The Can-Am League put out a press release today announcing plans to expand for 2014 and beyond. Fans hoping to see baseball return to Atlantic City and Sussex County in New Jersey should be pleased to see those locations mentioned among the potential targets.
It will be very interesting to see how things shake out between the Can-Am League and the newly-announced Diamond League of Professional Baseball Clubs, which are probably looking at many of the same markets.
The text of the Can-Am League press release follows:
CAN-AM LEAGUE LOOKING TO EXPAND FOR 2014
Durham, N.C. – The Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball is expecting to expand for the 2014 season and beyond. League commissioner Miles Wolff has been actively talking to municipalities throughout the Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada, and the league will be ready to announce new members by September. Potential markets include Atlantic City, N.J.; Worcester, Mass.; Sussex County, N.J.; Montreal, and Ottawa.
“We realize that other leagues have been talking to these cities,” said Wolff, “but we believe the Can-Am League, with a strong lineup of existing cities and a nearly 20-year history, is a more logical choice for municipalities than the start-ups that have been proposed. We have been in contact with municipal officials, and have ownership groups ready to go.”
In regards to Ottawa, Wolff commented, “City officials have sent the Can-Am League the RFO (Request for Offers), and have asked us to respond. We understand that the Eastern League is currently the City of Ottawa’s first choice, but we are ready to step in should the Eastern League proposal fall through.”
The league is also looking at two new markets, and could make an announcement within the next 30 days. Currently, the league includes the Newark Bears, New Jersey Jackals, Quebec Capitales, Rockland Boulders, and Trois-RivieresAigles. For the past two seasons, the Can-Am League has played an interlocking schedule with the American Association, North America’s premier independent league. “We have been extremely pleased in the partnership with the American Association, but we are also looking to grow within the Can-Am’s boundaries.”
PaulHadsall.com 
Is a Newark Bears franchise that is averaging 464 fans per home game, a good fit for this expanding league?
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That is something for league officials to decide. Based on past history, I’ve only seen franchises revoked when teams are unable to pay their bills, not because of any particular attendance targets.
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They need better players. The Bears were more attractive when they were in the Atlantic League.
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Agreed. Except to see how the whole “competing leagues” thing works out, I’m not all that interested because of the level of baseball they will both offer.
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I’d like to see a team in Sussex since I never got to that park.
Paul you and I talked about it before. Are there really enough dollars out there to support these teams?
The Jackals have bounced back now that there are no longer parking issues @ MSU. Rockland is leading the league in attendance.
It would be nice if NJ transit went to the MSU stop on weekends
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If the Diamond League announcement was a pre-emptive strike, then this is return fire.
My guess is that they’re both shooting blanks as the basic premise of the Diamond League is develop a feeder league to the Atlantic.
Who cares if an independent league has another indy league feeding them? And, how much talent does the Atlantic expect to mine out of it anyway, seeing that the Diamond League and Can-Am would likely be playing at about the same level? And the Can-Am has shrunk to maybe three viable teams as a thousand a night at Three Rivers isn’t a menu for long term success. So, with a second league in play, one of them will die. My guess is that you might see some sort of a merger with NJ, Rockland and Quebec surviving.
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Since some comments (not currently displayed) have stopped being civil, I’m closing discussion on this post.
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