A new baseball team in Irvine’s Great Park could see the city get 15% of ad revenue generated at the stadium, along with monthly rent and some ticket fees as city leaders grapple with projected budget deficits.
While Irvine won’t have to build a new baseball stadium because one already exists in the park, the incoming ball team is expected to pay the city $4,000 a month in rent and up to $1,000 in ticket fees per game after stadium seating hits more than 3,000 seats or is in the fourth year of the lease — whichever comes first.
The yet-to-be-named team will be part of the Pioneer Baseball League, an independent, MLB partner league that functions outside the traditional Minor League Baseball hierarchy.
The Irvine City Council unanimously approved a five-year agreement with Innovation Baseball Partners last week to bring the team to the city starting next summer. The agreement also features an optional five-year extension.
Councilmember Betty Martinez Franco said the advertising revenue will benefit Irvine, later adding that the city is facing a budget deficit.
“I am really excited about everything that you have coming to the Great Park,” she said at the July 28 Great Park board meeting. “Most importantly, I’m thankful that you’re planning to be successful here, that means that you will attract a lot of advertising and revenue to our Great Park.”
The team will use the Great Park facility for practice alongside office and storage space. They’re expected to play 48 home games at the Great Park Baseball Stadium during the season that runs from May 1 to Sept. 30.
City staff said the city will maintain all scheduling rights for the stadium, adding that leaders have the ability to create blackout dates when the baseball teams won’t be able to use the facility.
Councilmember James Mai asked if there will be scheduling conflicts with community events, and staff assured that the city can provide blackout dates for historical events held at the stadium.
“Thanks IBP for being here and congratulations,” Mai said at the city’s Great Park board meeting on July 28. “Thank you for considering us here in Irvine. It goes both ways.”
“We have an enormous baseball community here in the City of Irvine,” he continued.
“People are generally excited. There’s a baseball culture in Irvine, and hopefully this is something that adds to that.”
The city council also serves as the Great Park board, which unanimously approved the five-year agreement during its meeting on July 28. City council members gave their final approval during their regular meeting that same night as part of the agenda’s consent calendar.
City to Split Revenue From Ads, Naming Rights, Ticket Sales
Innovation Baseball Partners will be able to sell advertising space throughout the stadium, with city approval required, and the city will retain 15% of gross revenue generated from the ads.
Additionally, the baseball organization has exclusive stadium naming rights, also with required city approval, and the city will receive half of the net revenue generated from that deal.
The agreement also outlines the baseball league will pay a home game fee of $2,200 until the stadium is expanded to at least 3,000 seats or until year four of the lease, when it would then increase to $3,500 per home game.
The league will not be required to pay any ticket fees until year four of the agreement or if the stadium is expanded, whichever comes first. At that point, the group will pay the city a $500 ticket fee per game plus 50 cents for every ticket sold. Ticket fees per game can’t exceed $1,000.
It comes after city leaders patched up gaps in a budget that could reach a $47 million structural deficit by the end of the decade, according to city estimates.
Officials made $6 million in cuts for next fiscal year by holding vacant positions and pausing the city’s vehicle replacement program for non-emergency vehicles in addition to a slew of small fees.
[Read: Irvine Officials Deadlock on How to Close Multimillion Dollar Budget Deficits]
Mayor Larry Agran asked about parking costs at last week’s Great Park board meeting, but staff said that aspect was left out of the plans for now since the city is in the middle of rolling out its paid parking program for visitors at the Great Park.
Staff said the parking element of the agreement will return to the council after the city finishes implementing the paid parking program.
[Read: Irvine Looks to Charge For Parking at Great Park in Face of Budget Deficit]
Staff also said the baseball league could request to expand seating capacity at the stadium, and if so, that would need to be considered and approved by the Great Park board and city council.
Innovation Baseball Partners owns a few other professional teams in California, including the Long Beach Coast, the Oakland Ballers and the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds based in Marysville in Northern California.
The group will also be required to provide at least $25,000 worth of community programming each year, consisting of initiatives like clinics, camps, coaching or donated tickets. The organization will be required to submit an annual community benefit plan that lists the value for each initiative.
Councilmember Melinda Liu supported the team coming to Irvine but asked staff to conduct a periodic review to make sure it’s financially benefiting the city.
“We’re really excited to see this, especially as there’s going to be a big impact on the sports community,” she said.
Doug Elliott, who serves as the vice chair of the city’s Community & Library Services Commission, said he was excited about the idea of a new team, adding that it’s been a while since he attended a game at Angel Stadium.
“Minor league baseball is just a lot of fun,” Elliott said, adding that he was speaking on behalf of himself as a resident. “It’s very exciting to have that up close and intimate relationship with the game. And it’s generally less expensive than major league ball by quite a bit. I’m hoping the ticket prices can be set at a level that will reflect that.”
Jamie Rosenberg, co-founder of Innovation Baseball Partners, spoke to council members at the Great Park board meeting.
“It would be our honor and privilege to bring our vision for baseball and community to Irvine and the Great Park,” Rosenberg said. “Our team here would uniquely reflect what makes this community special, from its multiculturalism to its commitment to youth sports, to its own spirit of innovation.”
Rosenberg said they haven’t determined ticket pricing yet. In Long Beach, premium tickets run about $30 to $35 while bleacher seats cost about $10 to $15, according to Rosenberg.
He also said the games would create a place for families to enjoy on summer evenings.
“We look forward to having you and your families out to games next summer.”
Angelina Hicks is the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service Editor. Contact her at ahicks@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @angelinahicks13.
