by Pim van Nes
Worldwide credit crisis and emerging professional baseball leagues in Europe inspired various baseball writers to compose new articles, holding statements and questions interesting enough to be reviewed by Mister Baseball for its wide spread audience across the world.
Marco Micheli wrote an Italian article on website Baseball.it reacting on the CEB announcement of the European League for professional clubs in 2010: “How newly born Italian Baseball League can implement the European League in its own planning is a question still too early to be answered. For sure the next two years will be decisive for future of European baseball with the simultaneous birth of two professional leagues in Europe and in Italy. We hope that there is a real project behind the two flowering novelties. If not, it would be a shame. As we say in these cases: who will live, will see”.
Elia Pagnoni, deputy editor-in-chief of daily newspaper Il Giornale in Milano, wrote an Italian article reacting on the intended erection of Italian Baseball League: “The real challenge of the Italian Baseball League as a project aims precisely on the weak link of our baseball. In order to become a sport of national dimensions, the showroom championship has to conquer cities and regions, which so far have failed to keep level with the present happy islets (such as Nettuno, Godo, San Marino, Parma, Grosseto). We are referring to big cities like Rome, Milano, Torino and Firenze and also to regions like Veneto, Friuli and Sicilia. Italian Baseball League needs this reality, if not IBL will never be able to take off”.
Giorgio Ferazzoli wrote an Italian article for the website Baseballitalia.it reacting on the USA-born credit crisis reaching all continents across the world: “The financial crisis does not spare the sport world. Also Major League Baseball has no immunity for this very dangerous virus. Commissioner Bud Selig has said: quote – Nobody knows what’s going to happen, needless to hide away that we are concerned. Frankly I believe that in the next few months my duty will be simply to follow the trend of the straight line. – unquote. Question of a million Euros: Will USA baseball crises affect the development project of an Italian Baseball League in 2010? To be more specific: Will be Major Leagues still ready to finance Italian baseball?”
Italian federation president Riccardo Fraccari is preparing federal elections for his baseball and softball parliament, which will take place in Bologna on November 16. The official website of FIBS, known for numerous early statements, has not yet published any reaction on the press releases by MLB and CEB.
Pim van Nes
Baseball writer for
www.honkbalsite.com
www.sporttribune.nl
www.baseball.it
