“This is a true partnership that is in the best interest of the Orioles
and the community of Sarasota”
~John Angelos~
7/22/2009 Orioles Press Release
Mr. Angelos spoke to the Board of County Commissioners and the community. The vision of his organization was “to create the greatest possible value back to the local community that they could conceive of, value that has never been seen before”. Mr. Angelos also stated, “we stand for over delivering on our promises”.
Is Baltimore delivering on their promises?
Until funding is established for youth fields, Baltimore will provide the community with a “commercially reasonable” level of youth baseball activities.
View the list of Sarasota Programs. Some are events where the Orioles players and mascot have a promotional presence. Other events have allowed access to Ed Smith Stadium and complimentary tickets to games. Still others are events where the Orioles lend their name, branded merchandise and/or players’ presence (receiving promotional benefit) to fundraisers that ask for donations from the community.
A spring training ticket, a baseball hat, meeting a ball player, running the bases at Ed Smith Stadium are all nice things. But the funds raised come from the community, and providing Orioles merchandise requires local charities to sell Orioles merchandise to realize financial benefit.
As Sarasota County continues to dip into thier pockets it is the Orioles who are reaping any commercially reasonable benefits.
Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government objects to Baltimore’s maneuvering to capture a share of all possible revenue streams at the expense of youth sports and find it to be inconsistent with Mr. Angelos’ promises.
According to the parking agreement with Sarasota County, the Baltimore Orioles are entitled to a significant share profits from overflow parking at the youth facilities caddy-corner from Ed Smith Stadium.
That agreement can be nullified by either party with a 90-day notice and we urge Sarasota County Board of Commissioners to cancel this agreement stating the following:
- Youth sports are cash-strapped and in dire need of financial support.
- Youth sports have limited access to Twin Lakes and other Orioles-controlled fields.
- Orioles, a multi-million dollar professional franchise, collects profits from ticket sales, food/beverage vendors, and parking lots.
- Orioles pledged to partner with Sarasota County and demonstrate a commitment to a quality youth sports experience–that pledge is yet to be truly realized.
The terms in the Orioles contract offer multiple and significant cost advantages and savings to their organization, it is unreasonable for the Orioles to sap any portion of meager profits from youth facility parking. For example, the contract:
- Removed annual rent for use of Twin Lakes (>$250K/year)
- Required environmental indemnification by the City of Sarasota (under threat of pulling out of the tentative agreement)
- Removed the commitment to build a Cal Ripken Youth Baseball Academy (a two-year due date being mentioned in draft contract language)
Sarasota Citizens brought this video to the Board of County Commissioners and played it during public input and requested they cancel the parking agreement with the Orioles immediately. If the commission refuses to do what is right, we are asking they amend the agreement so that the Orioles donate their share to the non-profits which run the youth facilities across from Ed Smith Stadium. This action will demonstrate, even in its small way, that Sarasota County holds the Orioles to their word.
Is Baltimore committed to a true partnership?
“Orioles youth fields may not bear Ripken name” Officials in Charlotte County say they have been talking to Ripken about the youth baseball facility at the North County Regional Park for about a year, and that any plans the company might have in Sarasota County were never mentioned.
“Ripken might bring academy to Charlotte County” Barbetta says he’s not concerned. “No. I give them credit. They have good foresight down there to pursue that. I can’t blame them, with Cal actually owning the Stone Crabs. Remember, we don’t have a minor league team.”
“Baltimore closing Twin Lakes ball fields” A series of youth baseball tournaments that could draw $2 million a year of weekend tourism spending to Sarasota is on the verge of moving south to Charlotte County for the winter.
The tournament director (Ron Filipkowski) blames the Baltimore Orioles, saying they are booting him out of the public youth baseball fields at Twin Lakes Park from November through April.
Ron Filipkowski (USSSA, District Director for Southwest Florida) e-mailed the Sarasota County Commissioners. After reading his e-mail it calls into question Sarasota County’s own commitment to it’s youth.
This is the economic picture. Sarasota County is in the stone ages when it comes to youth baseball and youth travelball. This is an enormous economic/tourism engine. Other Florida counties understand that and have embraced organizations like USSSA, AAU, and IBC, and prospered as a result. I would like to make Sarasota County the home of the largest monthly travelball tournaments in Florida. I have the ability to do that, I just don’t have the baseball fields.
Is Sarasota County making a sound investment in our youth?
“I wish they’d call me up,” says Sarasota County Commission Chairman Joe Barbetta, who lobbied for the Red Sox but later embraced the Orioles.
He was unaware of any complaints about youth sports.
“We’ll find out what’s wrong, what the problem is. These are tough, tough times, and the last thing I want are libraries and youth sports cut. Those are quality-of-life issues in the community, so we do our best to keep them going.” [read more]
If you believe there is a problem with youth sports, please contact Commissioner Barbetta: jbarbett@scgov.net
1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 861-5344
”Group say’s Orioles are dropping the ball” President of the group (CFRG) Cathy Antunes says the Orioles are not helping local youth. “There has been a very disappointing lack of commitment on the Orioles part in terms of actually following through with what they’ve promised.”
