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Barrie Baycats zone in on possible opening pitch in July

'My fear is that without a season for the second year in a row, we may never recover,' says team president
2019-08-31 Baycats Game 3 RB 004
An IBL-issued baseball marking the league's 100th anniversary. Raymond Bowe/BarrieToday

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) today announced two possible start dates for the 2021 season, with corresponding season lengths and playoffs scenarios.

IBL commissioner John Kastner says the season could begin July 1 or July 15.

“The Baycats would like to begin the season on July 1,” said David Mills, president of the defending IBL champions Barrie Baycats. “We are hopeful of a season, we will gladly take either date.

“My fear is that without a season for the second year in a row, we may never recover," Mills added. "People without baseball find other activities and venues in future. With a high degree of vaccinations before July 1, there may be fans willing to visit the park.”

Kastner echoed the same sentiments. 

“As more and more vaccines are being administered, hope springs eternal that the IBL will be back in some form this summer,” the commissioner said. 

Kastner noted the IBL is a gate-driven league, so a modest number of fans is required before it can start the regular season. He said the hope is that with vaccinations and by following health measures, the IBL will be able to see at least a small percentage of fans at its games.

The IBL also announced it has taken on the assistance of Dr. Tim Rindlisbacher as the league’s chief medical officer. A sports medicine physician, Dr. Rindlesbacher is currently the Ontario Hockey Federation’s chief medical officer and a consultant to the National Hockey League’s Players Association (NHLPA).

His new position with the baseball league will be to speak on the IBL’s behalf with the provincial government to develop a return-to-play plan for the 2021 season.

“We obviously cannot start unless the province and city allow us to open the park and have spectators,” Mills said. “For financial reasons, we need to have a gate. Our minimum attendees would be 150, typically we are 300 to 400 per game.

“The other issues, of course, are do the 25 players per team count in that number allowed, do children at no charge, 100 to 125 per game, count in the totals?” he asked. “Personally, I would like baseball. We have done a lot of work behind the scenes and could be ready two to three weeks in advance of the provincial/IBL OK.”

At Monday night’s general committee meeting, city councillors gave initial approval to a facility use agreement with the Baycats involving Coates Stadium at Barrie Community Sports Complex in Midhurst, just north of the city.

If given final approval at city council’s April 26 meeting, the deal will be for five years  three years plus an option for two more years, from May 2021 until August 2026.

This agreement includes rental fees of approximately $10,000 per year for a total of $50,000 during the five-year term. The rental fees offset all operating expenses associated with the Baycats’ use. 

An advertising sign would also be rented from the Baycats, at a rate of $1,000 annually, at Coates Stadium expressing the city’s support for the Baycats and their seven IBL championship wins  one in 2005 and then six in a row from 2014 to 2019.

The Baycats didn’t play in 2020 because of the pandemic, and the league cancelled its schedule.

Earlier this year, council passed a motion that city staff assist Barrie Baycats Baseball Club with the planning for, and investigation of, funding opportunities, such as grants and sponsorships, for the expansion of the Baycats press box and mezzanine at Coates Stadium, and report back to the city’s finance and corporate services committee.

Baycats’ officials are planning to go ahead with only a larger press box for broadcasting all home games, for local and visiting media, costing $100,000 to $125,000. Adding a mezzanine for fans and corporate gatherings, plus the press-box expansion, carried an estimated $400,000 price tag.

Mills said he has been attempting to raise outside funding for the project. He has applied for different grants being offered by the province and Ontario Trillium Fund, but to date has had no success obtaining any finances to build the expansion. Mills has said that the city, as a partner with the Baycats, should also contribute financially.

Coates Stadium is a city facility built about 20 years ago with donations and materials supplied at cost by the Baycats, Mills has said. The ball club pays user fees for every game, practice and summer camps, as laid out in the facility use agreement. 

The city has spent some money on the baseball stadium since it was built in 2001, about $30,000 for upgrading batting equipment, exterior building lights, rubber flooring and stadium field lighting.


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Bob Bruton

About the Author: Bob Bruton

Bob Bruton is a full-time BarrieToday reporter who covers politics and city hall.
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