Item #06
Date: October 18, 2022
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Dan Flores, Community Development Director
Jim Schaad, City Manager
Subject: Approve License Agreement for ‘Bryant Field’ located at 1431 C Street Recommendation:
Pass a Motion approving a License Agreement between the City of Marysville and the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs LLC for “Bryant Field” located at 1431 C Street for the 2023 through 2025 baseball seasons.
Rationale for Recommendation:
The owners of the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox informed the City of Marysville that they would not be playing baseball at Bryant Field for the 2023 baseball season.
The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs LLC (Pecos League) has shown a strong interest in having a Minor Independent League baseball team in Marysville for a minimum of three seasons starting in 2023. The team is to be called the Marysville Drakes.
Background:
In the spring of 2021, the City entered into a one-year lease agreement for Bryant Field with the YCM Baseball Group, LLC, the owners of the Yuba Sutter Gold Sox Team. The onset of the Covid 19 pandemic stalled the negotiations for a multi-year summer lease agreement for Bryant Field and the parties agreed that in light of the pandemic, a single-season contract for 2020 then 2021 were appropriate. The 2020-2021 seasons were played successfully but with limited attendance as mandated by State and County health guidelines. The team ownership decided that 2022 would be to last season at Bryant field. Subsequently, the Pecos League contacted the City of Marysville regarding its interest and having a baseball team in the City of Marysville.
The Pecos League is an independent professional league designed for rookie level players with twothirds of the players falling in that category. These players live with host families during the season and the season is typically fifty games long with twenty to thirty of these games being “Home Games”. 2023 will be the thirteenth year of baseball for the Pecos League.
Item #06
The Pecos League started a regional league with all its teams located in New Mexico and West Texas and has grown into the largest independent league in the United States. Since 2017, the Pecos League has comprised of fourteen teams in six States over three time zones. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, the Pecos League bought the San Rafael Pacifics and moved an expansion team to Martinez.
As of 2022, the Pecos League has increased to sixteen teams.
Despite moving to much larger markets like Bakersfield, Tucson, and Monterey in 2022, the Pecos League remains strong in their original cities of Roswell, Alpine, Santa Fe, and Trinidad.
Marysville has a long standing and important baseball history and deserves the highest level of baseball that can be hosted in this area. The Pecos League provides this level of baseball.
Discussion & Analysis:
The attached license agreement provides details of the terms of the overall agreement with the Pecos League. The term of the agreement will be for three years from 2023 through 2025. The Pecos League will pay $11,000 plus the cost of utilities per season for the use of the field and will be responsible for all maintenance of the field during their season.
Alignment with City Council Goal(s):
The proposed project is supported by Goal #2: Expand Economic Development and Goal #5: Support Parks & Recreation.
Legal Review:
The City Attorney reviewed the attached Facilities Use Agreement.
Fiscal Analysis:
The proposed license agreement would increase the General Fund by $11,000 per year for three years.
Attachment:
1) License Agreement: City of Marysville and the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs LLC