Daniel Shirley: Macon-Bibb County needs to make right decision on baseball
A summer collegiate baseball league could be coming to Macon.
At least, that's a proposal that went in front of the Macon-Bibb County commissioners Tuesday.
The league, the Coastal Plain League, has 16 teams in four states (North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, a team in Savannah is joining in 2016). Founded in 1997, the league features college players from all over the country with its championship series set in August.
The league's commissioner, Justin Sellers, has a solid plan, and according to Telegraph reporter Stanley Dunlap's story Tuesday, Sellers estimated the league would draw 85,000 fans for 28 home games and other events each year. He estimated about $750,000 would be spent with Macon-Bibb vendors and said the league's all-star game could be played here, generating about $2 million in economic impact.
On its own merits, that sounds like a good idea and another solid addition to our city's sports scene. There is certainly nothing wrong with offering more options for Middle Georgia sports fans (the start of the Macon Mayhem's inaugural season last weekend is a perfect example of that).
But there has been some talk that this league should be seen as an alternative to an affiliated minor league team that Macon-Bibb County mayor Robert Reichert has proposed, along with a downtown stadium. That would be a big mistake.
If this league is seen as an addition to the team and stadium Reichert has proposed, that would be a huge positive. That's the way this should be viewed, and it would be nice to have both teams to give fans a summer full of baseball choices.
But if any commissioner believes this league should replace Reichert's plan, they shouldn't be commissioners much longer, especially if they are thinking of using Luther Williams Field. That stadium shouldn't be seen as a viable home for prospective teams, no matter what league they call home. The field has drainage problems, and the stadium is in even worse shape. Simply put, it's not a good choice, and it won't work for any team.
What the city needs to do is to move forward on a new stadium, whether it's downtown, out on I-75 or wherever it needs to be and set it up as the home for an affiliated minor league team. If a Coastal Plain League team also calls it home, that's even better.
But the city doesn't need to choose a college summer league team over a professional team with ties to a major league team. And it certainly shouldn't choose a well-beyond-its prime stadium over a new one.
Contact Daniel Shirley at 744-4227 or dshirley@macon.com
This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Daniel Shirley: Macon-Bibb County needs to make right decision on baseball ."