IBAF The Worlds Event A Success In Thunder Bay
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
There were some 5000 people in the stands taking in a baseball game in Thunder Bay on a sunny evening July 31st. Team Canada was taking on Chinese Tapei which with a win would propel them into the final championship game against Australia. Unfortunately they lost but the
Thunder Bay community won. The hosting of such a well organized event presented Thunder Bay to the world.
“ Rogers Sportsnet is here and broadcasting the game to a number of different countries throughout the world. We have a production truck and a digital uplink truck over on Lisgar Street. The signal is going to several countries in Latin America and Asia. There are also
broadcasts on ESPN in the US. It is an audience to the world with the event on Sportsnet.ca tonight and tomorrow for the games. The final will go on tape delay on Sportsnet Pacific on Sunday evening and Monday 1pm on Sportsnet Ontario.” said Warren Philps, Board Member.
Putting together an event of this magnitude meant that there were 400 volunteers and 4 years of work which started November 2006. “ It has been a lot of work for our 15 board members with Larry Hebert as President and Doug Heath our treasurer and the others. We have been
toiling away for 4 years to put it all together. It has a $700,000 operating budget and another $1.3 million in capital improvements bringing the diamonds up to an international event standard,” said Philp. “The funders have been great with the province, federal and city
involved. The Ministry of Health promotions right off the top in 2006 kicked things off with a major grant. The city was in early and the Feds so we have had great support from our three levels of government. The private sector came through in tough economic times as well. We
have had ticket sales take off through the tournament and are well above estimates in terms of attendance. We haven't calculated all our expenses but are feeling good about where we are at right now.”
“ Baseball is my passion and I have played it all my life up until a couple years ago. Where I would most like to be is on the field playing but of course I am too old for this age group. If there is a world old timers series here I would love to play first or second base on the team,” smiles Warren Philp. “Our duties have meant we have not seen much baseball but we will enjoy the broadcast on tape and our you tube channel forever. Some players here such as Evan Grills, the lefty on the mound has been drafted by Houston Astros in the 8th round. Kellin Deglan came from the Texas Rangers camp in Florida to be here at the event.”
The World’s under 18 baseball championships have attracted thousands of spectators including many who have come from out of town.
