Indians Launch Triple-A Ticket Drive Spokane Makes Baseball’s Rough Cut For One Of 1998 Expansion Franchises

At umpteen functions during the last five years, Bobby Brett has heard people say they would support the return of Triple-A baseball to Spokane.

Starting this morning, those people can prove their intentions.

The Spokane Indians announced Thursday that Spokane is among the 10-12 cities on a short list for two Triple-A expansion teams that will begin playing in 1998.

Beginning at 9 this morning, the Indians will take $100 deposits on season tickets for the ‘98 campaign. Indians president Brett and his staff will judge the response before submitting a $15,000, non-refundable formal application fee by Jan. 1.

Spokane played in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League from 1958-71 as an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and from 1973-82, with a line of parent clubs that included Texas, Milwaukee, Seattle and California.

“I don’t want to be involved with the third group to pull Triple-A baseball out of Spokane,” Brett said during a news conference at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park.

The Indians hope to attract 2,500 people for season tickets and another 1,500 for 20-game plans. Spokane sold 1,500 season tickets and 1,000 miniplans during last summer’s Northwest League season.

“Season ticket commitments are for us the bottom line,” said Indians general manager Andy Billig. “If we got a positive response, and had some number close to 2,500, I think we would go forward.”

Season tickets for a 72-game home season will cost a maximum of $450. A five-year commitment is requested.

The expansion committee will visit each site and make its selections by September.

Spokane made the short list for the last round of expansion, when Colorado and Florida joined the majors. Ottawa and Charlotte, N.C., won that Triple-A sweepstakes.

Spokane’s positives are the stability of its 11-year ownership, attendance records the past two seasons and a well-tended facility.

The biggest negative is the climate. Many cities reportedly on the short list - Fresno, Calif.; Greensboro and Winston-Salem, N.C., and Charleston, S.C., - have far more pleasant spring weather.

Yet the PCL has franchises in such chilly places as Edmonton, Alberta, Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs, Colo. Seattle and Portland each had teams that played outdoors for more than five decades.

If selected, Spokane would pay a $7.5 million expansion fee.

The new Triple-A teams won’t necessarily be affiliated with the new major-league franchises that begin play in Phoenix and St. Petersburg, Fla., in ‘97. Realignment of the PCL, the American Association and International League is a possibility.

, DataTimes