[House Hearing, 119 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
. BEYOND THE BALLPARK: THE ROLE OF MINOR
LEAGUES IN ECONOMIC GROWTH
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INNOVATION,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
HEARING HELD
JUNE 10, 2025
__________
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Small Business Committee Document Number 119-014
Available via the GPO Website: www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
60-589 WASHINGTON : 2025
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS
ROGER WILLIAMS, Texas, Chairman
PETE STAUBER, Minnesota
DAN MEUSER, Pennsylvania
BETH VAN DUYNE, Texas
JAKE ELLZEY, Texas
MARK ALFORD, Missouri
NICK LALOTA, New York
BRAD FINSTAD, Minnesota
TONY WIED, Wisconsin
ROB BRESNAHAN, Pennsylvania
BRIAN JACK, Georgia
TROY DOWNING, Montana
KIMBERLYN KING-HINDS, Northern Marina Islands
DEREK SCHMIDT, Kansas
JIMMY PATRONIS, Florida
NYDIA VELAZQUEZ, New York, Ranking Member
MORGAN MCGARVEY, Kentucky
HILLARY SCHOLTEN, Michigan
LAMONICA MCIVER, New Jersey
GIL CISNEROS, California
KELLY MORRISON, Minnesota
GEORGE LATIMER, New York
DEREK TRAN, California
LATEEFAH SIMON, California
JOHNNY OLSZEWSKI, Maryland
HERB CONAWAY, New Jersey
MAGGIE GOODLANDER, New Hampshire
Lauren Holmes, Majority Staff Director
Melissa Jung, Minority Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
OPENING STATEMENTS
Page
Hon. Brian Jack.................................................. 1
Hon. Hillary Scholten............................................ 3
WITNESSES
Mr. Pat Battle, Executive Chairman, Diamond Baseball Holdings,
New York, NY................................................... 7
Mr. Lou Ciampi Jr., President, Independent Graphics, Inc., West
Wyoming, PA.................................................... 8
Mr. Reid Ryan, Owner/Chief Executive Officer Ryan Sanders
Baseball, Round Rock Express Baseball Club, San Antonio
Missions Baseball Club, New York, NY........................... 10
Mr. Joe Chamberlin, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner,
West Michigan Whitecaps, Traverse City Pit Spitters, Comstock
Park, MI....................................................... 11
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements:
Mr. Pat Battle, Executive Chairman, Diamond Baseball
Holdings, New York, NY..................................... 35
Mr. Lou Ciampi Jr., President, Independent Graphics, Inc.,
West Wyoming, PA........................................... 37
Mr. Reid Ryan, Owner/Chief Executive Officer Ryan Sanders
Baseball, Round Rock Express Baseball Club, San Antonio
Missions Baseball Club, New York, NY....................... 39
Mr. Joe Chamberlin, Chief Executive Officer and Managing
Partner, West Michigan Whitecaps, Traverse City Pit
Spitters, Comstock Park, MI................................ 41
Questions for the Record:
None.
Answers for the Record:
None.
Additional Material for the Record:
Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC).......................... 43
BEYOND THE BALLPARK: THE ROLE OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN ECONOMIC
GROWTH
----------
TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 2025
House of Representatives,
Committee on Small Business,
Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship,
and Workforce Development,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:29 p.m., in
Room 2360, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Brian Jack
[chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Jack, Wied, Bresnahan, Downing,
Patronis, Scholten, Simon, Olszewski, McGarvey, and McIver.
Also Present: Representatives William, and McDowell.
Chairman JACK. So, before we begin, as is customary for
this Committee, I will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and
an opening prayer. If you will stand with me. I pledge
allegiance to the Flag of the United States of American, and to
the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
ALL. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States
of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one
nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all.
Chairman JACK. For those who wish to do so, will you please
take a moment to pray with me? Dear Heavenly Father, thank you
for bringing us here today, different people from different
places with different perspectives, united under something as
simple and fun as baseball. In a world so often divided, we are
grateful for moments like this where shared love for a game
reminds us of what we have in common. We humbly ask for your
blessing over our conversations today. May they be filled with
respect, openness, and a spirit of unity. Amen.
Good afternoon, everyone. I now call the Small Business
Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce
Development to order. Without objection, the Chair is
authorized to declare a recess of the Committee at any time.
Pursuant to Committee rules, I request unanimous consent
for Representative McDowell to wave onto this hearing for the
purpose of asking questions under the 5-minute rule. Without
objection, so ordered.
I now recognize myself for my opening statement.
Welcome, everyone, to today's hearing entitled ``Beyond the
Ballpark: The Role of Minor League Baseball and Economic
Growth.'' With the annual Congressional Baseball Game tomorrow,
Capitol Hill is abuzz about America's pastime. This is our
first hearing of the Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation,
Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development, and I thank
Ranking Member Scholten for her partnership as we planned
today's discussion.
This hearing is focused on the economic benefit Minor
League Baseball brings to communities across America. Almost
every Member of Congress on this panel represents a city that
hosts a professional baseball team operating within Minor
League Baseball or its partner leagues like the Pioneer
Baseball League or the American Association of Professional
Baseball. While only 27 of America's largest cities host Major
League Baseball teams, fans of America's pastime are able to
enjoy professional baseball in over 200 small- to medium-sized
cities across our country.
Minor league ball clubs create significant economic impact
opportunities for local businesses and the teams bring enormous
pride to the communities they call home. Some minor league
teams are owned and operated by their major league affiliate.
But the majority of minor league clubs qualify as small
businesses and experience many of the same challenges our full
Committee has addressed, like access to capital, stable
employment, and fluctuating sales. Minor League Baseball
organizations are unique in that they have little to no control
over their roster of players and the product they put on the
field. Instead, they must innovate to create affordable
experiences that draw fans and families to the ballpark.
If you follow MILB promos on Instagram or X, you will see a
steady stream of the innovative promotions Minor League
Baseball teams offer, from bobblehead giveaways to $1 hot dog
nights. One of the more memorable promotions came from the
Stockton Ports, which hosted Asparagus Night replete with an
asparagus eating contest and very healthy asparagus theme
uniforms. To be successful in Minor League Baseball, you must
have an entrepreneurial spirit and clearly a great sense of
marketing.
As my colleagues know, I am a passionate supporter of
professional baseball and I was very excited last year when my
hometown Atlanta Braves announced Minor League Baseball was
returning to Columbus, Georgia, Georgia's second largest city,
for the first time in 17 years. I represent the northwestern
part of Columbus and many of my constituents are proud season
ticket owners and attendees of Columbus' new ball club.
Last September, I joined hundreds of my now constituents at
an event at the Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center at
which the team and mascot were revealed. A video played on the
screen and the Columbus Clingstones were formed with the name
and mascot that immediately went viral. In April, I was honored
to attend the Clingstones' sold out opening night to see nine-
time Major League Baseball All-Star Craig Kimbrel pitch a
scoreless ending. Later that week I attended another game and
was honored to join the radio and television broadcasts and
provide color commentary. At each game the atmosphere was
electric, the community was vibrant, and the attendance number
suggests this trend will continue.
Already in just 24 games, over 100,000 fans have attended a
Columbus Clingstones game this season. Prior to the Clingstones
founding, the historic ballpark at which they play was vacant
and its infrastructure was crumbling. But thanks to the public-
private partnership with the Columbus Consolidated Government,
the team's ownership group, and companies like Synovus, the
ballpark has been completely renovated and the area around it
is set to thrive. Local restaurants and hotels are already
experiencing the positive impact from the Columbus Clingstones
and I look forward to learning more today about how the
Clingstones are generating economic opportunities and memorable
experiences for my constituents.
As was said in the ``Field of Dreams,'' baseball has been
the one constant through all the years and has a very special
way of connecting each of us. In the 1970s, my father played
baseball in Georgia's Stan Musial Division of the American
Amateur Baseball Congress. After a game, one of his teammates,
James Ivey, was signed by the Atlanta Braves and played one
season in its minor league organization. Mr. Ivey pitched three
games for the Wytheville Braves, a rookie level ball club.
I mentioned this because Mr. Ivey's teammate on the
Wytheville Braves was a young and up and coming player out of
Texas Christian University named Mr. Roger Williams. Indeed,
our Chairman, Roger Williams, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft, is the only former
professional baseball player in the 119th Congress. He is also
the manager of the Republican Congressional Baseball Team and
the distinguished Chairman of our Small Business Committee. I
thank him for presiding over this hearing with me today.
Also joining us in the audience is my friend Kevin Malone,
who was previously the general manager of the Montreal Expos
and Los Angeles Dodgers. Kevin was recognized by USA Today as
the best general manager in the game. And since his baseball
career ended, he has devoted his life to fighting the scourge
of human trafficking. Thank you for joining us, Kevin.
I now recognize the distinguished Ranking Member, Ms.
Hillary Scholten for her opening remarks.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for convening this
hearing. What a great idea.
When the Chairman and I first sat down about where we
wanted to take this Committee and I threw out some ideas, you
know, I said, you know, I am really interested in digital
currency, Bitcoin. And he is like, how about we start with
baseball? And I thought that was a brilliant idea. Nothing
brings us together like sports. As the daughter of our local
sports reporter and an athlete myself, I know how sports can
not only bring communities together, but bring us together
across the aisle. I am really looking forward to today's
hearing and I know, along with so many of my colleagues,
looking forward to tomorrow's Congressional Baseball Game.
Minor leagues provide so many benefits to our community.
Their players participate in local volunteer activities. Their
teams are a source of pride for their hometowns. Their stadiums
serve as community gathering places, and their games are an
affordable entertainment option for families. Over the course
of this hearing, I hope that we can shed light on another
benefit, the team's ability to boost local small businesses. In
my hometown, for example, our minor league team, the West
Michigan Whitecaps, partnered with the Lake Michigan Credit
Union and now play at LMCU Ballpark. LMCU is a proud SBA
lending partner and was recognized as the SBA's International
Trade Lender of the Year.
Beyond bringing greater visibility to this and other
outstanding local businesses, the Whitecaps and LMCU Ballpark
have been an economic driver for the Comstock Park community in
the greater Grand Rapids area. The park hosts concerts and
movie nights, annual events like the Taste of Grand Rapids, a
car show, a holiday lighting display, charitable events, and
fundraisers and private events like family celebrations. All of
this has helped to lead development in the nearby business park
and supported retail shops and restaurants that would otherwise
not be there. These benefits have been the result of the
Whitecap's long-term investment in our community and our strong
relationship with local small businesses. We are also so
honored to have a representative here today serving as a
witness, who I look forward to introducing in just a moment.
Their example shows how minor league teams can play a role
in small- and mid-sized cities, local economic systems, and
drive development and economic activity in the surrounding
area. I look forward to learning more from all of our witnesses
today about how minor leagues can be good partners and enormous
assets to local small businesses while bringing their
enthusiastic fans and cultivating a sense of community in their
neighborhoods.
Thank you. And with that, I yield back.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Ranking Member Scholten.
I now recognize the distinguished Chairman of the House
Committee on Small Business and a great baseball player, Mr.
Roger Williams, for his opening remarks.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman. I
appreciate that. And I just noticed that we all have this right
here. I want to thank Representative Scholten for these bats
because this is the bat the Democrat will be using tomorrow
night. So I appreciate that.
I want to thank you again for holding this. I want to thank
both of you for holding this Committee hearing. I would like to
thank all of our four witnesses for being here today to talk
about a sport that is the greatest sport there is. I would like
to thank Chairman Jack. As he mentioned, we are just one day
away from the Congressional Baseball Game and this hearing is
the perfect way to review the importance of it.
Now, Minor League Baseball plays a significant role in the
lives of families throughout the country. And whether the team
plays in a large metropolitan area or a smaller town, fans can
see some of the best baseball players in the world in action.
As a former player myself, I understood the importance of this.
In 1971, I was drafted by the Atlanta Braves. I played in their
minor league system for 3 years, returned home to run the
family car dealership and coach baseball at Texas Christian
University, and then later bought the San Antonio Missions in
San Antonio, which Reid's very familiar with. And during my
time as a professional player, I saw firsthand the value of
making professional sports accessible to people from all around
the country as well as the community that has built these minor
league systems.
In addition to making our national pastime more accessible
for fans, Minor League Baseball teams serve as important
fixtures in their local communities. Now, from providing
opportunities to local suppliers to fostering a small business
boom in the surrounding area. Minor league teams support the
economic development of small towns and cities nationwide. This
unique type of small business fosters a self-sustaining
ecosystem in areas fortunate enough to have a minor league
sports teams.
I look forward to today's discussion. It will be a lot of
fun on the role of minor league teams in building communities.
And we are excited for the big game tomorrow. We are also
excited about all the former players and my friends that are
out here today. So this hearing is an opportunity to highlight
the benefits that Minor League Baseball can bring to local
small businesses.
With that, I yield back.
Chairman JACK. I will now introduce our witnesses. Our
first witness is Mr. Pat Battle. Mr. Battle is the Executive
Chairman of Diamond Baseball Holdings, a sports management
group that owns and operates 44 Minor League Baseball teams,
including the Columbus Clingstones; the Wisconsin Timber
Rattlers, Mr. Wied's district; the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
RailRiders, Mr. Bresnahan's district; and the Louisville Bats
in Mr. McGarvey's district. Mr. Battle was previously the chief
executive officer of Collegiate Licensing Company, the oldest
and largest collegiate licensing company in the United States.
He is a graduate of Georgia State University, a university I
strongly support, and for generations his family has been
involved in sports management.
Mr. Battle, we are grateful you are testifying before our
subcommittee today.
And I now recognize my colleague, Representative Bresnahan,
to briefly introduce his constituent who is appearing before us
today.
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Thank you, Chairman. It is an honor to
introduce our next witness, Mr. Lou Ciampi, Jr. Mr. Ciampi is
the president of Independent Graphics in Wyoming, Pennsylvania,
located in my congressional district and, ironically, the same
borough where I was born and grew up. Independent Graphics was
started by Lou's father, Lou Ciampi, Sr., in 1980. Mr. Ciampi
has been a full-time employee at his family business since
1986, starting as a sales manager and progressing to president.
Independent Graphics is a proud partner of the Wilkes-
Barre/Scranton Yankees Minor League Baseball team, the
RailRiders. Through his extensive experience and knowledge of
the print process and products, Lou has propelled sales volumes
and has grown Independent Graphics dramatically during his
tenure.
Mr. Ciampi is also an integral part of our community. He is
involved with charitable efforts such as the Luzerne County
Jump-a-Thon, indoor triathlons, and the Wyoming Area Football
Alumni Association, which has locally raised hundreds of
thousands of dollars for scholarships and equipment for high
schools as well as little league teams.
Mr. Ciampi graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics
from Dickinson College.
Thank you for joining us today and I am looking forward to
today's important conversation. I yield.
Chairman JACK. I now recognize the Chairman of the full
Committee, Chairman Williams, to briefly introduce our next
witness.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you, Representative Jack. And I am
excited to welcome Mr. Reid Ryan, my friend who is the owner
and chief executive officer of Ryan Sanders Baseball in Round
Rock, Texas.
Now, just a real quick story I want to tell you about
baseball history. This may never happen again, but it is a
quick story. You may know who his dad is, Nolan Ryan. Well,
1992, is this right, Ried, 1992, Ried was pitching for the
Texas Longhorns playing an exhibition game against the
Houston--or against the Texas Rangers. Well, he was pitching
for the Longhorns and his opposing pitcher was his 44-year-old
father. Pretty good. I don't know who won the game, though. Who
won it? They did. Okay.
But anyway, that is a unique part of history that you may
never see again, father against father. Two great men.
Ried, along with his dad Nolan, his brother Reese, and
former Astros minority owner Don Sanders formed Ryan Sanders
Baseball in 1998. Ryan Sanders Baseball founded two minor
league teams, the Round Rock Express in 2000 and Corpus Christi
Hooks in 2005. Mr. Ryan was drafted by the Texas Rangers during
the 1994 Major League Baseball draft and served as president of
the Houston Astros from May 2013 through May 2019. Mr. Ryan
also serves on the Board of Trustees for Major League Baseball
and is a graduate of Texas Christian University. Go Frogs.
So we are excited to have you, my friend, and we look
forward to having a conversation today. Mr. Chairman, I yield
back.
Chairman JACK. I now recognize the Ranking Member from
Michigan, Ms. Scholten, to briefly introduce the last witness
appearing before us today.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is my honor to
introduce my constituent, Mr. Joe Chamberlin. He joined the
West Michigan Whitecaps in 2013, serving in several roles prior
to becoming CEO and managing partner in 2018. Mr. Chamberlin
has a longer history with the team, however, since his father,
Lew Chamberlin, has been a proud co-owner of the Whitecaps for
over 30 years, a family business.
Beyond Whitecaps baseball, Mr. Chamberlin and his team
operate one of the largest distributors of Dippin' Dots Ice
Cream in the United States. And in 2018, he founded the
Traverse City Pit Spitters baseball team and led the
acquisition of Turtle Creek Stadium up north in Michigan.
Mr. Chamberlin is a Member of the Grand Rapids Chamber of
Commerce CEO Council and currently serves as a board member
with the Whitecaps Community Foundation and St. Mary's
Foundation. He earned his master's degree in labor relations
and human resources at Michigan State University and received
his bachelor's degree from the College of Worcester.
Mr. Chamberlin, welcome. Thank you for making the trip and
thank you for appearing before the subcommittee today.
I yield back.
Chairman JACK. Before recognizing the witnesses, I would
like to remind each of you that your spoken testimony is
restricted to 5 minutes in length. If you see the light turn
red in front of you, it means your 5 minutes have concluded and
you should finish your testimony.
I now recognize Mr. Battle for his 5-minute opening
remarks.
STATEMENTS OF MR. PAT BATTLE, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, DIAMOND
BASEBALL HOLDINGS; MR. LOU CIAMPI JR., PRESIDENT, INDEPENDENT
GRAPHICS, INC.; MR. REID RYAN, OWNER/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
RYAN SANDERS BASEBALL, ROUND ROCK EXPRESS BASEBALL CLUB, SAN
ANTONIO MISSIONS BASEBALL CLUB; AND MR. JOE CHAMBERLIN, CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND MANAGING PARTNER, WEST MICHIGAN
WHITECAPS, TRAVERSE CITY PIT SPITTERS
STATEMENT OF PAT BATTLE, CEO, DIAMOND BASEBALL HOLDINGS
Mr. BATTLE. Thank you, Chairman Jack, Ranking Member
Scholten, Chairman Williams, and distinguished Members of the
Committee for inviting me to testify today about the importance
of Minor League Baseball and helping drive economic growth
across the country. My name is Pat Battle. I am Executive
Chairman of Diamond Baseball Holdings. And DBH is an
organization that owns 44 affiliated Minor League Baseball
clubs, all of which are run as independent organizations by a
passionate group of employees in each of the 44 communities
that we serve. I recently visited one club which has 31 full-
time employees, 26 of them having started their careers as
interns with the team.
Minor League Baseball exemplifies the best in America. It
is community-focused, rooted in deep tradition, and
representative of the broad cultures and customs across our
country. Most people wouldn't know that Minor League Baseball
is the second most attended sport in the U.S., welcoming more
than 30 million fans through its turnstiles each season, which
is why I am grateful to this Committee for shining the
spotlight on Minor League Baseball today and why I am proud to
share with you our mission, along with my colleagues at the
table, our mission to protect and to preserve and to enhance
Minor League Baseball and through that, to fuel small business
economic development and growth for generations to come.
Minor League baseball reaches many different constituencies
and represent something uniquely special to each group. For
Major League Baseball and the 30 big league clubs, the minor
leagues serve as a training ground for developing its future
stars. The second group are the professional baseball players
themselves, where Minor League Baseball represents their
opportunity to achieve lifelong dreams as the path to make it
to the Show. DBH relishes its role in supporting those dreams
through close collaboration with Major League Baseball and our
local municipal partners.
The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame is full of great
players who got their start in the minor league system: Willie
Mays played in historic Rickwood in Birmingham, Alabama; David
Ortiz in Appleton, Wisconsin; Aaron Judge in Scranton,
Pennsylvania. I could go on and on about the number and the
thousands of Major League Baseball players that began their
professional journey in the Minor leagues.
A third group impacted by Minor League Baseball are the 120
communities who host affiliated Minor League Baseball teams.
The stadiums in which the teams play serve as centers of energy
in these communities and represent an important and vibrant
gathering spot for its local citizens. At DBH, it is our desire
for these stadiums, in addition to hosting roughly 70
professional baseball games a year, to also host many events
such as concerts, high school state championships, graduations,
weddings, corporate outings, and the list goes on and on.
In April, I was proud to attend the opening of the new
minor league stadium in Columbus, Georgia. Columbus has
welcomed, as Chairman Jack said, more than 100,000 fans to the
ballpark in just 2 months. And importantly, we anticipate that
Synovus park will create more than $10 billion in annual
economic impact.
And the community impact extends beyond just what happens
inside the stadium. We are proud of our planned $250 million
mixed-use development in Congressman McGarvey's district in
Louisville, Kentucky. In close partnership with Mayor Craig
Greenberg and the Louisville metro government, the project will
revitalize downtown and create more than 1,000 jobs for the
local economy.
The fourth constituency impacted by Minor League Baseball
are the fans. At DBH, we believe we are in the memory making
business and we strive to do that in a fun, affordable way for
families, friends, and colleagues. Affordability and
accessibility are a top priority in Minor League Baseball, with
the average ticket price to a game still under $15, that is 1-
5. Our approach is to execute in a hyper local manner,
celebrating the nuances which make each of our communities
special and unique.
And last, but certainly not least is what Minor League
Baseball represents to the more than 1,000 small businesses who
partner with our teams in a variety of ways. Whether through
advertising, sponsorship, vending, and more, these partnerships
broaden their relationship with fans, with other businesses,
and with the community as a whole.
I hope I have given you a sense today of why we are so
passionate about Minor League Baseball and its wide-reaching
impact in bringing communities together. Mr. Chairman, thank
you for engaging in this important conversation and for
recognizing what Minor League Baseball means to your
constituents.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Ciampi for
his 5-minute opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF LOU CIAMPI, JR., PRESIDENT, INDEPENDENT GRAPHICS
INC.
Mr. CIAMPI. Try that again. Thank you to all the Members of
the Committee and especially to Mr. Rob Bresnahan for inviting
me here today. It is greatly appreciated.
My name is Lou Ciampi, Jr. I am the president of
Independent Graphics. We are a family-owned and operated
printing and direct mail company located in Northeastern
Pennsylvania. This year we proudly celebrate our 45th year in
business. The company was founded by my late father Lou Ciampi,
Sr., and Ried, if it is any consolation, he always won, too. It
is now owned by my brother Jim and me. I joined the company
full time in January of 1986 as sales manager and I have since
assumed the role of president. Over those years we have grown
from 5 employees to 35 full-time employees and we run 2 shifts.
We have been honored to work with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
RailRiders since 2008. During this partnership we have
completed numerous interesting and time-sensitive projects that
have helped shape our company's reputation and capabilities.
One of the earliest and most memorable projects involved Roger
Clemens. In 2008, Roger came down to Triple-A for a rehab
assignment. When he threw out the first pitch, a photo was
taken. The photo was emailed to Independent. We produced 15
top-quality posters, which we then ran up to the ballpark so
Roger could sign before he left that day, creating instant
memorabilia. And no, my friend John Stevenson at the ballpark
did not give me one of these collector's items. So thank you,
John.
In 2012, the ballpark underwent major renovations and
opening night of the 2013 season was a milestone event. Once
again, in the first inning, a photo was emailed to Independent
Graphics. This time we produced 5,000 8-by-10 photo-quality
prints, which we printed, threw in the car, and ran up to the
stadium in time to hand out to the fans as they left the field
that night. Same night, a true rush job.
When we were introduced to the RailRiders, they were owned
by Mandalay Entertainment. I had the great pleasure of meeting
Mr. Jon Spoelstra, who was the architect of the Play Ball
program books. The Play Ball program books were unique for each
game. So Game 1 of the season was played. After the game, the
updated statistics would be emailed to Independent Graphics. We
would print unique program books overnight and deliver the next
day for the game. Today, speed to market is more than a motto,
it is our standard and a RailRiders partnership help us define
it.
Beyond business, the relationship has held deep personal
meaning for our family. We are both a vendor and a sponsor. Our
signage has proudly been displayed at the ballpark and we have
rented a suite for half the home games each season. Sundays at
the park became a cherished tradition for the entire Ciampi
family. My father, a passionate Yankees fan, especially Yogi
Berra being his favorite, relished every visit. We have had the
pleasure of meeting legends, like Roger Clemens, Dwight Gooden,
Daryl Strawberry, and Reggie Jackson, memories that will last a
lifetime.
This Saturday, June 14th, we will celebrate Independent
Graphics' 45th anniversary in the left field party box at PNC
Field. What a party it is going to be.
Thank you so much for your time and allowing me to share
our story.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Ryan for his
5-minute opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF REID RYAN, CEO, RYAN-SANDERS BASEBALL INC.
Mr. RYAN. All right. Thank you, Chairman Jack, Chairman
Williams, Ranking Member Scholten, and the Committee. Hello, my
name is Reid Ryan and I am the CEO of Ryan-Sanders Baseball.
And I am honored to be here today to discuss the positive
impact that Minor League Baseball has had on communities across
the country.
Baseball has been a lifelong passion for me. As Roger said,
my father, Nolan Ryan, is Major League Baseball's all-time
strikeout leader, an all-time no-hit leader and a member of the
National Baseball Hall of Fame. When I was born, he was
pitching for the New York Mets and shortly after that he got
traded to the Angels and we spent time in California, and with
the Houston Astros and with the Texas Rangers.
After playing college baseball at the University of Texas
and then at TCU, I was fortunate enough to get drafted by the
Texas Rangers and assigned to the Hudson Valley Renegades in
Poughkeepsie, New York, a team that Mr. Battle owns today. That
experience marked my very first minor league game. Having grown
up in the big leagues, I was amazed at the fun, family-friendly
environment that Minor League Baseball offered. I couldn't
believe that this type of entertainment existed all over the
country, and yet I had never experienced it until I played in
my very first game.
Over the next 2 years, I played in the New York Penn
League, the South Atlantic League, and the California League.
Traveling across the country, I got to witness the same thing
in every single market from the East Coast to the West Coast,
families and communities coming together around the game of
baseball. And it wasn't just about the sport, as many people
mentioned here today. It was about affordable family fun,
community pride, and a sense of belonging.
And so when my playing career ended, I set my sights on
becoming an owner of a minor league team. And in 1998, at 26
years old, I discovered a Houston Astros club in Jackson,
Mississippi, that was for sale. They were playing in an aging
ballpark and they needed to be closer to Houston, Texas. And so
I assembled a group, I secured a loan, and I purchased the ball
club. Little did I know my efforts would help spark a
renaissance in Minor League Baseball and the game of baseball
in our industry.
So, in 2000, we opened the Dell Diamond in Round Rock,
Texas. We built a major league quality stadium on a minor
league scale. It was one of the first times this had ever
happened to the game. And then since then, I have owned and
operated several clubs across the country, including the Corpus
Christi Hooks, the San Antonio Missions, and the Fayetteville
Woodpeckers. Along the way, I have spent time in the major
leagues, working with the league on various committees and
serving as president of the Houston Astros, as Roger Williams
discussed.
I share all this to illustrate that I have seen this game
literally from every angle. And I always return to my love of
Minor League Baseball. There is just something truly special
about the fans and the communities we serve that makes our game
such a cherished part of Americana.
Minor League Baseball at its core is a hyper local small
business. Our games are played in front of fans at the ballpark
and not for people on TV. The fans, the sponsors, the staff,
they are all deeply involved in the local community. And the
ballpark often becomes the front porch of these towns. It is
the place where folks go to watch baseball, but, more
importantly, visit with their neighbors, connect with friends
and loved ones.
So throughout my career, I have been fortunate to build new
stadiums in four different markets around the country. And I am
currently working on my fifth right now in San Antonio, Texas.
And in every one of these cases, the local community has
benefited. In Round Rock, the ballpark spurred development of
restaurants, hotels, and businesses. And in fact, we have one
of the world's largest indoor water parks, Kalahari, across the
street now. In Corpus Christi, another water park was built, a
concert venue and a restaurant opened. And in Fayetteville,
North Carolina, we had downtown living and a hotel emerge
adjacent to the stadium. And in San Antonio, we are in the
process right now of working with the city and county on a
tours that will include downtown living and hotels as part of
the project. In every instance, the ballpark has revitalized or
spurred growth in the surrounding areas.
And so one of my favorite sayings has always been from the
former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson. And it is derived from
the Bible, to whom much is given, much is expected. That is how
I feel about my role in Minor League Baseball.
And I will close by saying that it has been my goal and my
family's goal to always leave the game in our communities
better than we found it. And by investing in Minor League
Baseball in the areas around our stadiums, we have improved the
quality of life in our local communities and we have helped
many small businesses grow. Thank you very much.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Chamberlin
for his 5 minute opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF JOE CHAMBERLIN, CEO & MANAGING PARTNER, WEST
MICHIGAN WHITECAPS AND TRAVERSE CITY PIT SPITTERS
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. All right. Chairman Jack, Ranking Member
Scholten, and Members of the subcommittee, I am honored to be
before you today to share my story and, most importantly, to
talk a little bit of baseball. This was certainly an exciting,
albeit unexpected, invite for me to receive. And when I
received it, my wife Dana insisted that I make sure you all had
the right guy. Here is to our spouses keeping us humble.
My name is Joe Chamberlin and I am the CEO and managing
partner of two baseball franchises that call the great state of
Michigan home: the West Michigan Whitecaps and the Traverse
City Pit Spitters. Both Traverse City and West Michigan are
incredible communities and incredible sports markets. For me,
baseball has become the family business. The Whitecaps were
founded by my dad, Lou Chamberlin, and his business partner,
Denny Baxter, in 1994. Lou was the quintessential entrepreneur
and with the help of many along the way, he spent the better
part of 10 years on a journey to make his dream a reality for
his West Michigan community. That day came in 1994 and out of
the gate, the Whitecaps broke every single A attendance record
in Minor League Baseball, consistently drawing over 500,000
fans a year.
Because of our entrepreneurial origin story, we have always
operated a little differently than most teams. Lou was the idea
guy, not the capital guy. And based on a strong business plan
and proven success in another market, he formed a partnership
and raised the capital needed to purchase a team and build our
ballpark. And because of that history, we own our privately
funded stadium and can proudly say that no taxpayer dollars
were used for its construction in 1994 or for upkeep since. It
is unique for a club to be actively run by its entrepreneurial
founding family and we have always taken pride in being sports
owners who are actively involved at every level of our team's
success.
The success of the Whitecaps in the early '90s proved that
our community could support professional sports teams and
vibrant stadiums and in the years following our inaugural
season, Grand Rapids has been lucky to see other teams and
amenities added to our city's roster. The collective impact of
all these teams saw Grand Rapids recognized as the best minor
league sports market in the country in 2019. And we are
extremely proud that the Whitecaps proved the thesis that
sports-centric infrastructure investment and economic
development works in West Michigan.
Today, both the Whitecaps and the Pit Spitters are hyper
local small- to medium-sized companies that have incredibly
symbiotic relationships with their communities. If you want a
barometer on the health of a community's small businesses, look
no further than its stadiums. Our outfield walls are filled
with sponsorship inventory and those are filled with small
businesses advertising what they do. Our hospitality areas are
filled with businesses entertaining employees and their
families. And on game days, our stadiums are full of local
employees of all ages earning competitive wages.
Our organizations employ over 1,000 seasonal staff members
between the Whitecaps and the Pit Spitters each summer, in
additional to the 65 full-time front office staff members we
have year round. In total, we estimate the local economic
impact of the Pit Spitter exceeds $10 million a year, while the
Whitecaps contribute over $40 million annual to the West
Michigan community.
While there has been a lot of success, as you all know,
running a small business is hard and our industry has felt that
pressure over the last few years. Although specific policy
issues are not on my agenda today, I do think it is worth
stating a few observations.
First, uncertainty is the enemy of nearly every small
business out there. To the extent that legislators at both the
state and federal levels can steer a steady ship, allowing
businesses like mine to have predictable inputs and consistent
regulatory environments, I can assure you that people like me
will thank you and work hard every day to create more jobs,
invest in communities, and spur economic development.
On the topic of economic development, which I am working
very hard on at the state level, I think it is also important
to recognize how truly transformational a sports team can be
for its community when done right. As opportunities arise,
please continue to consider practical and pragmatic policies
and programs that help keep Minor League Baseball teams
thriving across the country. The returns on those kinds of
initiatives are significant in so many ways.
And in closing, I want to thank the Committee for this
opportunity and for highlighting our incredible industry. As a
family business owner, I tend to take the long-term view and
seek sustainability where I can find it. That philosophy has
served us very well in an industry with such a rich history
that has proven for generations to be one of the best forms of
affordable, family-friendly entertainment out there. Who knows
if either of my sons, Crawford or Becker, will ever have an
interest in this wonderful world of Minor League Baseball, but
for the foreseeable future, my job is to ensure these
franchises remain vibrant for the next generation of Whitecaps
and Pit Spitters fans, and to ensure that we keep all the fun
Minor League Baseball can offer thriving in our communities for
decades to come. Thank you.
Chairman JACK. We will now move to the Member questions
under the 5-minute rule.
I recognize myself for 5 minutes.
Mr. Battle, thank you for testifying today. The team you
have assembled, especially my friend Henry Shepard, represents
Diamond Baseball Holdings incredibly well. With your
acquisition of the Fredericksburg Nationals this week, your
portfolio now includes 44 Minor League Baseball teams. How is
Diamond Baseball Holdings providing affordable experiences to
fans across each market?
Mr. BATTLE. Thank you, Chairman Jack, for that question.
And thank you for the comment on Henry and the team that we
have assembled at DBH. We are very proud of and they represent
our teams and the sport very well.
You know, I think that everybody has talked about, you
know, providing affordable entertainment. You know, I mentioned
in my opening remarks that the average ticket price to a Minor
League Baseball game is under $15. Minor league is probably the
only professional sport that you can attend, a family of four
can attend for under $100. And I think that that is very
important.
And when we think about our teams and the 44 clubs that we
own that, as I said, operate as independent clubs in each of
their communities, they each have the same mission, and it is
to provide fun, affordable family entertainment to its local
fans. And every community is different. Every community is
special. Every community has its own nuances. But providing
that fun, affordable family entertainment experience to the
fans is what we are all about, and that is how we win. And so I
think that as we think about that mission, fun and affordable
are the first two words that we use and think of.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Mr. Battle.
Mr. Ryan, thank you for testifying today. I am working
closely with your former colleague Derek Schiller on an issue.
Since you both won a World Series ring, I will not ask who is
the better team president. But as with Mr. Battle, I will ask,
how is Ryan-Sanders Baseball approaching affordability and
creating memorable experiences for folks across the ballparks
you operate?
Mr. RYAN. Yeah. So, you know, we are very blessed to be in
two very large cities in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, market.
Between the two, you are talking two of the top 20 population
cities in the country. So I think in that situation, for us,
there is a lane that we need to stay in, which a lot of people
are priced out by some of the other, you know, things that have
come into the market at the major league level. And so we try
to make sure that we continue to be affordable for folks when
they come in. But also we know that being a Triple-A and
Double-A, that the travel schedule is a little bit different
than A ball because we are flying people around the country and
we play a few more games. And so it is a balancing act, but we
continue to work hard at it because it is the lifeblood of this
industry.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Chamberlin,
for testifying today. The Detroit Tigers are the best team in
baseball. Many of their players today started their careers in
Comstock Park, Michigan. Tarik Skubal won Major League
Baseball's Cy Young Award last year, but in 2018, I understand
he was pitching for your West Michigan Whitecaps. How are you
approaching affordability with respect to fans in the area?
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Thank you, Chairman. As a Minor League
Baseball club, I think affordability flexibility is paramount
to what we do. As some of the other folks have mentioned, it is
very easy to lose focus on it and start chasing high-dollar
ticket prices or increasing food and beverage costs. For us, it
is keeping the North Star, which is can a family of four get in
and out of the ballpark for a very reasonable price? So as a
business, it is certainly a push and pull. You have to create
inventory and you have to do things that keep you moving
forward. I think in our business, we are a little bit unique in
that we know we cannot lose sight of that family of four and
price them out. So it is definitely something that we are aware
of and that we work very hard to maintain on a year-over-year
basis.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. My last question, Mr. Battle,
although today's hearing concentrates, of course, on the
economic impact of Minor League Baseball, could you illuminate
for this panel how the facilities at which Minor League
Baseball teams play serve their communities outside of
baseball?
Mr. BATTLE. Yeah, it is a great question and it is a, you
know, it is a goal that we have at DBH. We operate, you know,
basically run 70, roughly 70, professional baseball games a
year. But these stadiums are the centers of energy in most of
these communities. And so we are actively involved. And Ranking
Member Scholten talked about several of the things that happen
in Minor League Baseball stadiums, but with concerts, with
movie nights, with just all of the things, with weddings and
graduations and corporate outings and, you know, having the
opportunity to amplify and to highlight our stadiums 365 days a
year.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, it is the Charlotte Knights,
Triple-A White Sox. There is a 30-day winter wonderland that
takes place from December 1st through January 1st. And last
year, you know, tens of thousands of citizens in Charlotte came
into the stadium. It was lit up, there was an ice rink in
center field. That is one example of the many ways that we are
working beyond baseball to create these special memories for
the citizens and the community.
Chairman JACK. I now recognize the Ranking Member for 5
minutes of questions.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chamberlin, my
first question is for you. The Whitecaps are a privately owned
team with a three decade history in our community. And I know
that the team is planning to continue being a part of that
community for decades to come. We certainly hope so. What
lessons could other communities take from the Whitecaps'
experience that might be good practices for maintaining strong
long-term partnerships with local small businesses around them?
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Thanks for the question. I think it starts
from the top and as an owner, it is our responsibility first to
ensure that that is part of the organization and it needs to
trickle down to the staff. And everyone needs to believe in the
importance of a club being committed to being locally
integrated. For the Whitecaps and the Pit Spitters, I think
that process starts for us. We have a diverse group of minority
owners in both markets who are community members and, you know,
are so proud to be affiliated with our organization that they
help us achieve that local integration.
I think you also have to know the community that you
operate in and operate in a way that encourages collaboration.
So many of these items have been listed here today. But even
doing the kinds of events outside of baseball that allow fans
to come into our ballparks, experience them in a different way.
In 2014, we had a fire at our ballpark and half of it
burned down. The first few people to arrive at the ballpark
were season ticketholders who just wanted to be there to help
in rebuilding the ballpark. And, you know, that is one of those
moments where you know you are impacting the community.
And finally, I think the pricing structure that we have
talked about a little bit is also an important factor. In both
West Michigan and Traverse City, you look at our outfield
boards and you see everybody in the community. So we
intentionally have a way for everyone in our small business
community to play in our ballparks and that helps us achieve
that local integration.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you. Sticking with you briefly, minor
league team affiliations with their major league partners help
pay for players and coaches, but the teams still need to cover
costs, including costs for the fields, equipment, uniforms,
travel. You started getting to know the business side of the
Whitecaps as a college student and have seen that business grow
and diversify. I am wondering if you can share any strategies
or tips for ensuring minor league teams are profitable and
sustainable as a business.
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Oh, thank you for the question. We have
some great owners and operators up here, so I won't preach to
the choir. I think every market is a little bit different, but
at the end of the day, one of the things that I love most about
Minor League Baseball is that our business model is relatively
straightforward. We create value by creating a brand that our
fans love interacting with. And the more engaging we can be,
the better. We also create value by inviting fans into our
ballparks to enjoy baseball games. And the more fans we can
invite in, the better.
On both of those fronts I think the number one thing that
has been a positive factor for us as a business over the years
has been having great people doing great work. So just like a
lot of businesses out there, our success is based on the
success of our staff. And the Whitecaps have been incredibly
lucky over the course of 30 years to have one of the best
staffs in Minor League Baseball helping us be a fantastic
franchise.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you. And that was a great lead-in
because my follow-up is to open the question up to the rest of
the panel and share some of your insights and particularly how
we, as a Small Business Committee and legislators more
generally can both help in that extent even. And most often it
is oftentimes staying out of the way. So what can we do as
legislators to help support?
Mr. BATTLE. I would simply say what you are doing today is
extremely important. Shining the spotlight on Minor League
Baseball and everything that you, Chairman Jack, Chairman
Williams, have talked about, Reid, Joe, Lou have talked about.
It is what makes the sport great, the impact that it has on
communities.
And I think that the opportunity--I mean, we are--we like
to partner with the local municipality, with local businesses
to create that great experience for the fans that we have
talked about. And when communities win, we all win. And that is
really what we are about. And so I am very thankful to you and
Chairman Jack and Chairman Williams for shining the spotlight,
because I think that educating businesses and municipalities
about the important impact that Minor League Baseball is having
and will continue to have is extremely important. So thank you.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Ms. Scholten.
I now recognize Chairman Williams from the great state of
Texas for 5 minutes.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And again, I am
very excited that Representative Jack and Scholten are holding
this Subcommittee hearing. And as a former player and owner, I
have a passion at hand and a lot of people know that about
baseball. The opportunities that professional sports provide
for small local business growth are vital for the communities
throughout the country.
So, Mr. Battle, your organization owns 40 minor league
teams across the country. So could you please explain how your
work with these 40 teams to develop and revitalize each one of
those communities?
Mr. BATTLE. It is a great question, Chairman Williams.
Thank you for that. And, you know, ultimately we see our role
as one of support. We do own 44 teams. As I said earlier, they
operate as independent. You know, we own teams from Portland,
Maine, to Pasco, Washington, down to Rancho Cucamonga,
California, all the way across to Spartanburg, South Carolina,
and those four cities that I mentioned, you can imagine how
different and unique that they are. And our role, we see it as
providing to our teams on the ground, to the 25 to 35 employees
that we have on the ground, the that live there every day, how
can we provide them with the resources that they need to
accomplish the mission, which is to provide that fun,
affordable, family entertainment experience to their fans?
And so we work very closely with our teams to amplify best
practices across the portfolio to provide advanced
technologies, including common point of sale systems and food
and beverage, and our merchandising that allow customers to go
through lines quicker and to make it easier. So those are
examples of the things that we can provide to our teams to help
make them more successful in achieving their mission.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. I think one of the most
important aspects of Minor League Baseball is it makes our
nation's pastime available to more people and communities
outside of the few cities that host major league teams. So, Mr.
Ryan, you were the CEO and founder of both the Corpus Christi
Hooks and the Round Rock Express minor league franchise, which
you talked about. Both teams brought baseball to communities
that lacked easy access to sports. So how have these
communities changed now that a minor league team has been
established in them and is part of the community?
Mr. RYAN. Yeah, you know, I think people don't realize what
they are missing until they get a team in their community. And
it is really about quality of life. And I think, you know, as
Pat was saying, every market is very different. And so in
Corpus Christi, they had never been able to sort of get
something that could bring the community together. And
unfortunately, in a divided, you know, society today, in a lot
of ways, there are few things that do bring everyone together.
Sports teams do that. Teams win a championship and everybody is
high fiving and hugging each other on the street. And that is
really what we saw in Corpus Christi is, first and foremost, it
brought the community together in a way that had never been
done before.
And then it was fun to see the development around the
stadium. The city really jumped on the ballpark and created a
SEA District, which was sports, entertainment, and arts. And
they have now clustered all of their amenities into one area of
town and really created a unique destination. The city was
known for being sort of a regional summertime vacation place,
but they lacked anything really to do at night. People would go
to the beach or go to the aquarium, the USS Lexington, but then
at night, they didn't really have anything to do. And now you
are seeing that with a concert venue and the stadium and some
other stuff.
In Round Rock, which is 15 miles from downtown Austin, it
was a bedroom community, you know, very much like here in D.C.,
that a lot of people have to live outside of the city. And so
people were wanting amenities for kids and families in their
community because folks would go downtown, go to work, they
would fight traffic back home. And then if they wanted to go
back to, you know, a game at UT or something, they were
fighting traffic again, and they were spending hours in the
car. And so for the city of Round Rock, this was a way to
anchor people to their community, to have a quality of life
aspect that they had missed. And what came out of that was, you
know, a big growth with the water park and with concert venues
and with their own Old Settlers Park. So it has been fun to
watch.
Chairman WILLIAMS. You have done a great job. And in my
last time I have got here, in addition to the community
renovation that often occurs around minor league stadiums,
minor league teams also strive to build meaningful
relationships with local small businesses like yours, Mr.
Ciampi. So, real quick, if you have been successfully with the
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders for now over a decade, how is
working with RailRiders growing your business? And also you
talked about printing 5,000--you never told us who that was.
Was that Jim Sundberg that you----
Mr. CIAMPI. The photo was just a photo of the ballpark, so,
no, it wasn't Mr. Sundberg. Being a part of the RailRiders, and
it is a family, it has become such a large part of our brand.
We are celebrating our 45th anniversary, and I had one of our
layout people do a little brochure. And almost kind of to my
surprise, one full page is dedicated to stuff that happened up
at PNC Field. So it just brings nothing but good vibes for the
champions.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Thank you. My time is up. I yield back.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Chairman Williams.
I now recognize Mr. Olszewski from Maryland for 5 minutes.
Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Thank you very much, Chairman Jack and to
Ranking Member Scholten, for convening this. I want to thank
all of our witnesses as well for being here today.
Been in training myself for my first Congressional Baseball
Game. I have my friend and colleague Representative McGarvey to
thank for that. He is a recruiter in addition to being one heck
of a catcher and team player on the Democrat side. So looking
forward to being part of the tradition here on Capitol Hill and
excited to be part of this conversation on Minor League
Baseball.
Mr. Chairman, Chairman Williams, I wish you luck tomorrow.
I am really hoping that you are going to need it though, so.
Oh, I think my bat is going to be a little bigger than that, my
friend.
So we are proud in Maryland, which I am lucky enough to
represent, represent to have three Minor League Baseball teams.
We have the Chesapeake Baysox, we have the Aberdeen IronBirds,
and we have the Delmarva Shorebirds, all of which are
affiliates of my hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles. We are
excited about the ways in which our teams generate tourism
revenue and boost our local economy outside of Camden Yards and
at a better, more convenient price point for a lot of our
families as well. This partnership supports Maryland and the
Mid-Atlantic region as one of the most economically vibrant and
budget-friendly regions in the U.S.
We know that you all are not strangers to America's
pastime, nor the opportunity that is created when we make
baseball more accessible for all to enjoy. The teams that you
help manage and help develop provide a large cultural and
economic benefit to the communities they call home. So I want
to thank you again for your work in this space and for
supporting small businesses. I will see many of you in the
field tomorrow. Go Dems. Go O's.
I do have two quick questions and I don't want to be
redundant, so just building on some of the points earlier. Mr.
Ryan, you mentioned SEA Districts in regards to community
revitalization and infrastructure, building around the stadium.
There was also some conversation about how these are meeting
grounds of bringing the community together, particularly in
these divided times. Just wanted to give any of you the
opportunity to speak a little bit more about what actions you
take to specifically help cultivate maybe specific programs or
outreach efforts to build that sense of community in your
spaces. And then also if there are any other like-minded
development or infrastructure projects like the SEA District
that you mentioned, I would love to hear about that.
Mr. RYAN. Yeah, well, I will take that one to start. You
know, as I said in my opening statement, you know, we look at
our role in the community as the community betting on us and
our expertise to come in and, you know, be the people that are
entrusted in this great game of baseball. We all own teams, but
really we don't own anything. You can't own the game of
baseball. You are just entrusted with it for a time period. And
one of the things we try to do is make sure that everyone in
the community gets to use the stadium.
So in Corpus Christi we played a lot of high school
baseball games there. In fact, we drew 21,000 fans to see two
teams from each side of the town. Who is going to go to the
state championship? We had a local business, Myra Sports, who
played a high school tournament every year. You know, in Round
Rock, Texas, we have the state high school championships there.
But we have also worked with the Austin Rodeo to do bulls in
the ballpark where we do bull riding.
And so I think it is making the facility available to
everyone in the community helps because everyone supported the
community, especially in our state where we are a property tax
heavy state. And so having a municipal partner makes the
affordability aspect like a must. If you don't have a partner,
if you did what Joe did, it would be really hard to keep prices
affordable. And so we owe it to the constituents that we have
to make sure that the venue is available for them for all kinds
of things.
Mr. CIAMPI. One of the things that the RailRiders do on
Sunday mornings before the game, they will host challengers
baseball in right field, like special needs children. And I
used to bring up my little league team to volunteer and to be
umpires and run the bases with the kids. And for me, the whole
time we have been there, I think that was about the most
special community thing I have seen and it is a testament to
the kind of outfit they are running up there in Scranton.
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Yeah. I will reiterate something that Reid
said and that is just it truly is a mantra of our organization
to make sure that our stadium and our ballpark is a place where
everyone in the West Michigan community feels comfortable
coming. That is not always the case in society today. And I
think it is a common theme of all the 120 clubs that that is
something at the front of how they operate things and really
important in our communities.
Mr. OLSZEWSKI. I appreciate that all very much and thanks
again to our Chair and Ranking Member for this great
conversation. Thanks again for your great work and I yield
back.
Chairman JACK. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Bresnahan
from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 5 minutes.
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman,
and to the Ranking Member and to our witnesses. It means a lot
that you were able to sacrifice a day in the middle of June
with warming temperatures and all of the scuttlebutt relating
to baseball. So thank you all for being here.
And I am especially grateful for Lou Ciampi to come out
here. Not only is Lou a constituent, we have similar
backgrounds. We both come from multigenerational family
businesses.
And going back to the RailRiders, some of the most
meaningful moments that I ever spent with my grandfather was
going to a baseball game or catching a doubleheader. And it
really was very instrumental into my upbringing and determining
who I am today. So I appreciate the investment that you make
into small communities like ours. Not every different media
market has the opportunity to attract a Major League Baseball
team, specifically in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We really are
proud of our Triple-A baseball teams and it is something that
really binds us together, even if we went from a Phillies
organization to a New York Yankees organization over the
duration of time.
But I guess my first question, Lou, you recently mentioned
that you are celebrating your 45th anniversary at PNC Park. Can
you speak more about the partnership with the team and what it
means to Independent Graphics?
Mr. CIAMPI. So, you know, I don't want to be redundant, but
as I said before, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are very
much a part of the Independent Graphics brand. To be able to go
out on a sales call and say, we are a proud partner of the New
York Yankees, like them or not like them, Triple-A team, it is
certainly a conversation starter.
Some of the unbelievable memories, one in particular, the
day that we met Reggie Jackson. Now, I have heard that some
days are not so great to meet Mr. Jackson, but on this
particular day, we caught him on a good day. And the vision of
Reggie and my old man shaking hands like they were two old Army
buddies, that is never going to leave me. That is never going
to leave me. Where does a company started 45 years ago by one
man get the chance to go up to the ballpark and meet all of our
baseball heroes?
So, I mean, that is coming straight from the heart. That is
one of the biggest things for me about the ballpark. They are
part of our family.
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Thank you. Mr. Battle, I would like to kind
of invert the question and ask why, I mean, I think I know the
answer, but I don't want to speculate, but why is it so
important, important for organizations like Independent
Graphics to partner with organizations like yours?
Mr. BATTLE. Well, you know, as we have talked about, we
are, you know, we are operating, you know, not in the 30 major
markets. And this is small and middle town America and there
are thousands of small businesses that we work with. And Minor
League Baseball wouldn't work without the partnership with
small businesses like Lou's and what they are doing for the
community. And it really is a partnership to create that win-
win situation. And we take a lot of pride in every community in
working with companies like Lou.
And as Lou said, he is not just an advertiser, but he is a
vendor in the ballpark. And we find that over and over and over
again. And it is just part of the lifeblood of Minor League
Baseball and it is the only way that it can work. And it, you
know, it allows these businesses to connect with the community
in a way that would probably otherwise be impossible. And so I
think that it, you know, it is very important, and we are very
excited to be part of it.
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Well, perhaps you don't hear this enough,
but thank you for investing into Northeastern Pennsylvania and
taking a chance on our community. And we are very excited to
have you interwoven into the fabric of who we are.
My last question, Lou. We have seen devastating flooding in
2011, which ultimately, like you just said before, put six feet
of water on the first floor of your building. What does it mean
to have the continuity and the promise of the relationship with
the RailRiders, so you were able to bounce back from that
devastating experience?
Mr. CIAMPI. So it was a great coincidence, we got flooded
at the end of the season in '11. And during 2012, the ballpark
was renovated, so no home games. So we were in no great shape
to be producing program books in 2013. And it was kind of a
tough time for us, and, you know, it was a little tenuous with
the ballpark and our business model and everything. And then
that Fourth of July, Derek Jeter came down for a rehab visit.
And we print those program books, and Derek Jeter's on the
cover, I wanted to run out onto the field and slide into home
plate.
So I don't know, Rob, if that answers your question.
Mr. BRESNAHAN. Absolutely. With that, I yield my time.
Mr. CIAMPI. Thank you so much.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Mr. Bresnahan.
I now recognize Mr. McGarvey from the Commonwealth of
Kentucky for 5 minutes.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Ciampi, you have
got me fired up. I am ready to go out there myself right now. I
love it.
What is baseball? And look, I am from Louisville, Kentucky,
and Louisville is a baseball town. Whether it is the stars of
today, like Will Smith, the catcher for the Dodgers, won the
World Series last year. Whether it is the stars of our game,
Peter Reese, his hometown is Louisville, Kentucky. And we all
know what he did on the field, in particular with his play, but
it is what he did with his leadership, the moment when he went
up to Jackie Robinson and didn't just tell Jackie Robinson it
was okay, but told the whole country it was okay.
I got to know Pee Wee a little bit when I was a pool guard
for a summer in high school. And he was doing exercises in the
pool and he would come out and talk to me about all things. He
wanted to know what I was doing in school, I wanted to know
what spring training was like in Dodger Town. And he gave me
that picture of him with his arm around Jackie Robinson in the
locker room and he signed it to me. I keep it in my office to
this day because it says it is always the right time to do the
right thing. And baseball can teach us those types of lessons.
Of course, we have more than stars. Baseball is key to
Louisville and our identity. One of the most iconic things
about baseball is the Louisville Slugger. And Mr. Chairman, I
brought these Louisville Slugger bats here today for everybody,
not to show what the Democrats will use in this game, but what
I hope the Republicans will use in this game. You guys could
score a few dozen fewer runs and the game would still be
competitive. So we are hoping there is the torpedo bat. Maybe
you will use this one for bat speed.
But baseball is important to who we are. But we haven't had
a major league team in Louisville since 1891. We have filled
that gap with Minor League Baseball. And what a wonderful thing
Minor League Baseball is. When I was a kid going to Redbirds
games at the old Cardinals' stadium, when we could load up the
family station wagon with our three kids and whatever neighbors
jumped in and not break the bank and go out there, see who
could throw the fastest pitch in the little thing outside the
alleyway. Go watch the games. Maybe you got something lucky in
a Cracker Jack box. Of course, not only did you get to
experience baseball, but you get to see the guys who would go
up and play in the Show and see them in those close confines.
It is where so many of us not just got to experience baseball,
it is where we saw our first concerts. It is where we went with
our families. It has those great memories.
And now the Minor League Baseball in Louisville is
continuing. And I will tell you that when we moved from
Cardinal Stadium to the Bats new stadium in a blighted part of
Louisville, it reignited that area of downtown Louisville in a
way that people didn't think was possible. It was an act of
faith to go to this area and build a top-notch baseball
facility. But it sort of proved the baseball adage true: if you
build it, they will come. So, and fans did come. And better
yet, they are still coming.
Mr. Battle, I know you are here with us from the Louisville
Bats. The Bats are already an anchor for our downtown and our
local economy, and I know you are working with the city and
state to grow that footprint even more. How will DBH's planned
investment in Louisville help grow our local economy and
benefit small businesses in the city?
Mr. BATTLE. Thank you for that question. And you are a
baseball town. Congratulations also on the College World
Series, apparently.
Mr. MCGARVEY. That is right.
Mr. BATTLE. Louisville Cardinals.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Louisville Cardinals going to the College
World Series. And Murray State down in Western Kentucky going.
Mr. BATTLE. Very impressive. Yes, thank you for the
question. And you know, when we announced the acquisition of
the Louisville Bats, probably 18 months ago, Mayor Greenberg
pulled us aside at the press conference. In fact, he pulled
Henry Shepard, who Chairman Jack mentioned earlier, aside and
said, we have been waiting on DBH to acquire the team. The city
owns eight acres of land adjacent to the stadium, and we would
like to sit down as quickly as possible and figure out how we
can partner to help to continue to revitalize that part of
Louisville. And so we have done that.
We have partnered very closely with the Louisville metro
government. As you know, Congressman McGarvey, you know, we
have talked about a $250 million investment in building
condominium, hotel, entertainment district, all of the things
that we think will continue to energize that part of
Louisville. And we couldn't be more excited to do that. And,
you know, Reid has done it, he said four times, and now is
working in San Antonio. And those kinds of projects are really
important. The stadium and the team is one thing, but how you
can continue to invest in the community in order to have that
kind of impact on the citizens is extremely important.
And it takes public-private partnership. And I can think of
no better partnership than we have had since I have been with
DBH than we have had with the city of Louisville.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Thank you. We love going to those games. I
love taking my own kids.
Very quickly in the time I have got left, one thing that
makes me worry is what happens when baseball goes away. And a
few years ago, contraction significantly reduced the number of
affiliated minor league teams down all the way to 120.
Mr. Chamberlin, do you see any good reason for MLB to
further contract when the PDLs expire?
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Well, I don't think I will necessarily have
the answer on that one. I think it was a tough time for our
industry when we experienced that contraction from 160 down to
120. And, you know, one of the hardest parts of it was seeing a
few affiliated baseball leave 40 markets. There were certainly
some reasons for who stayed and who didn't go. The way I would
answer your question, even in those markets that lost baseball,
what you see is that baseball is coming back in some way,
shape, or form. And I think that is a testament to what this
sport can do. It will find a way, and that is a great thing for
communities just to keep it in some way, shape, or form.
Mr. MCGARVEY. Mr. Chairman, my time has expired. Thank you.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Mr. McGarvey.
I now recognize Mr. Wied from the great state of Wisconsin
for 5 minutes.
Mr. WIED. Thank you, Chairman Jack, and to all of the
witnesses for testifying before us today.
When many of us think of baseball, we think of playing at
the local sandlot as kids or of our favorite major league
player. However, for tens of millions of Americans, Minor
League Baseball is the most accessible way to watch
professional baseball. Families can watch professional athletes
play America's pastime at a more affordable price in their
local community without having to drive several hours to a
major city.
My district, I am honored to represent Wisconsin's Eighth
Congressional District, is home to the Wisconsin Timber
Rattlers. During the Minor League Baseball season, thousands of
fans gather to watch the Timber Rattlers play at their home
stadium in Appleton. This creates an environment for small
businesses to thrive, whether a local restaurant or landscaping
company, a facility maintenance company, or even the team
itself, minor league teams across our nation foster hundreds of
millions of dollars of investment for their local economy.
So, Mr. Battle, earlier this year, your company, Diamond
Sports Holding, purchased the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from my
good friend Craig Dickman. Thank you very much for investing
and believing in Northeast Wisconsin. What does your company
take into consideration when making decisions to add another
team to its portfolio?
Mr. BATTLE. Yeah, great, great question. Thank you for
that. And we are very excited to be in Appleton and to now be
the proud owner of the Timber Rattlers. I was recently there. I
am sorry that I missed you, but I was there 2 weeks ago and sat
with Craig Dickman and we talked about, you know, through the
game, all the way through the fireworks show at the end of the
game, just what a great job that they did a the previous
owners, the investment that they made in the stadium, the
investment that they made in the locker room that have made,
you know, this.
So when we look at a team, we are looking at the community,
we are looking at the team that runs--we are looking at the
team on the ground, the general manager and the staff. We are
looking at the support of the fans in the community and the
opportunity to grow. So we look at all of the factors. But, you
know, we are--I mean, when we started this 4 years ago, I never
thought that we would own 44 baseball teams. It has just
happened a lot faster than we ever imagined that it could.
And you know, I would also say that, you know, with, with
Reid and Joe, we are all in this together. You know, Reid owns
his team, Joe owns his teams, we own our teams, but we
celebrate each other. And Minor League Baseball is about, you
know, how do we work together, how do we share best practices?
If Reid or Joe are doing something that work, you can bet that
the next game we are going to copy it and we are going to be
looking at that as well. And so we look at every community, but
we also work together across all of the ownership groups to
make sure that we can take and learn and apply best practices.
Mr. WIED. One of the other things that everyone notices is,
you know, the community partnerships that you all do,
developing that and helping out in the community is so
invaluable for our town for sure. What efforts has your company
undertaken to support, you know, its minor league team, I mean,
of the Appleton area and the development with the community?
Mr. BATTLE. Well, we have only owned the Timber Rattlers
for about a month, so, you know, more to come on that. But, you
know, as we think about investing in the communities, whether
it is through advanced technology--you know, one of the things
that we are trying to do is to provide a major league
experience to minor league fans. And as you think about, you
know, when you go to a big league ballpark and the grab-and-go
and all of the technology that exists, if we can invest in that
infrastructure and provide that to our teams, to our stadiums,
and to our fans, it only enhances the experience. And so that
those are the kinds of--in addition to the investment in
infrastructure and real estate and stadium improvements that we
make, but how can we invest in technology and other things that
only enhance the experience of the fans?
Mr. WIED. Thank you. Mr. Ciampi, it is great to see
businesses being, you know, a part of the Minor League Baseball
and, obviously, I love your passion. I was ready to go play
some baseball after listening to you there. But how does having
a minor league team in your hometown, how does that impact your
business in the community at large from your perspective?
Mr. CIAMPI. Another good example of the way that the
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders impacts the business is that
they do a lot of things for the youth groups. So the Little
Leaguers will come up and they will go position by position,
and when the RailRiders get announced, they run onto the field
with the players to their position. What could be better than
that? And like I alluded to before, bringing the kids up there
to volunteer, to help the community a little bit, the people a
little less fortunate than them. That is what I love about
Minor League Baseball.
Mr. WIED. Very good. Again, thank you all. And I yield
back.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Mr. Wied.
I now recognize Mrs. McIver from New Jersey for 5 minutes.
Mrs. MCIVER. Thank you so much, Chairman and Ranking
Member, for convening this hearing. And thank you to our
witnesses for being here today.
Minor League Baseball teams play a critical role in
connecting communities, supporting local businesses, and
preserving the cultural fabric of cities across America. Minor
league teams such as New Jersey's own Sussex County Miners,
Somerset Patriots, and the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, just to name
a few, have played just as important a role in families
developing lifelong memories at their games as their major
league counterparts. It is essential that federal policies
create an environment where these teams and the small
businesses that rely on them can thrive. These teams and the
bustling small businesses that grow around them represent jobs
and community pride. They deserve our support and partnership.
With that being said, I have one question to the entire
panel. We have seen that smaller, independent, and affiliated
minor league teams often struggle with access to capital,
particularly when compared to their major league counterparts.
What traditional financing strategies do minor league teams
currently use for funding, and how can these funding streams be
improved?
Mr. RYAN. I will jump on that. So we have always had a
portion of private money that has been part of our municipal
deal with the local municipality and our portion of the
capital. And we have always used a local bank, just community
banks. And we have carried bank debt, you know, as any other
business would on our teams. And so I think, as everyone here
has said, you know, whether it is Value Bank in Corpus Christi
or our bank in Round Rock, we always try to find a local
banking partner to be affiliated with and to actually keep the
money in the community.
Mrs. MCIVER. Thank you so much for that.
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Yeah, I would agree with that. In West
Michigan, our naming rights partner is Lake Michigan Credit
Union, and they also happen to be our lending partner. We are a
little bit unique in that we own the team in addition to owning
the ballpark and the real estate. So in a way, we own our own
house and have always been able to leverage that house to help
get projects done.
We are at a unique place right now where we are 30-some
years in and working on an infrastructure project that could be
upwards of $65 million when all is said and done. So I am
working on very pragmatic and practical economic development
solutions at the state level to help privately owned venues get
those sorts of projects done, especially if they spur value-
added economic development. So I think it is a really important
topic, and thank you for the question.
Mrs. MCIVER. Thank you. Thank you so much for that. Anybody
else care to chime in?
Well, I just want to thank each of you for being here. And
I will say this has been one of, in my time in Congress, one of
the most joyful Committee hearings that I have been in since I
have been here. So thank you all so much for coming here and
being with us today.
With that, I yield.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Ms. McIver.
I now recognize Mr. Patronis from the great state of
Florida for 5 minutes.
Mr. PATRONIS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And, you know, Mr.
Chairman, thank you very much for doing this. Thank you to the
Clingstones for breaking the Wahoos' 11-game losing streak, 9
to 2. A little bit of bragging rights for the Wahoos.
But, you know, this isn't about me. This is about this guy
sitting on the front row, my son Theo. I was a horrible athlete
in school. I never understood what coordination was. But now my
life is controlled by his baseball and where we go and what we
do in our schedule. And he is eat up with it. And however you
are communicating to this generation, you know, he is
definitely--he is an excited part and consumer of the sport,
the products, the support, the fanfare. And it keeps him out of
trouble. It keeps him out of trouble.
So I really appreciate, you know, Coach, you giving the
flexibility to the Ranking Member--I mean, the Chairman, in
order--the Sub-Chairman to be able to pull this off and to be
able to let us have this opportunity to kind of just talk about
something that is not as really much of a partisan issue, but
it is a great way to put aside our differences and talk about
what I think is the exciting part is the economic development.
So I am a hospitality guy at heart.
And, you know, and then you get those fights. It is kind of
like an open question. We get those fights in our community.
Years ago, we tried to recruit the Sand Gnats to my hometown.
And so then you get the finger-pointing because there was bad
tax dollars and all these different ways, you have the way to
bring in resources to bring this in for a landing. And so now I
am in Congress. The Wahoos is part of my district over in
Pensacola, and I am excited. But, you know, again, being able
to take that opportunity of that investment, that commitment to
be in Pensacola, other suggestions how we take it to the next
level in order to encourage more economic opportunity, we try
to be versatile with the facility to do other things with it.
But, you know, I got a bunch of experts sitting in the room. I
would love to hear what else I should be, you know, advocating
for in this position to help my support at home. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Mr. RYAN. Well, I will jump in there because our company,
one of the things I didn't mention is we also do strategic
hospitality for several teams around the country, including
Beloit and Pensacola with Quint Studer. And so I will be in
Pensacola in a couple of weeks. And we have done--as you know,
Quint is very involved. He is the owner of the Wahoos along
with Bubba Watson, and they are very involved local
communities. So we cater a lot of events out of that stadium.
And then we had the football team playing there until they got
their new stadium. But he does a lot of stuff with, you know,
concerts in the facility. In fact, he put artificial turf in
because he was running so many community events on the field.
And so our staff there works 365 for Quint and the local
ownership group to service the community.
Mr. CIAMPI. So I will jump in with a story. Surprise. My
wife never wants to go to a game. I am not sure if she doesn't
like baseball or she doesn't want to go with me. So one night a
bunch of years ago, you know, we are in Scranton, and they had
the office party up at PNC Field. And, you know, I had access
to the suite, but I figured my wife wouldn't want to go. Well,
let me tell you, she wanted to go, and I was in big trouble
when she found out that night. So you could arrange some
events, like an office party, up at your field, the wives are
going to want to go, so.
Mr. RYAN. Sounds good.
Mr. PATRONIS. Well, Mr. Chairman, thank you for indulging
us, to allow us to have this open dialogue. Again, just I think
you are all sensitive to it, but there's young guys like--well,
stand up, Theo, let everybody see you. He was texting me,
wanting to know if he could get pictures of the mascots. I told
him of course he could. So, anyway, I'm just going to let the
mascots know he is going to get some selfies before he takes
off. Anyway, it is just really cool. Thank you all for doing
this.
Chairman JACK. Thank you, Mr. Patronis. I now recognize my
colleague, Ms. Simon from California, for 5 minutes.
Ms. SIMON. We have smiled more in this hearing than I have
seen smiles in the last 5 months that I have been in Congress.
Thank you all so much for being here.
And if you would have told me 2 years ago that I would be
in the Small Business Committee in Congress or talking about
baseball with a big old smile, I would not have believed you.
But, but, I am from the city of Oakland, and you know who I am
going to talk about. I am going to talk about the Oakland
Ballers. I am sure you are familiar, and if you are not, I
actually want to tell you a little bit about the origin story.
Three guys I met less than 2 years ago, one from tech, one
from show business, the other guy is just a smart business
nerd, they used their own money. They did town and gown. They
called folks in government, community organizers, folks from
culture. And they said, we have this idea that we want to bring
Minor League Baseball to West Oakland, which is a Black
community that has been under-resourced. And now we have an
exhilarating community that is just--it is so incredible. The
Oakland Ballers is more than a sports team. They have literally
become a catalyst. They are community builders, much like you
all. And it is so exciting to actually talk about something
that we can all say yes to, America and baseball and apple pie
and literally some good politics.
In their first season, the Ballers brought nearly 100,000
fans to Raimondi Park, a baseball field that was literally in
disrepair. No one could practice or even go on the field. They
spent literally tens of thousands of dollars in the first 6
months, engaging community and figuring out a way forward. Like
many of you have done, going to city council meetings and
talking to planning commissions and, again, figuring what is in
your savings and drawing down from your 401(k)'s. Baller
founders, we see you.
The park is now used for Little League championships, high
school tournaments, and movie nights, which none of us could
have thought possible. This kind of community investment
breathes new life into neighborhoods. It has created
opportunities for local small businesses and has built
something that my city so desperately has needed: community
pride.
The team is now community-driven and fan-owned, like we
have talked about today. They have raised $3 million from over
4,000 fan investors, including Billy Joe Armstrong of Green
Day, Go Green Day, and hip-hop and Oakland native superstar Too
Short. You wouldn't have thought about that, right? This
community-driven model, its ownership model, continues to
challenge the notion that communities can't come together
particularly to support minor baseball. In Oakland, we have. We
are giving fans an opportunity to have real voice in community
entrepreneurship, but also just a good old time.
I know very little about baseball, but I love to dance with
the mascots, eat hot dogs. Minor League Baseball games, if you
haven't been, it is some of the best times that you will ever
have. Right? Exactly. Good music, good people. And again,
folks, regardless if you are red or blue, we come and we want
our teams to win. And it is just an amazing experience.
Oakland's past is rich with championship teams, as you all
know, but in recent years we have seen professional teams move
away from our community. The Ballers, those three guys, 4,000
sub-owners, came in together to preserve baseball and provide a
safe and affordable and fun gathering space for residents.
I can talk on and on about the Ballers because you can tell
that I am so blessed that we have again the entrepreneurship
spirit here that we are seeing on this panel in our community.
But I have learned a lot, you know, watching the Ballers work,
watching them work with communities.
And Mr. Chamberlin, I have just a quick question for you.
You talked about, again, the innovation opportunities in
communities when Minor League Baseball comes into town, to
community. What are some of the lessons that folks can take
away from this community-centered model of Minor League
Baseball and how they can better support small businesses? We
talked a little bit about this today, but a couple of lessons
that, that we can take on.
Mr. CHAMBERLIN. Yeah, I would--thank you for the question.
And I don't know a lot about the Ballers, but I have read a
little bit and it is an incredibly cool story and it is a great
example of organic baseball finding a way to survive in a
market that is truly an incredible baseball market. For us,
being a very community-centric team, I think it starts with
truly just being a place where everyone wants to be. We don't
view LMCU Ballpark as our ballpark. We view it as the
community's ballpark.
And, again, I don't want to go back to the same story I
already told, but, you know, when you have a tragedy like the
fire that we had in 2014 and literally have season
ticketholders coming to donate to the rebuild, you know that
you have struck a chord in the community. And if I would offer
any advice to your district and to Oakland, it would be, hey,
they have struck fire and let's help them be successful because
they have proven that they have got something that can work and
with some community support it is going to be an incredible
thing.
Ms. SIMON. Thank you. My time is up and I yield back. Thank
you all for being here today.
Chairman JACK. Well, thank you, Ms. Simon. And I appreciate
you mentioning the Ballers. They play in the Pioneer League,
which features quite a few teams from the great state of
Montana.
So I now recognize Mr. Downing from the great state of
Montana for 5 minutes.
Mr. DOWNING. Thank you, Chairman Jack, and thank you to the
witnesses being here today. I just want to say I am looking
forward tomorrow to participating in this nation's great
pastime as we see the congressional baseball team once again
dominate on the Republican side with the leadership of Skip--I
mean, Chairman Williams here. So looking forward to that.
And just one thing I want to, you know, suggest to the
witnesses, if you have any scouts, pay close attention. If you
are looking for a new shortstop, give me a call.
So back in my home district of Central and Eastern Montana,
we have no local Major League Baseball sports teams. For
context, the nearest Major League Baseball stadium, the
Colorado Rockies' Coors Field is 550 miles away from Billings.
Minor League Baseball is our only opportunity to take our
families out to the ballpark to watch a professional baseball
team.
I am going to start with Mr. Battle. Your company, Diamond
Baseball Holdings, operates over 40 teams across the country,
including in small cities in middle America, like Des Moines,
Omaha, Wichita. Can you speak to the important role that Minor
League Baseball plays in bringing professional sports league
locations in middle America that are overlooked by major sports
leagues?.
Mr. BATTLE. No, it is a great question. And I think that
that is, you know, one of the, you know, the real benefit to
Minor League Baseball is to bring life to those communities. We
talked about the centers of energy that those stadiums
represent. And I can't remember if Reid or Joe talked about it,
you know, we represent affiliated Minor League Baseball teams,
and there are 120 of those. But there are so many different
leagues, like the Ballers that we just talked about, so many
different leagues and so any minor league professional teams
that are playing in communities around the country and they are
equally important in terms of the impact that they have on
their communities and bringing the communities together.
Mr. DOWNING. Well, can you speak to that? How do minor
league teams that you operate engage with local schools, with
youth baseball teams to promote the sport?
Mr. BATTLE. Yeah. Again, great question. And you know I
can't say that this is across the board, but, you know, if you
go to a typical Minor League Baseball game there is probably a
youth group from a local church or a local school that is
singing the National Anthem. There are, you know, every night
teachers are honored, veterans are honored, and the opportunity
to bring the stadium to the community and the community to the
stadium is extremely important. And, you know, I think that in
many cases they are one and the same and they really do work
together. And that is how, you know, our teams are trying to
promote that in each local market.
Mr. DOWNING. And so how do you not just entrench each team
in their local communities, but build out the relationships
with, you know, local businesses, with fans? How are you doing
now?
Mr. BATTLE. Yeah. We have, you know, great staffs on the
ground that I have talked about. In many cases, I mentioned the
example earlier in, you know, one of our communities that up to
31 full-time employees, 26 started as interns, and there is
just a passion. You know, one of the things that I have always
loved, even in the time that I spent in the college space, I
have always loved the passion of the employees in Minor League
Baseball. It is just different. You know, it is not easy.
You know, if you are in the pro leagues, there are a lot of
inbound calls. In the minor leagues, you have to go out into
the community. You are going into the local businesses, into
the schools, into the churches, and you are engaging with the
local citizens, and that is what it is all about. And so in all
of our teams we have a general manager, we have a ticket
seller, we have sponsorship sellers, we have people that
operate the park.
One of the other things about Minor League Baseball
employees that is so amazing is they, in many cases, wear four
or five hats. They could be selling tickets during the day and
pulling tarp at night when it rains or behind the concession
stand. And there is just an esprit de corps at Minor League
Baseball that is very special.
Mr. DOWNING. Before I run out of time I have got to change
hats too. So here you go. So Montana is home and I have got a
little swag here, the Billings Mustangs. Montana is home to
five Minor League Baseball teams, including the Billings
Mustangs in my home district. The Mustangs provide affordable
family-friendly entertainment throughout the summer, attracting
over 105,000 fans annually to Dehler Park.
So Mr. Battle or Mr. Ryan, in your respective roles you
have experienced running minor league teams in small or medium
markets. What have you found works best in keeping fans engaged
and bringing them back to the ballpark throughout the season? I
will start with Mr. Ryan.
Mr. RYAN. Yeah. I think the promotions that we talked about
earlier is always fun to have those things. But also, it is
knowing the history of the club. I think, you know, some of the
people in Billings, they were Reds-affiliated forever, had had
so many of those guys go to the major league, ,start their pro
career in Billings. And people build deep relationships with
those players and they keep them for a lifetime. And so I think
just the game itself is and will always be the draw because it
brings people together.
Mr. DOWNING. Outstanding. Unfortunately, I have run out of
time, so we will get back to you. And Mr. Chairman, I yield.
Chairman JACK. Thank you very much.
And I now recognize my good friend, Mr. Addison McDowell
from North Carolina for 5 minutes.
Mr. MCDOWELL. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you,
also, to the witnesses for being here today.
I want to talk a little bit about what Minor League
Baseball meant to me. As someone that grew up right around the
Winston-Salem Warthogs, which has since become the Winston-
Salem Dash that is owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings. And some
of my most favorite memories with my dad are going to watch the
Warthogs as a kid. And I have passed the Winston-Salem Dash
stadium every day after church. And my two year old, I ask her
every Sunday, would you like to go see a baseball game with
Daddy? She says no every single week. But eventually, she is
going to say yes. I am going to carry that tradition on with my
children.
And so I am grateful to each of you for the role that you
play in Minor and Major League Baseball and baseball in
general. Because what you do doesn't just spur economic growth.
It spurs memories with fathers and sons and fathers and
daughters and mothers and sons and mothers and daughters. And
that is a great thing. And that is exactly why we have seen
today in this Committee folks say things like this is the
happiest committee I have been in in Congress. And it is not
just because there is mascots sitting in here, which is a first
for me, but it is because sports bring people together in a way
that very few, if any things do. And I wanted to begin with
that. And I am grateful for what you all do in creating
memories for the families. It means a lot.
But, Mr. Battle, how would you say that--you know, you
touched on the Charlotte Knights, which I have actually been to
the Winter Wonderland in Charlotte with my family. But what are
some of--outside of that, what are some of the more creative
promotional campaigns that you have seen these teams do in
small- to medium-sized cities and towns that really foster
community engagement?
Mr. BATTLE. Yeah. It is a great question, and I am sure the
others can answer that as well. And hopefully, one of the great
promotions that we will run soon is your daughter can either
sing the National Anthem at a game or throw out the first
pitch. We would love to have that at the Dash game. Maybe that
will entice her to go.
But, yes, as we have talked about a lot today, you know,
there are so many promotions that are fun. You know, one of the
things that I have just seen recently that I love and want to
amplify across, you know, so many of our communities is in
Dayton, Ohio, the Dayton Dragons, which is one of the great
stories in Minor League Baseball. They had a campaign called
Celebrate Dayton. And, you know, three or four times a week
they are celebrating, again, teachers, veterans, kids K through
5 that make good grades, whatever gives them a reason to
celebrate the community. And, you know, a lot of people have
touched on this today.
I mean, this is the opportunity that we have and what Minor
League Baseball represented. It is the opportunity to bring
citizens together and businesses together and to make it work.
And so, you know, there are so many--one of the things I love
about Minor League Baseball, to your point, is that there are
so many crazy promotions that you couldn't run in the pro
leagues, you know, whatever it is. Ranking Member Scholten
talked about some of the, you know, funny promotions that are
running. Every night in a minor league ballpark those are
happening. And everybody enjoys it and it is fun and it is one
of the things that makes Minor League Baseball so unique and
special.
Mr. MCDOWELL. Thank you. Mr. Ryan, you were with the Astros
when you secured the major league affiliate for the
Fayetteville Woodpeckers. And I touched on my dad there
earlier. My dad was actually the PA announcer for the
Woodpeckers when they came to Fayetteville, which is not in my
district, but it is in my home state. And I am curious, can you
touch on how having the backing of a major league team impacts
both the success of the team and then by extension the economic
development in the surrounding community?
Mr. RYAN. Yeah. So, one of the things that happened was
that Major League Baseball put a mandate out that we had to
bring all of these facilities up to a certain standard, which
was a really good thing. And that forced operators like those
at the table, especially Diamond Baseball because they have so
many teams, but also the major league affiliates to make
decisions on where they wanted their long-term home to be and
finding out could they partner with the community.
And so I went all over North Carolina, who wanted to be in
that league. We really fell in love with the Fayetteville area
because, you know, once again, there wasn't anything to do at
night. We heard a lot of the guys on base got in trouble and
the local community wanted something not just for the families,
but for them as well. And it has been a big success. And, you
know, it has been neat to see that part of downtown which has
so much history actually develop and get people down there. And
they have the Special Forces Museum and everything right there.
So, yeah, if it wouldn't have been for the Astros ownership
and the Texas Rangers because they now are in one of the new
Diamond Baseball facilities in the Southeast, as well buying
those clubs and making that move, it would have never happened.
So, it was basically from the top to the bottom.
Mr. MCDOWELL. Got it. Well, Mr. Chairman, my time has
expired.
Chairman JACK. Well, thank you very much, Mr. McDowell,
and, again, thank you for waving on today.
I will now recognize our Ranking Member, Ms. Scholten, for
brief closing remarks.
Ms. SCHOLTEN. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. And briefly,
just to conclude and thank you to all of our witnesses for
coming here today to elevate the importance of Minor League
Baseball. Your work in our community really serves to
strengthen the small business economies that surround them and
bring our communities together. Play ball.
Chairman JACK. Thank you very much.
I will now recognize the Chairman of our full Committee,
Chairman Roger Williams, for brief closing remarks.
Chairman WILLIAMS. Well, I want to thank all of you for
being here. This has been great. You know, we talk about
stories. Baseball is one of the--is the only sport, actually,
that has stories. I would venture to say you could ask anybody
in this room and everybody will have a baseball story. Not
everybody is going to have a football story or a basketball
story, but they got a baseball story, and we have heard that.
And that is what makes it special.
Also, I am always remembering that baseball, you know, you
go back--well, right now we have got--we see what is happening
in Los Angeles today. It is a mess. But we are also talking
about the Congressional Baseball Game tomorrow. You go back to
World War I, baseball drew us out of World War I. Baseball kept
going in World War II. Baseball and President Bush kept us
going on 9-11. So, that is the kind of sport it is. It is the
American sport and no other sport has got that.
And then the other thing I always remind people, baseball
is the only sport that has a play in it called the sacrifice.
And that is what America is about.
So, I am glad to have all of you here and see my friends.
Baseball is the greatest game. It is the hardest thing to do.
Of course, your dad is in the Hall of Fame. He was a pitcher.
But going in the Hall of Fame, you got to fail 70 percent of
the time, don't you? What other business allows you to fail 70
percent of the time and you go to the Hall of Fame? That is
because hitting a round ball with a round bat and hitting it
square is the hardest thing to do.
So, anyway, I want to thank you all for being here. It has
been a great hearing. You may be in trouble. We may make this
an annual event.
Chairman JACK. Without objection. Thank you to Ranking
Member Scholten and Chairman Williams and each Member of this
Subcommittee for your questions. And thank you to our witnesses
for your testimony today.
Without objection, Members have 5 legislative days to
submit additional materials or written questions for the
witnesses to the Chairman, which will be forwarded to the
witnesses. I ask the witnesses to please respond promptly.
Thirty minutes after we adjourn, we will host a reception
in this room honoring America's pastime. The reception will
feature three beloved mascots in costume behind you today:
Fuzzy from the Columbus Clingstones, Buddy Bat from the
Louisville Bats, and Gus from the Fredericksburg Nationals. The
reception will also feature autograph stations with former
major leagues Jim Sundberg and Larry Hardy, baseball coach
Johnny Watson, and our Chairman Roger Williams. Baseball
souvenirs and ballpark food will be provided, and all are
welcome to attend.
Thank you to our incredible staff, led by Staff Director
Lauren Holmes, for helping produce today's hearing and
reception. We hope to see all of you at the Congressional
Baseball Game tomorrow night.
And if there is no further business, without objection,
this Subcommittee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 4:09 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]