Northern League raiding Frontier League?
It seems the Northern League has declared war on the Frontier League.
Earlier this month, the Northern League enticed the Rockford RiverHawks to switch leagues beginning in 2010. At the time, it appeared it was a move that would help both leagues. The Northern League, which is adding an expansion franchise next year, was stuck at seven teams. The Frontier League, which is adding the Normal (Ill.) CornBelters next season, was going to have an unworkable 13 teams. Rockford switching leagues was seen as a way to give both leagues even-numbered teams.
But according to ballparkdigest.com, the Northern League is not content with one former Frontier League franchise. Representatives of the Northern League have contacted owners of the Windy City ThunderBolts about changing leagues and have offered the same deal given to Rockford: $250,000 up front, a waiver on travel-team fees and a limit on long Western road trips.
There is no word yet if the ThunderBolts are considering the move, but the website reports that the Northern League is worried that Winnipeg, Fargo-Moorhead and Kansas City will leave for the American Association. If that happens, the expansion franchise, Rockford and Windy City would give the Northern six teams, each located in the Chicago area.
Read the story here.
Labels: Northern League, Rockford RiverHawks, Windy City ThunderBolts
posted by Chris Dugan at
7:06 PM
10 Comments:
This could benefit Washington with two fewer teams for long road trips.
Plus with taxpayer turf next year, another money maker could be tanning booths on the playing field during the day time. The reflection and extra heat generated by the taxpayer turf could help reduce the cost of electricity used by the tanning beds.
I wonder if there is a way the Wild Things could join the Northern league?
That way players like Ledbitter, Sidick, Grandstrand, and others either beyond or approaching the age limit could continue to play.
Perhaps Ryan Douglas, who was a solid citizen, could also come back to play.
That bus ride from Wash, Pa., to Winnipeg would be a killer.
i've ridden a bus from Washington to kansas city before. that's a trip you can keep, too.
windbag city & rickety-rockford leaving the league are not great loss.
need teams in the kentucky/indiana/nw ohio areas.
Look for a team from the Johnstown or Butler area to join the Frontier League...also what about all the talk of Fairmont WV coming in?
"Northern League Raiding Frontier League?”
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Probably a case of these teams seeing the light and getting the hell out of the fabulously fast failing Frontier League. The most minor of any minor league. Ever try to find more than one sentence about the Frontier League in Baseball America? Even then it’s only about once every three weeks. I’ll bet the PONY League gets more coverage than the ultra-weak Frontier League.
More like the desperate actions of the sinking ship that is the Northern League trying to stay afloat. When you're down to 6 teams you're not a league, you're a division. The Northern League once had 12 teams but half of them defected. Now the Northern League has resorted to throwing large sums of cash at teams in the Frontier League just to keep the "division" from going under. All you need to know about the Northern League is Jermaine Allensworth - remember him Pirates fans? - is still playing and he's one of the best players in the Northern League. Yikes! Maybe Rockford can sign Sammy Kalifha or even Matty Alou.
nice. a sammy khalifa reference. haven't heard that name in a long while
nice. a sammy khalifa reference. haven't heard that name in a long while
What in the world is a sammy khalifa? Is it a disease?
What in the world is a sammy khalifa? Is it a disease?
Your on a baseball blog douscebag. You should know
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