|
The Biz of Baseball :: Business of Sports Network
|
NCAA Baseball
|
|
Written by Devon Teeple
|
|
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 00:37 |
|
For the first time in collegiate baseball history, the elite of Florida collegiate baseball will be in the same place at the same time.
On March 2, 2010, George M. Steinbrenner Field will host the inaugural Florida Four.
University of South Florida (USF), will square-off against the 13th ranked Hurricanes of Miami (UM). The second match-up, is to say the least, a college fans dream with the 9th ranked Florida Gators (UF) confronting their in-state rival Florida St. Seminoles (FSU), who are, according to the Preseason USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, fifth in the nation.
Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission Rob Higgins, expressed his thoughts about bringing this event to Tampa.
“We’ve been working with the Yankees for a few years now to bring another premier event to our community,” said Higgins. “We hope it serves as launching pad to Omaha for the four programs. This is a story that will start in March and we hope continues on to June. ”
College baseball at any rank or division level, does take a backseat to football and basketball; sports that do bring in enormous amounts of revenue for their respective schools. However, college baseball gives its viewers and fans something of an arcade feel. The “Ping” of aluminum, a sound that most purists would like to eliminate, does in fact bring an added level of excitement to the playing field.
A weak pop-up to third becomes a duck snort to left, and routine fly balls to right become historic game-ending homeruns, in the bottom of ninth, elevating the ordinary into a 1997 ESPY “Showstopper of the Year.
Opportunity is in fact knocking. These four participating schools, along with the city of Tampa can build an early season showcase into a tradition, reminiscent of The Great Alaska Shootout, held in Anchorage Alaska.
It’s going to be a great night for college baseball in Tampa. It should be a College World Series atmosphere with four great teams,” said USF Head Baseball Coach Lelo Prado. “I hope it's the beginning of a long tradition for college baseball here in the Tampa Bay Area.”
In any event, this will elevate the interest for each school involved, while continuing to expand the role of the New York Yankees and their contributions to the city of Tampa and the State of Florida.
The fans are in for a real treat, as the Road To Omaha just got a little more interesting.
Devon Teeple is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide's Baseball General Manager Class.
He is the founder of The GM's Perspective, is a intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels. Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada. He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network. |
|
|
Print
|
|
Written by Maury Brown
|
|
Saturday, 20 February 2010 01:58 |
|
Hey, Twins fan. This should make you smile. Not only are you getting an image of the AL MVP, but a new ballpark. Here's the cover for your 2010 Minnesota Twins media guide that has just been released.
Source: Minnesota Twins
 Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter 
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter
 Follow the Business of Sports Network on Facebook
|
|
The Biz of Baseball - Interviews
|
|
Written by Maury Brown
|
|
Monday, 16 August 2010 13:12 |
|
 If there’s a way to have a trial by fire in MLB before ever owning a club, surely Rangers Baseball Express, the group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan have walked miles over scorching road. For months the group labored to purchase the Texas Rangers through a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy process after former owner Tom Hicks fell $525 million in debt through the Rangers’ holding company, Hicks Sports Group. Commissioner Selig said at one point that it was a “long and winding road” in the process, and that was well before creditors of HSG pushed for, and got, an open auction for the purchase of the club, something that had not occurred since the Orioles were auctioned off in 1993.
Through it all, Greenberg, the Pittsburgh sports attorney and minor league club owner worked with his group of investors through the exceptionally difficult process. At the same time, he has been exceptionally accessible with fans. To date, he is the only MLB owner on Facebook, accepts every “Friend” request, and answers all fan emails and text messages. On the day that Rangers Baseball Express won at auction over Mark Cuban and Jim Crane, he received over 2,000 emails and text messages congratulating the group, a clear sign that the majority of fans were happy to see RBE close in on obtaining the Rangers.
We caught up with Greenberg, who now has the title of Managing Partner and CEO of the Rangers, just two days after officially taking over the Rangers on Friday the 13th, just one day after MLB’s owners unanimously approved the ownership transfer, and all of 10 days after winning the club purchase through auction. To say that Greenberg has been in a state of perpetual motion may be the understatement of the year. Topics for the interview include his state of mind just before the ownership vote, what the scene was like just after walking in the conference room door after the vote, why the Rangers have rolled out a sweeping group of cost-cutting initiatives for fans, whether shading or a roof are realistic plans for the Ballpark in Arlington, the latest on attempts to get a new video display installed for next season, and more.
SELECT READ MORE TO SEE THE INTERVIEW WITH CHUCK GREENBERG
|
|
|
Ballpark Renderings
|
|
Written by Maury Brown
|
|
Saturday, 13 March 2010 11:43 |
Target Field opens this season (Click to see in larger view) |
Ever wondered what it would be like to peel back the layers of a stadium like an onion? Well, here's what it would be like.
Through stadium architect, Populous, you can see below what the Twins' new stadium, Target Field, looks like from every level. Starting with the Main Level everything above it is removed in these renderings with each subsequent image adding another layer to the “cake”. In addition, there are two aerial views, plus the addition of roads and buildings that go with the project.
Select each of the images below to see in high resolution
1 - Main Level (Lower bowl) |
2 - Club Level |
3 - Suite Level |
4 - Upper Concourse |
5 - Upper Deck |
6 - Roof |
Aerial - Center Field View |
Aerial - Home Plate View |
Roads |
Buildings |
IMAGES COURTESY OF POPULOUS
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
Follow Maury Brown on Twitter
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter
Follow the Business of Sports Network on Facebook |
|
Joe Tetreault Article Archive
|
|
Written by Joe Tetreault
|
|
Thursday, 02 September 2010 16:55 |
|
Scott Boras, you're fired! No, not really.
Bob Nightengale broke the story that Alex Rodriguez has shifted agent responsibilities from Scott Boras to Pittsburgh sports attorney Jay Resinger and Washington attorney Jim Sharp. The decision reflects both Rodriguez' comfort with the work that Resigner and Sharp have done as the superstar's legal representation needs have shifted from contracts to the more complex world of dealing with the federal government as part of their on-going investigations into the use of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. In addition, Rodriguez sought Resinger's advice as he admitted his past use of PEDs.
With the two most lucrative contracts in the history of professional baseball bearing his name, Rodriguez is unlikely to ever need another contract negotiated for his services as a baseball player, reducing the utility that Scott Boras would provide. As one of the creditors in the recent Texas Rangers bankruptcy proceedings, Rodriguez has far more diverse requirements in his representation. By transitioning to someone who has been approved by the MLBPA and who can more expertly navigate these potential minefields Rodriguez is ensuring that he has the best possible advocate for the job at hand.
As baseball players find themselves contending with legal hassles that fall outside the bounds of traditional agent representation, they will invariably follow this pattern. As we see with the Roger Clemens indictment, Clemens is relying on his personal attorney rather than his agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks. It may have benefited Clemens had he retained a specialist like Resinger to handle the hearings that have now mired him in a much higher stakes legal battle.
Players such as Curt Schilling eschewed representation when negotiating their final contracts, because they were more cognizant of their goals in negotiations. That same spirit informs Rodriguez's choice. As the environment grows more complex, players will invariable follw Rodriguez' lead and find specialists who better understand their unique legal concerns. The day of the super agent is not dead. It will never be dead. But the potential for greater competition and more specialization in the marketplace will benefit players greatly.
 Joe Tetreault is Managing Editor of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He can be contacted here through The Biz of Baseball
Follow Joe Tetreault on Twitter
Follow The Biz of Baseball on Twitter
Follow the Business of Sports Network on Facebook |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 10 of 1060 |
|
|
|
Feed Entries 
