Connecticut Defenders President/Managing Partner Lou DiBella finds his team's situation similar to the Richmond Braves last year -- facing its last season before the franchise leaves.
The president/managing partner of the Class AA Connecticut Defenders yesterday said he expects his franchise to be sold to a Richmond group soon. The deal could be completed by the middle of next week.
"I've got to be honest. In this economy, it's hard to have confidence in anything. These are just worrisome times," said Lou DiBella, a boxing promoter who heads the group that owns the Class AA Eastern League franchise in Norwich, Conn.
"But based upon the assurances not only of the [purchasing group] in Richmond but also assurances from officials in baseball, I'm led to believe this deal is imminent."
Bryan Bostic, the president of the Richmond ownership group, Richmond Baseball Club LC, responded: "I think [DiBella] said it all."
The purchase price is expected to be about $15 million. Bostic said Richmond Baseball Club LC consists of 10 to 15 "committed investors."
Pete Boisseau of Boisseau Partners, a public relations firm involved with Richmond Baseball Club LC, said "we hope to have an announcement" by Wednesday, which is opening day for some minor-league clubs, or Thursday. Boisseau did not specify the subject of the announcement.
"Ideally, they'd want to get a purchase done right after the season ends or right before the season begins because most of the expenses and cash flow will be during the course of the season," said Scott Poley, vice president of legal affairs for Minor League Baseball. "So they want to have a clean break between the buyer and the seller."
The team will continue operations this season in Norwich, whose Defenders open a week from today in Portland, Maine. Norwich City Council on March 16 reassigned the lease of Norwich's Dodd Stadium to Richmond Baseball Club LC. Bostic's group hopes to gain approval from Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League to relocate the franchise to Richmond in 2010.
Those approvals hinge on Richmond having a new stadium planned to replace The Diamond. That facility's condition influenced Atlanta's Class AAA franchise to move from Richmond to Gwinnett County, Ga., following last season.
"Each community is different, but clearly, something newer than The Diamond is going to be part of the calculus, otherwise the Braves would still be there," Poley said. Minor League Baseball and the Eastern League want to see a firm plan for a new ballpark or plans for a major reworking of The Diamond by Aug. 1, representatives of those organizations have said, in order to approve a franchise move to Richmond for 2010.
DiBella tries to conduct business as usual in Norwich, which he compared to Richmond at this time last year. Before opening day, the Braves already had announced that 2008 would be their final season in Richmond.
"I can tell you that the same way the people of Richmond were very, very, very concerned when the team moved and looking forward to another team coming in, that's the same attitude that exists right now in Norwich," DiBella said. "They want to know if we're going to have baseball in Norwich when the Defenders leave."
DiBella said he hopes that a short-season club from the lower minors moves into Norwich after the Defenders' departure.
Bostic plans for the new Richmond team to play at The Diamond in 2010 and 2011, then move into a new stadium in 2012. He supports the proposed $60-million ballpark that's part of the proposed $318-million Shockoe Center development.
Contact John O'Connor at (804) 649-6233
or joconnor@timesdispatch.com.
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