CITYnews halifax: Canadian Baseball League pitching Nova Scotia on franchise opportunity

CITYnews halifax / By Blake Priddle

A professional baseball team could be on its way to Nova Scotia after the Canadian Baseball League announced it is looking to expand its footprint outside of Ontario.

Formally known as the Intercounty Baseball League, the CBL is in its 108th season and is one of the longest continually operated baseball leagues in the world.

Currently, the professional league has nine teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hamilton Cardinals and Guelph Royals.

According to league commissioner Ted Kalnins, its popularity and attendance continues to grow and the league is now hoping to expand with interested team owners from Ontario and Quebec already coming forward.

Kalnins says an expansion franchise could be developed in Nova Scotia if an interested group expressed interest and if the proper infrastructure is available.

To begin with, a stadium with a permanent seating capacity of at least 2,000 people would be needed.

“They’ll have to have proper clubhouses, player rooms, concessions, a permanent grandstand, lighting, a proper scoreboard – all the things you might think,” explains Kalnins. “If you think about what a (baseball) park looks like, that’s what we’re looking for.”

Kalnins says the league provides great entertainment and interested team owners can contact the Canadian Baseball League.

More information can be found on the CBL website.

With files from Steve Gow, CityNews Halifax