Even fervent Western Canadian Baseball League fans were probably taken by surprise by the major Regina Red Sox news last week.
The club announced it was being acquired by Queen City Sports and Entertainment – the owners of the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats.
Details of the deal, which still needs approval from the league’s board of governors before becoming official, haven’t been released yet.
It’s not unique, given how many sports organizations have opted to diversify their portfolios by having teams across a range of sports. For example, Calgary Sports and Entertainment oversees the NHL’s Flames, AHL’s Wranglers, WHL’s Hitmen, CFL’s Stampeders and NLL’s Roughnecks.
In the WCBL, the Lethbridge Bulls are owned by Under the Lights Sports and Entertainment, which also oversees Prairie Baseball Academy and the Lethbridge Longhorns high school program, while in Saskatoon, the Berries are owned by Sask Entertainment Group, which also owns the WHL’s Blades and NLL’s Rush.
The move in Regina appears to be another sign of where the league is headed as it continues to build on its past successes while facing the ongoing battle for eyeballs and, ultimately, dollar signs.
PROUD HISTORY
Gary Brotzel and Bernie Eisworth brought the Red Sox back into the league for the 2005 season following the departure of the Regina Maaco Maroons in 2003.
Each of the team’s 10 board members even contributed $500 to pay for the league’s $5,000 franchise fee.
Prior to the Maroons, the Red Sox moniker had been used since 1913, operating as a non-profit organization out of Currie Field.
A lot has changed in the WCBL since, then including the name from the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (1975-2003) and the Western Major Baseball League (2003-2018).
Red Sox president Gary Brotzel says the biggest change has been the level of competition, adding the privately owned teams have become the ones in the driver’s seat of the standings.
“They’re mostly the Alberta teams, and lately with the Saskatoon Berries coming on board, they’re just pushing the league to new levels,” he said. “So, it was clear to me that it was time that we moved on to that model as well.”
Brotzel says it was 20 years of “grinding it out” in trying to balance the books every day, made more difficult after the COVID-19 pandemic where the average fan has been making tough decisions with their pocketbooks.
‘WHATEVER IT TAKES’
One of the benefits of having several sports entities under one roof is having a bigger “team” behind the scenes.
From ticketing resources to marketing and communications, many community-run teams lean on volunteers to do a lot of work while the private organizations have full-time staff to handle some of the day-to-day tasks.
Queen City Sports and Entertainment says they are ready to give the Red Sox the pieces they need to compete.
“Whatever it takes, it will get,” said Queen City CEO Shaun Semple. “That’s what we’ve done with the Pats.”
While all teams around the league have good relationships with other sports organizations in their respective communities, all doing their best to cross-promote each other, it’s usually only saved for seasonal occurrences instead of a year-long effort with intricate plans and details.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
If all goes according to plan, Regina is also on the cusp of a major sports infrastructure boom.
A replacement for the Pats’ home, Brandt Centre, has been in the works for a few years now, while the Red Sox facility, Currie Field, is also up for debate.
Major fundraising efforts were needed to appease a deal with city council to make the long-awaited project a reality.
READ MORE: Currie Up and Wait
A feasibility study for a downtown Railyards location has been finished and should be made public soon.
Brotzel says they have been trying for years to get the new stadium to happen – including having gone through four different mayors – and they can’t afford to keep waiting.
With Queen City behind them, it makes sense to have one unified voice advocating for the projects instead of two.
“It’s not just about brick and bleachers,” Semple said.
“It’s about revitalizing baseball in our city, investing in our youth, creating jobs, and providing gathering places for our families, fans and future stars.”
WIN-WIN SITUATION
Both sides of the deal say it should be viewed as a shot in the arm for baseball in Regina.
Not only is it a win for the summer collegiate program, but also for grassroots organizations and players who look up to the Red Sox.
Brotzel and Simpson have worn many hats for the club over the years to keep it going, from planning of the new stadium to selling tickets and sponsorships.
If the deal is approved, both will stay on with the club, with Brotzel handling baseball operations while Simpson will be a minority preferred shareholder and team governor.
But they will also have the power of a team behind them to work on things like marketing, merchandise and fan experience, especially as they try to get their new home built.
It’s a win-win for everyone in the community as it looks to build on its illustrious history and add more championship banners to its future home’s rafters.
Tales of Baseball 
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