Kamloops Northpaws

By Earl Seitz

Kamloops Northpaws

Northpaws owners ready to “pitch” in to make it work

Sep 10, 2020 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Yesterday was the easiest part of the job for the owners of Kamloops new West Coast Baseball League franchise.

In front of a crowd of Covid-masked media, guests and dignitaries, the owners unmasked the teams name, logo and colours.

Now comes the grunt work — hiring a competent staff, including a field manager and/or general manager — someone who can find the on field talent necessary to compete at this level — and then selling the product to fans and corporate partners.

Northpaws owners spoke of providing a game for baseball purists, along with a complete package of family entertainment.

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Teams like the Victoria Harbour Cats and Portland Pickles appear to have figured it out — they led the league in attendance in the 2019, averaging over 2000 fans a game.

“It really just takes community buy in.” says Glenn Kirkpatrick, the owner of the West Coast League Bellingham Bells. “Every team owner we know it’s about the community. Making ticket prices reasonable for families to show up, it’s about great entertainment. It’s about the community, about the players, about the development of baseball in the Kamloops area as well.”

“Baseball in Kamloops is continuously growing,” says Baseball B.C. President Chris Balison, who is also the past president of Kamloops Minor Baseball. “This is only going to add to the excitement at the youth levels in Kamloops, and we hope to be able to bring a lot of the families out to support this team.”

“Come down a couple of hours before.” say Northpaws co-owner Jon Pankuch. “If we can set up some entertainment out front. Is there areas for kids to play? Is there VIP areas where businesses can come and entertain their people? Can we tie into existing events that are already popular in Kamloops? Do we move them down this way, close to the ball park. You’ve got people’s attention for a short period of time, and on a 27 game (home) season, you’ve got to keep it exciting, and that’s our job, to want them to come back and enjoy themsleves.”

According to Northpaws co-owner Norm Daley, individual adult ticket prices will be around the $15 mark and with packages of tickets for families.

Daley says it will also be paid parking at Norbrock for Northpaws games — with the proceeds going to Kamloops Minor Baseball.

One thing that’s out of the owners and the leagues control is COVID-19.

It cancelled the 2020 West Coast League season —- and there are no guarantees the pandemic will be gone by the time the first pitch is scheduled to thrown next June.

“We don’t believe that we can play without fans.” says Norm Daley. “That’s one of the things that we have to look at and make a decision at some point in time. That said, all the work that we’re going to do now, and all the work leading up to June 4 of next year can certainly just be held over and replicated for 2022, it that’s when it starts. We’re really hoping, or optomistic that solutions will be found to allow us to move forward.”