The Visalia Rawhide could possibly relocate, but why?
VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The City of Visalia has been home to the Visalia Rawhide, one of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ minor league teams as a Single-A Affiliate for years. Now, the team could be facing relocation after a judge from the Tulare County Superior Court handed down a decision in the City of Visalia’s lawsuit against the team.
On Jan. 3. the Visalia Rawhide posted on Facebook saying that the lawsuit the city has filed against the team ensured a stalemate over the ballpark upgrade obligations.
In the statement, it says the judge did not rule in favor of either party regarding whether the city is obligated to ensure compliance with Major League Baseball (MLB) rules for stadium standards.
In order for the Rawhide to remain a part of affiliated baseball, improvements must be made to the wooden outfield wall, the field lighting and the player clubhouses, the team said.
According to the Rawhide, just before Christmas of 2023, the city of Visalia filed a lawsuit against the Rawhide which claimed it was not responsible under its lease to maintain compliance with MLB’s facility standards. The lawsuit was in response to the MLB audit that revealed a significant amount of deficiencies at the city’s stadium, including player safety issues.
The president and co-owner of the Rawhide, Sam Sigal said in the statement that they are committed in keeping the Rawhide in Visalia but they are not able to do that without a willing civic partner.
“When we were told that the City was fine losing baseball, we didn’t believe that lined up considering the Rawhide’s positive impact to our local economy and decades of community support,” Sigal said. “But without support from City leadership, the future of professional baseball in Visalia is at stake.
On Jan. 6, the City of Visalia put out its response to the lawsuit against the Visalia Rawhide.
In the city’s statement, they stated that Rawhide pays $1 a year for the lease to use the ballpark and that the city provides $300,000 annually in subsidy (improvements and operational costs) and provides major maintenance per the contract. The city says since 2003 it has invested over $15 million in capital improvements to the stadium.
The city says they requested twice to meet with the owners of the Rawhide, First Pitch Entertainment LLC. since the ruling on Dec. 22, 2023, to join them in mediation discussions and that both of those requests have been rejected.
The statement by the city mentions the concerns of whether or not MLB who took over Minor League Baseball after the lease was entered into have the right to dictate how much taxpayer money will be spent on the public ballpark to the benefit of a private, for-profit business.
The city says that MLB has put the owners of First Pitch Entertainment and the City of Visalia in a difficult and expensive situation due to the current legal process and the fact that First Pitch has a contract with MLB and the city does not, the city believes the most appropriate way for MLB to participate in finding solutions is with all the parties present in mediation.
On Jan. 5, the City informed the MLB representatives that their participation would be welcomed if and when First Pitch accepts the City’s invitation to return to mediation.
In the closing of the statement, it says that the city is committed to working with the owners with an experienced mediator, towards a negotiated settlement, consistent with the best interests of all of the people of Visalia.
“The Visalia City Council values having the Rawhide as part of our community. This dispute has never been about whether the City supports baseball in Visalia,” Visalia’s mayor Brian Poochigian said. “The issue here was simply whether Major League Baseball could demand an open checkbook requiring the taxpayers of Visalia to pay whatever amount of money to do whatever MLB wants done to the City’s ballpark.”
The Rawhide says the ongoing litigation will not affect the 2024 season.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com.
