Minor League Baseball wanted a local investor in the ownership group of the Richmond Flying Squirrels. So did Lou DiBella, the Double-A franchise's president and CEO. Brian Callaghan filled the slot.
DiBella introduced Callaghan, 39 and a 1993 Virginia Tech graduate, Thursday at The Diamond during a Squirrels' event set up to display ballpark improvements.
"He made a significant investment in the team," DiBella said of Callaghan, founder and co-CEO of Apex Systems, Inc., a Richmond-based company that provides temporary and temporary-to-permanent technical staffing. "He is now part of what we call the Chairman's Council, which is sort of like the board of directors of the team. We wanted a Richmond voice on that board."
Callaghan attended Lake Braddock High School in Burke and worked in Northern Virginia, Oregon and New York prior to settling in Richmond. He founded Apex Systems in 1995.
DiBella, who lives in New York City, leads an ownership group of about 35 investors. Callaghan chose not to reveal the amount of his investment, but said he was one of the larger minority investors, and characterized his role as the local link for the ownership group.
"You have to have somebody who's on the ground, who understands what it's like to be in the community," Callaghan said. He added that he is in position to speak with business and community leaders on a regular basis, "and I think it's important for an operation like the Squirrels to have that kind of connection."
When the Richmond market was vacated by the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise following the 2008 season, Minor League Baseball pushed for majority local ownership of the new Richmond team. That plan dissolved when Richmond Baseball Club LC, due to lack of funds, failed to close the $15-million deal for DiBella's franchise.
"That gave us an opportunity, and when we got that opportunity, we jumped on it," DiBella said.
Minor League Baseball granted DiBella permission to transfer the franchise to Richmond. Minor League Baseball selected the franchise, which was the Connecticut Defenders, as a candidate for relocation primarily because of attendance issues in Norwich, Conn.
Callaghan formally joined the ownership group in January.
"Watching the [management] team that they've assembled, watching the way they approached it, was something that really hooked me," he said. "I remember an early conversation with them, talking about it as an investment, and they said, 'You need to understand, you're not in the baseball business, you're in the family-entertainment business.'
"That type of attitude to me was the hook that I really think we needed."
DiBella said he has no intention of relinquishing his role as head of the ownership group. He said there is a possibility of adding other Richmond-area residents as investors
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Broadcast team will chase Squirrels, story lines
nowBuzz up!
The radio team behind the baseball team won't be bragging about how it used to slug sliders.
Jon Laaser's hardball career peaked at a Minnesota high school. "Obviously, you want to be a major-league player, like everybody else," he said. "I knew that was a lost cause."
Anthony Oppermann's parents were so concerned with his grades in Texas that he wasn't allowed to play Little League. His most memorable personal involvement with the game: "Bat and ball in the pasture," Oppermann said.
They learned about professional baseball through experience as broadcasters in minor leagues, and this season are the voices of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club.
"There's no reason that a minor-league broadcast can't sound major league," said Laaser, 30.
The Squirrels open April 8 at Bowie, with broadcasts on WRNL (910). Laaser [LAY-zer] will be with the club for all 142 games. Oppermann will work with Laaser on home-game broadcasts. When the Squirrels hit the road, Oppermann will operate from a Richmond radio studio as the primary voice of pregame and postgame shows.
Pregame shows will begin a half-hour before the first pitch. "We'll recap the previous night's game, set the scene for that night's game, preview the pitching match-up, go through the standings, lineups, interviews," said Oppermann, 27.
The half-hour postgame shows will wrap up the day's events in the Eastern League and include phone calls from fans. "You don't see that very much in minor-league broadcasts," said Laaser.
Game coverage will feature the play-by-play baseline, but expect lots of tangents.
"We're big on the entertainment side of things," Laaser said. "You won't find us chattering on about things that don't have something to do with what's going on in the game. But at the same time, I think there are any number of avenues through what's happening that you can bring humor and levity into it, and make that relevant.
"That's really what my goal is."
Oppermann intends to focus on the human element, give listeners a reason to root for players and tell their stories. "If they're succeeding, why? If they're not succeeding, what are they doing to get better?" Oppermann said. "Make those characters kind of come alive."
Laaser and Oppermann worked as broadcasters at previous stops for members of the Squirrels' management team, hence their presence here. The franchise came to Richmond on Sept. 23, and with the relatively short time available to get the stadium ready following a year without baseball, all Squirrels employees have been involved in facility polishing.
"For right now at least, it's 'We need to get this done. Do you have the skill set to do it?'" Laaser said. "Unfortunately, I don't, but they still throw me out there. If your seat is dirty on opening day, it's not my fault. I tried my best."
This is a new franchise, but Oppermann and Laaser plan on-air reflections about the Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A team during 1966-2008 that relocated because of dissatisfaction with The Diamond, and opposing players who came through the ballpark since its 1985 opening.
"In this day and age, when you build one [stadium] and knock it down 10 years later, you don't find many places that have as many years of history as The Diamond," Laaser said. "Whatever the situation was here in the stands or with stadium talk, that didn't change the baseball.
"There were some great players who came through here. Absolutely, we'll talk about them."
The radio team behind the baseball team won't be bragging about how it used to slug sliders.
Jon Laaser's hardball career peaked at a Minnesota high school. "Obviously, you want to be a major-league player, like everybody else," he said. "I knew that was a lost cause."
Anthony Oppermann's parents were so concerned with his grades in Texas that he wasn't allowed to play Little League. His most memorable personal involvement with the game: "Bat and ball in the pasture," Oppermann said.
They learned about professional baseball through experience as broadcasters in minor leagues, and this season are the voices of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Francisco Giants' Double-A club.
"There's no reason that a minor-league broadcast can't sound major league," said Laaser, 30.
The Squirrels open April 8 at Bowie, with broadcasts on WRNL (910). Laaser [LAY-zer] will be with the club for all 142 games. Oppermann will work with Laaser on home-game broadcasts. When the Squirrels hit the road, Oppermann will operate from a Richmond radio studio as the primary voice of pregame and postgame shows.
Pregame shows will begin a half-hour before the first pitch. "We'll recap the previous night's game, set the scene for that night's game, preview the pitching match-up, go through the standings, lineups, interviews," said Oppermann, 27.
The half-hour postgame shows will wrap up the day's events in the Eastern League and include phone calls from fans. "You don't see that very much in minor-league broadcasts," said Laaser.
Game coverage will feature the play-by-play baseline, but expect lots of tangents.
"We're big on the entertainment side of things," Laaser said. "You won't find us chattering on about things that don't have something to do with what's going on in the game. But at the same time, I think there are any number of avenues through what's happening that you can bring humor and levity into it, and make that relevant.
"That's really what my goal is."
Oppermann intends to focus on the human element, give listeners a reason to root for players and tell their stories. "If they're succeeding, why? If they're not succeeding, what are they doing to get better?" Oppermann said. "Make those characters kind of come alive."
Laaser and Oppermann worked as broadcasters at previous stops for members of the Squirrels' management team, hence their presence here. The franchise came to Richmond on Sept. 23, and with the relatively short time available to get the stadium ready following a year without baseball, all Squirrels employees have been involved in facility polishing.
"For right now at least, it's 'We need to get this done. Do you have the skill set to do it?'" Laaser said. "Unfortunately, I don't, but they still throw me out there. If your seat is dirty on opening day, it's not my fault. I tried my best."
This is a new franchise, but Oppermann and Laaser plan on-air reflections about the Richmond Braves, Atlanta's Triple-A team during 1966-2008 that relocated because of dissatisfaction with The Diamond, and opposing players who came through the ballpark since its 1985 opening.
"In this day and age, when you build one [stadium] and knock it down 10 years later, you don't find many places that have as many years of history as The Diamond," Laaser said. "Whatever the situation was here in the stands or with stadium talk, that didn't change the baseball.
"There were some great players who came through here. Absolutely, we'll talk about them."
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Squirrels’ foundation starts with ballpark
First, make The Diamond swing. Then consider a long-term solution to Richmond's ballpark situation.
Those who attended yesterday's Kiwanis Club of Richmond luncheon at the Virginia Historical Society received that pitch from Todd Parnell, the vice president and COO of the Flying Squirrels, Richmond's new Double-A baseball franchise.
"We're committed to making The Diamond the place where more people come to than any other place in the Eastern League," Parnell said. "And then, everything else will happen from there.
"I want to put as many rear ends in the seats as we possibly can, and that's what we're focused on doing."
The Flying Squirrels are investing about $1.5 million improvements to The Diamond, whose condition drove the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise from Richmond following the 2008 season. A community decision on whether to build a new ballpark will depend partly on what the Flying Squirrels offer, Parnell suggested during his high-energy presentation of about 30 minutes.
"You've got to yell when it's time for me stop," Parnell told his audience. "I should have been a preacher, but there are certain things that got in the way of that."
Entertainment at The Diamond will start not with the first pitch, but when fans "drive into the parking lot," Parnell promised. "There are a few things as a consumer, just like you, that really get to me. It's parking, friendliness, pricing, friendliness, pricing and friendliness."
The last four digits of the Flying Squirrels' telephone number spell F-U-N-N. "We're so much fun we needed to add another N," Parnell said.
The Flying Squirrels will have a minimum of 10 fireworks nights a year, according to Parnell, who's been in the minor-league baseball business for 21 years. The R-Braves usually put on two fireworks shows per season. Each Richmond player will have a community-service requirement that may involve a reading program or some other activity related to Richmond's youth.
"Our philosophy is we start at 'yes,' and go backwards. We don't start at 'no,'" Parnell said. "We really want to do everything people ask us to do, or at least will attempt to do it
Those who attended yesterday's Kiwanis Club of Richmond luncheon at the Virginia Historical Society received that pitch from Todd Parnell, the vice president and COO of the Flying Squirrels, Richmond's new Double-A baseball franchise.
"We're committed to making The Diamond the place where more people come to than any other place in the Eastern League," Parnell said. "And then, everything else will happen from there.
"I want to put as many rear ends in the seats as we possibly can, and that's what we're focused on doing."
The Flying Squirrels are investing about $1.5 million improvements to The Diamond, whose condition drove the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A franchise from Richmond following the 2008 season. A community decision on whether to build a new ballpark will depend partly on what the Flying Squirrels offer, Parnell suggested during his high-energy presentation of about 30 minutes.
"You've got to yell when it's time for me stop," Parnell told his audience. "I should have been a preacher, but there are certain things that got in the way of that."
Entertainment at The Diamond will start not with the first pitch, but when fans "drive into the parking lot," Parnell promised. "There are a few things as a consumer, just like you, that really get to me. It's parking, friendliness, pricing, friendliness, pricing and friendliness."
The last four digits of the Flying Squirrels' telephone number spell F-U-N-N. "We're so much fun we needed to add another N," Parnell said.
The Flying Squirrels will have a minimum of 10 fireworks nights a year, according to Parnell, who's been in the minor-league baseball business for 21 years. The R-Braves usually put on two fireworks shows per season. Each Richmond player will have a community-service requirement that may involve a reading program or some other activity related to Richmond's youth.
"Our philosophy is we start at 'yes,' and go backwards. We don't start at 'no,'" Parnell said. "We really want to do everything people ask us to do, or at least will attempt to do it
Friday, December 25, 2009
the Diamond is beginning to look, well, Squirrelly
Banners unfurled. Signs were replaced. The first of several thousand box seats were fastened to their lower-level aisle positions.
Those were improvements made yesterday at The Diamond, with more to come. The Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants, originally pledged $1.5 million to facility upgrades. Chuck Domino, the franchise's chief executive manager, yesterday said the team's commitment has increased to about $1.65 million.
The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns The Diamond, committed $75,500 toward upgrades. Domino said his club's increased commitment will result in a new scoreboard. The Flying Squirrels initially planned to use $25,000 from the RMA to repair the existing scoreboard.
"But after learning more about the problems with the board, we decided that we would put the $25,000 of the RMA's money, instead of toward repairs, toward a new $150,000 board," Domino said.
Green plastic box seats replace the aluminum benches in the lower deck. Luxury boxes and clubhouses are being renovated, among other improvements. Domino said one of his proudest days will occur when the refurbished concession stands open for the Flying Squirrels' April 15 home-opener.
"Those concession stands alone were almost enough to make me run back to Pennsylvania and put my head under the covers and never return to Richmond, Virginia, again," said Domino, who is also chief executive manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Domino was aware of some objections to the unorthodox name of the team when "Flying Squirrels" was announced in mid-October. He said he believes the Richmond community has generally embraced the name since then. The logo was revealed on Dec. 1, also the day the team store The Squirrels Nest opened at The Diamond in the down-the-first-base-line space where the stadium's restaurant used to be.
"If people are voting on the logo with their pocketbooks in the team store, then it looks like it's been well-received," Domino said. "I can't imagine too many teams this time of year doing the business we're doing."
According to Domino, a hat and apparel vendor who thought the club was too ambitious on sales projections recommended that the Flying Squirrels reduce by half the volume of their first order for team gear.
After the first day [the store opened], we called and doubled the order," Domino said.
The Richmond Braves played at Parker Field or The Diamond from 1966-2008, and the Braves' dissatisfaction with the stadium caused the Atlanta organization to relocate its Triple-A franchise to Gwinnett County, Ga.
Still undetermined is a long-term ballpark solution for Richmond. The options appear to be a major renovation of The Diamond, a new ballpark on the Boulevard, or a new ballpark elsewhere in the area.
James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA board of directors, said informal discussions continue about a long-term plan for new or renovated stadium. More serious discussions could begin next year, he suggested.
"It's still too soon, in my opinion, with the economy being as it is and with the jurisdictions struggling with their budgets for 2010 and looking at a continuing struggle for 2011," Jenkins said. "I don't know that anybody is ready to whip out a checkbook and make a commitment at this point."
Domino said the RMA is working on finding a new home for The Diamond's most conspicuous resident: the sculpture of Connecticut, the Native American brave who peers onto the Boulevard from the stadium's superstructure. It now appears possible, however, that Connecticut could remain on the perch he has occupied since 1985.
Those were improvements made yesterday at The Diamond, with more to come. The Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A team of the San Francisco Giants, originally pledged $1.5 million to facility upgrades. Chuck Domino, the franchise's chief executive manager, yesterday said the team's commitment has increased to about $1.65 million.
The Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which owns The Diamond, committed $75,500 toward upgrades. Domino said his club's increased commitment will result in a new scoreboard. The Flying Squirrels initially planned to use $25,000 from the RMA to repair the existing scoreboard.
"But after learning more about the problems with the board, we decided that we would put the $25,000 of the RMA's money, instead of toward repairs, toward a new $150,000 board," Domino said.
Green plastic box seats replace the aluminum benches in the lower deck. Luxury boxes and clubhouses are being renovated, among other improvements. Domino said one of his proudest days will occur when the refurbished concession stands open for the Flying Squirrels' April 15 home-opener.
"Those concession stands alone were almost enough to make me run back to Pennsylvania and put my head under the covers and never return to Richmond, Virginia, again," said Domino, who is also chief executive manager of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Domino was aware of some objections to the unorthodox name of the team when "Flying Squirrels" was announced in mid-October. He said he believes the Richmond community has generally embraced the name since then. The logo was revealed on Dec. 1, also the day the team store The Squirrels Nest opened at The Diamond in the down-the-first-base-line space where the stadium's restaurant used to be.
"If people are voting on the logo with their pocketbooks in the team store, then it looks like it's been well-received," Domino said. "I can't imagine too many teams this time of year doing the business we're doing."
According to Domino, a hat and apparel vendor who thought the club was too ambitious on sales projections recommended that the Flying Squirrels reduce by half the volume of their first order for team gear.
After the first day [the store opened], we called and doubled the order," Domino said.
The Richmond Braves played at Parker Field or The Diamond from 1966-2008, and the Braves' dissatisfaction with the stadium caused the Atlanta organization to relocate its Triple-A franchise to Gwinnett County, Ga.
Still undetermined is a long-term ballpark solution for Richmond. The options appear to be a major renovation of The Diamond, a new ballpark on the Boulevard, or a new ballpark elsewhere in the area.
James L. Jenkins, chairman of the RMA board of directors, said informal discussions continue about a long-term plan for new or renovated stadium. More serious discussions could begin next year, he suggested.
"It's still too soon, in my opinion, with the economy being as it is and with the jurisdictions struggling with their budgets for 2010 and looking at a continuing struggle for 2011," Jenkins said. "I don't know that anybody is ready to whip out a checkbook and make a commitment at this point."
Domino said the RMA is working on finding a new home for The Diamond's most conspicuous resident: the sculpture of Connecticut, the Native American brave who peers onto the Boulevard from the stadium's superstructure. It now appears possible, however, that Connecticut could remain on the perch he has occupied since 1985.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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