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baseballpapa
1520 Posts |
 Posted - 12/17/2010 : 08:30:16
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The big announcement has been made and it appears that Bobby Cox, Ned Yost, and Freddi Gonzalez and most importantly Perfect Game will spearhead building a new 1400 acre Sports Complex that should be one the premier facilities of its kind in the nation. It will feature 16 baseball with one stadium that will hold 7500 fans.
How will this affect East Cobb baseball? Is this the beginning of the end for East Cobb? Will East Cobb now have the competition that they have never had? How will East Cobb react to this competition? Will it bring down the cost of playing or will the cost rise due to the cost of the project.
For many years East Cobb has been the only game in town when it comes to the big tournaments but now it appears that they might become a casualty of the bigger complex and hasn't Perfect Game always been affiliated with East Cobb baseball. The announcement said that Perfect Game would move all of its national tournaments to the new site and I quote:
"Perfect Game USA, billed as the world's largest baseball scouting service, will consolidate all of its Eastern seaboard tournaments and showcases to the Emerson location."
Progess has and always will be a blessing to some and a burden to others. East Cobb baseball has the reputation of being one of the premier baseball organizations in the nation and worked hard to acquire this reputation. Do not believe that the reputation was earned by the facility. The reputation was earned because of the way they developed players and the way they competed against the best in the nation and this will not change just because another complex is opening.
I for one hope that both complexes will be successful and that the real winners in this will the teams that will now have the opportunity to compete against the very best teams in the nation without leaving their own backyard.
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bball-fan
89 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 08:53:08
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quote:
I for one hope that both complexes will be successful and that the real winners in this will the teams that will now have the opportunity to compete against the very best teams in the nation without leaving their own backyard.
Agree 100%
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22202
263 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 08:59:23
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| Isn't there also plans for a "mega complex" in Lilburn? I don't think it has been approved yet but I read something about in the AJC last month. I can't believe they would put it so close to EC and not in an area like Gwinnett, like around the Gwinnett Braves Stadium area. |
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Wilson
11 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 09:23:43
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| These new facilities should be great for the kids. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 10:04:30
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I think it will be great!! Will certainly solidify Georgia as one of the top spots in the country for baseball. I would imagine that they put it close to ECB purposely. The WWBA events are usually spread out around 25-30 High Schools over the summer. Even though this facility will have 16 fields, it still won't be big enough to handle those big tournaments. I would imagine that they will use the new facility, ECB and maybe a couple of close by HS's like Kell and Pope to handle all the teams. The tournaments will now be in a much more concentrated area. There are typically in the neighborhood of 200 teams that are in each WWBA event over the summer. I don't think it will hurt ECB and will do nothing but help baseball in Georgia.
BTW, ECB isn't the only horse in town. They have plenty of competition from other programs. Yes, they have the biggest facility, but they are no longer getting every one of the top players in the area to play on their teams. 643, Nelson Baseball School, Homeplate, Atlanta Baseball Acadamy are just a few of the programs out there giving ECB a run for their money in terms of picking up very talented ball players. |
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excoach12
159 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 12:43:06
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It's not built yet. Tons of plans and dreams die when the funding issues start and the majority interests start squabbling. Anyways.....
A complex is just a collection of buildings or fields. ECB is famous not for its fields and buildings (obviously) but for the way it develops players.
If this new complex ever gets built it will be successful as a place to host tournaments but its the player development that creates legacies like ECs.
EC and 643 will be just fine as long as they continue to produce superior players as they currently do. You can build ANY team a pretty new complex but that does not make them the WS Champions. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 13:00:53
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| "16 Major League sized fields", how many youth fields? Maybe they see the youth market being served by ECB, and the High School-College-Minors being handled by the Bartow facility. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 14:03:41
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I'm not sure PG will use this complex to develop talent. PG is all about the showcasing of talent. The way I see it, PG will host their tournaments and showcases there. I know PG has leagues out in the midwest, so maybe they will start hosting local league play there for the HS age kids. These leagues will also focus on showcasing and evaluating talent, I don't think developing it. Not sure how it will all work out, but I can't see it doing anything but helping Georgia, north Georgia in particular baseball.
For those of you with younger kids, this will be a tremendous asset to your kids by the time they reach HS age. Players literally come from all over the world to attend Perfect Game events. We will have this facility right in our back yard. It will be a tremendous advantage for the recruitment of our kids to the next level. |
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bballman
1432 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2010 : 15:42:29
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If you are interested, here is a comment from another board by the president of Perfect Game. Might give you all a little more insight into the midset surrounding the new complex:
"Actually the new Perfect Game baseball complex is the centerpiece of this project. 16 lighted, all turf fields with high tech scouting and recruiting capabilities.
Plans are to provide a world class site for players and teams with a major emphasis on providing scouts and college recruiters the most efficient and comfortable experience in amateur baseball. There really is nothing comparable in amateur baseball anywhere in the world.
The article is not 100% accurate as PG will continue to do events all over the country. And even though the complex is in the Southeast it will draw players and teams from Coast to Coast.
Obviously this is a huge project and details should be finalized very soon. We are very excited about the possibility of working closely with three MLB managers like Fredi Gonzalez (Braves), Ned Yost (Royals), and the legendary Bobby Cox."
Here is a good youtube link with information and interviews about the new park. Good watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqSLMknCK_w
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Edited by - bballman on 12/17/2010 20:59:11 |
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excoach12
159 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 12:32:04
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Thought I would pass this on from what was passed out at an ECB meeting recently............
ECB and PG have a contract with at least 10 years remaining on it and the buy out is around a million. Doubt PG would pay out that money instead of just completing the contract.
PG has also informed ECB that the Bartow facilities would be open and available for ECBs use. It doesn't really sound like PG and ECB are at odds about that facility. |
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behindtheball
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 16:19:33
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This is all great for the kids. And while no one is saying this Bartow project will put ECB out of business, it'd be naive to think its status wouldn't be diminished. Both PG and ECB basically do the same thing, they provide events and opportunities for kids to shine and showcase their talents. Perhaps a bit of a reach to say ECB develops players, but rather provides teams on which top state and national talent can play and be seen.
As for ECB's 10-year contract, the legal eagles will make sure it is honored. That's not a big deal. PG folks will simply create other events and like events with different names to draw teams nationally that might otherwise have been attracted to ECB. And yeah, as ECB honcho said at the coaches meeting, ECB can use the proposed facility - just like anyone else.
Again, this is all good for Georgia baseball and the kids. |
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oldschooldad
203 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 22:30:57
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quote:
Originally posted by behindtheball
. Perhaps a bit of a reach to say ECB develops players, but rather provides teams on which top state and national talent can play and be seen.
Wow! East Cobb doesn't develop players?
All the kids just show up as the top kids in the SE and get scholarship offers or drafted without any development from the East Cobb coaches? Definitely don't argee with that statement.
Good players migrate to East Cobb and they leave as even better players!
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Alter-Ego
802 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2011 : 23:00:11
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From what I have read, the Bartow facility is just 60/90 fields, correct? If so, then they would not be in competition for the 13U and Below tournaments anyway. PG does not really delve in the younger age groups, at least currently.
What I think will be the interesting topic is where the high profile and championship games will be held, Bartow facility or East Cobb. Almost exclusively they have been at East Cobb. I don't suspect you will see any reduction in the number of tournaments held there. What will be reduced are the number of HS fields that will be utilized for those events. If any of the HS's are relying on the revenue from those tournaments to fund their programs, they may be the ones to suffer. |
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Shut Out
512 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2011 : 08:47:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Alter-Ego
From what I have read, the Bartow facility is just 60/90 fields, correct? If so, then they would not be in competition for the 13U and Below tournaments anyway. PG does not really delve in the younger age groups, at least currently.
What I think will be the interesting topic is where the high profile and championship games will be held, Bartow facility or East Cobb. Almost exclusively they have been at East Cobb. I don't suspect you will see any reduction in the number of tournaments held there. What will be reduced are the number of HS fields that will be utilized for those events. If any of the HS's are relying on the revenue from those tournaments to fund their programs, they may be the ones to suffer.
I would image their fields will be built where they can be adjusted down to handle all ages. Too much money during Feb-May will the older ages are playing high school ball. |
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bball-fan
89 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2011 : 08:49:20
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I heard the fields will be adjustable so the younger ages will be able to play there.
quote:
Both PG and ECB basically do the same thing, they provide events and opportunities for kids to shine and showcase their talents
Behindtheball, PG and ECB are comepletely differrent.
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Will the new Sports Complex affect East Cobb
