Pima County Sports Authority Secures Major Partners

Months of diligent work by members of the Pima County Sports and Tourism Authority are beginning to show dividends in our communities' initiative to retain professional baseball and expand opportunities for youth and amateur sports.

The Authority has facilitated a proposal from the Baseline Group that would lay the foundations for establishing our region as a leader in international baseball operations and development. The proposed Baseline Group initiative would:

• Replace the White Sox Spring Training presence with a Japanese team
• Create a world-class youth and amateur facility
• Replace the Sidewinders with a minor league team
• Create and extended Spring Training & instructional league team for competition against the Rockies and Diamondbacks

"The ideas presented by Baseline coincide with many of the goals pursued by the authority and add some very interesting elements that reflect the kind of resourceful thinking necessary to put Tucson back on the sports map." Said Tom Tracy, Chairman of the Sports Authority.

During recent months, the Sports Authority has worked closely with Major League Baseball on the concept of including a Japanese team in Spring Training. Dan Schneider, Executive Director of the Authority stated, "MLB is open to the concept of inclusion of a Japanese team in the Cactus League and discussions are currently underway." Under the proposal, a Japanese team would practice and play 13-15 games at Kino Sports Complex as early as 2010 if an agreement is reached.

The youth and amateur program will be run by former Major League players, scouts and front office personnel and is anticipated to begin operations as early as Fall of 2009, pending field renovation. Baseline projects to be hosting up to 80 tournaments at the facility by 2012. The group also proposes to host a number of no-charge clinics for coaches of local youth teams and make their fields available for local junior high and high school games free of charge, among many community initiatives.

Drawing upon their Pacific Rim connections, Baseline also proposes to create a new Spring Training/Instructional League practice team that will provide additional minor league competition for the Diamondbacks and Rockies.

"The Baseline team is composed of baseball and business professionals who have played, coached and managed at the highest levels of the industry" added Tracy, "and having them relocate their headquarters to Tucson is an extra economic bonus."

Following discussion of the proposal at their January 7 meeting, the Sports Authority will forward the plan to Pima County for their review.

Summary of Principal Proposal Points

The Baseline Group has significant expertise in baseball operations and management. Company personnel have won World Series, managed Major League farm systems, run Spring Training facilities and operated Minor League teams & facilities. They also have extensive experience in the Pacific Rim baseball community.

• The Baseline Group will relocate their headquarters to Tucson from Winchester, MA.
• Baseline activities would focus on the Southern (White Sox) complex.
• Kino Sports Complex would be utilized year round under one management team.

Japanese Spring Training

• Team would practice and play at Kino Sports Complex
• Team would play 13-15 Cactus League Spring Training games as early as 2010 if an agreement is reached
• Team would play at Tucson Electric Park
• Scrimmage against Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks
• Baseline would manage all financial and operational arrangements

Youth/Amateur Facility

• Youth leagues for local teams will start as early as Fall 2009
• Tournaments for traveling teams will start as early as Fall 2009
• Up to 80 tournaments with as many as 48 teams per tournament forecast by 2012
• Tournaments estimated to draw approximately 1000,000 non-local visitors to Pima County

Minor League Spring Training/Instructional League

• Team created and managed by Baseline
• Team compromised of minor league free agents, Major League free agents on rehab, undrafted free agents and loaned players from Japan
• Games will be played at Diamondbacks, Rockies and Baseline facilities
• Games will be played during minor league Spring Training (March), extended spring training (April and May), and instruction league (September 15 – October 15)

Minor League Team

• Team will be owned and managed by Baseline and will be affiliated with a Major League baseball team
• Team will feature players loaned from Japanese teams
• Games will be played after extended spring training and before instructional league

CONTACT:
Tom Tracy
PCSTA
(520) 237-5764

Adam White
Baseline Group
(781) 346-5097