competition to be separated into southwest and northeast conferences.

A major trend in the revamp is the move towards privatisation, with particular interest around the AFL’s Adelaide Crows securing the Adelaide Bite’s licence.

It’s a model that is becoming increasingly popular – the Crows’ AFL rivals Collingwood Magpies have a Super Netball team of their own.

With the Gold Coast still on the expansion radar for as soon as the 2019-20 season, Baseball Australia chief executive Cam Vale floated the concept as a possible avenue.

“We would see a great fit with either the Gold Coast Suns or the Titans or a summer sport,” Vale told the Bulletin.

“Also we know there are some really good grassroots venues on the Gold Coast but an ABL franchise that plays over a 10-week period in the summer could very well be suited to playing at the home of the Titans or the Suns if it makes sense in a partnership.

“We certainly don’t want Baseball Australia to be running these teams; the privatisation model has worked well.

“The other way forward would be for a sporting club like the Titans or Suns to partner up with a Major League Baseball team or with a major team out of Japan or Korea and work together to take over a licence.

“We’re a good fit as the Crows have shown to drive other outcomes that can help improve the broader business and sporting model for a bigger sporting entity than an ABL team.”

Baseball does have strong roots on the Coast – the city was home to championshipwinning teams in the 90s and Surfers Paradise are the reigning state league champions.

Baseball Australia’s headquarters are also based at Chevron Island. Vale added the Coast’s connections with Taiwan were another asset in its favour.

Titans chief executive Graham Annesley wouldn’t rule out following in the Crows’ footsteps but admitted it wasn’t a top priority for now.
“Our priority is to try to focus on getting the Titans where they need to be,” he said.

Suns CEO Mark Evans said they wouldn’t consider any ownership but would be happy to support from afar.