IBL team hopes to make splash in Welland
The Welland Jackfish have arrived and are looking to hook some fans.
Ryan Harrison, one co-owner of Welland’s new Intercounty Baseball League team, took the lead at a chilly introductory outdoor news conference at Welland Stadium Saturday.
“I was floored the first time we came here,” said Harrison, who is also an Ontario Hockey League referee.
“Someone told me the stadium was old, but it looks brand new to me.”
The team is moving from Burlington, enticed by a stadium that was built for a Pittsburgh Pirates minor league team that played in Welland from 1989 to 1995. It holds 2,500 people.
“Basically, what happened was the (Burlington) facility wasn’t the greatest,” Harrison said.
“It was a glorified rep park, and we had a lot of struggles with the maintenance. It wasn’t wasn’t a good fit for us, and they weren’t used to having a highcalibre of sport like this.
“We had a great eight years in Burlington. I’ve been involved in all eight years, and I was born and raised in Burlington, so I am sad to see it go. Hopefully, someone can put a team there and make a go of it.”
John Castner, the commissioner of the intercounty league, said it took about 15 seconds for league brass to realize a move to Welland would be the best case for the team to move forward.
“This franchise has done a great job getting people to the park,” Castner said of the team’s time in Burlington.
“What they needed was a good park and a community that was receptive to intercounty baseball.
“We are really excited about what is going to happen here. I can’t wait for the first week of May to come down here and see some baseball.”
The last team from Niagara to compete in the IBL, which was established in 1919, was the Niagara Falls Mariners. The Mariners played at Oakes Park from 1985 to 1989.
Harrison said Welland’s entry will play 36 games with most home games on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons. He was joined at the news conference by fellow owners Mike Konderka, Brent Coulombe, Adam Harrison, Jason McKay and Dan Pokoradi.
Seasons tickets are a “bare bones” $100 for adults, Harrison said. Student season tickets are $75. Children 10 and under will be free.
The players don’t receive a salary, but the club picks up their expenses. Each team is allowed five imports from the U.S. The remaining players are locals who have had experience either playing college baseball or minor league baseball.
“We have had players from Colorado and Hawaii, all over the place,” Harrison said. “We will be housing at least five here locally. We can also bring in players from western Canada who will may also be housed.
The team colours will be kelly green and blue. The owners considered sticking with the Welland Pirates name and colours, but there were copyright issues that couldn’t be resolved.
“A jackfish is a name for a northern pike,” Harrison said. “There are plenty in the Welland River. The logo was designed by a well-known minor league logo designer. We approached him with some ideas. He came up with a mean-looking fish.”
Harrison said the overall team budget varies throughout the league, which includes Barrie, Brantford and Guelph as well as Hamilton, Kitchener, London and Toronto. Welland’s budget will be between $100,000 and $200,000.
An average attendance of 500 fans per game is a goal. Information is available at WellandJackfish.com.