Michael Shapiro, president of the Vallejo Admirals, enthusiastically details improvements and plans for Wilson Park, before the unanimous approval of the lease agreement vote by the GVRD board Thursday night. (Mike Jory/Times-Herald)
Mike Shapiro's opening pitch was a good one.As one of the owners of the Redwood Sports and Entertainment Group, Shapiro wanted to locate a Pacific Association independent league team in Vallejo. This was one proposal that wasn't going to collect cobwebs.
"We saw this as a positive way to have Vallejo promoted," said Shane McAffee, general manager of the Greater Vallejo Recreation District.
Details were ironed out Tuesday night quicker than a CC Sabathia slider , with a 5-0 vote by the GVRD board allowing the new Vallejo Admirals to dock at Wilson Park.
"I think it's great. We're excited," McAffee said. "Everybody's going to benefit. The image of Vallejo more than anything."
Shapiro, the president
and general manager of San Rafael Pacifics, will oversee the Admirals as president but said he'll likely hire a general manager."I'm very happy the unanimous vote was very sustaining that this idea makes a lot of sense for the community," an elated Shapiro said.
The team expects to kick its promotion into high gear immediately, Shapiro said.
"Our greatest concern was the late start we're getting in that it leaves us very little time to get out into the community to introduce ourselves, to sell sponsorships and to get Wilson Park ready to host games."
There weren't many hurdles to the agreement, said McAffee, first approached by Shapiro around Jan. 1.
"We wanted to respect our longtime arrangement with Babe Ruth
(League). After that, we just massaged it until it fell into place," McAffee said.Shapiro agreed there were "no real obstacles" in coming to Vallejo.
"The community has a rich history of baseball and is rebuilding its economic vitality," Shapiro said. "The demographics of the region offer strong indications that minor league baseball will be successful. We view Vallejo as a community that will welcome low-cost family entertainment in the summer months."
Shapiro said Vallejo became the No. 1 target after looking at "a number" of locations.
"We fell in love with Wilson Park for its classic structure, its location and the potential of producing minor league games in the Vallejo market," Shapiro said.
The Admirals will fund upkeep of the facility, including repairs and painting.
"Clearly, Wilson Park is in need of a face lift, but we're confident that our partnership with the city will allow us to do a nice job on the field and the ballpark infrastructure," Shapiro said.
Though only a few full-time staffers are expected to be hired by the team, "there could be quite a few teens" hired locally during the season, McAffee said.
The agreement dictates weekday and Saturday games begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday games at 1 p.m.
Though GVRD agreed to provide utilities and garbage disposal services, the $5,000 fee paid by the Admirals will more than offset GVRD expenses, McAffee said.
The Admirals retain 100 percent of money generated by ticket sales, food and beverage concessions, sponsorships, advertising and merchandise.
"This first year is to try and make things work," McAffee said. "They are paying us a rental fee and we are trying to make it easy for them to do business. We will sit down at the end of the season and see where we can re-work this year's agreement."
A minor league team "must depend on sponsorship sales with local businesses and ticket sales, so we're about to launch an all-out effort to attract that kind of support from the community," said Shapiro.
Shapiro projects average attendance at 500 to 700 patrons "but we certainly hope that the local community will support us with even greater attendance."
The quality of baseball is at the "A" to "AA" level, Shapiro said, adding that the team holds a second try-outs April 28 in San Rafael.
The 2013 season includes the Maui Na Koa Ikaika, the Hilo Stars, the Pacifics and Admirals, with the four teams also playing the teams in the Freedom League, based mostly in Arizona.
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