Fresno leaders must push for a deal to keep pro baseball in downtown Chukchansi Park

As negotiations continue between Major League Baseball, the owners of the Fresno Grizzlies and city leaders over the future of professional baseball here, one thing is certain: Chukchansi Park must not become an empty stadium.

To that end, a demotion of the Grizzlies from Triple-A, with players one step removed from the big leagues, to low Single-A, the entry level for pros, is something Fresno leaders and fans may well have to accept.

As humbling as that might be for California’s fifth-largest city that holds higher aspirations, the likelihood that Fresno can retain Triple-A status is unlikely. MLB has said as much.

Having a Single-A team in the California League would be a major step down in quality of play and competition, for sure.

But for the fan who wants to enjoy a game with a beer and a hot dog on a summer night, the downgrade might not be so horrible.

The ramifications go beyond professional status: The city has $30 million invested in bonds for the construction of the stadium that must be paid back by 2031. No one earns anything if the stadium lies dormant.

Revolving big-league teams

The reason Fresno finds itself in this spot is that the Washington Nationals, the major league team that had the Grizzlies as its Triple-A affiliate, notified the Grizzlies last month that it was aligning with the Rochester, N.Y., franchise.

Geography is a major reason why. It did not make logistical sense for the Washington, D.C. club, or for Houston in the years before the Nationals, to be joined up with Fresno.

The Grizzlies were formed in 1998 to be the Triple-A franchise of the San Francisco Giants, a relationship that continued through the 2014 season. The Giants then picked the Sacramento River Cats to be their Triple-A team.

So the Grizzlies joined with the Houston Astros in 2015 and went on to capture the Triple-A National Championship. The Astros affiliation lasted through 2018. The following year Washington took over — and won the World Series. But this past season got wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now MLB says no team wants to affiliate with Fresno. West Coast pro teams like the Dodgers, A’s, Angels and Padres already have Triple-A affiliates. And teams farther east don’t want the travel hassle.

Fresno must keep pro baseball

Underlying the negotiations are sobering financial facts. According to city figures, it will cost $3.4 million a year to maintain a vacant Chukchansi Park. Of that, $300,000 is for maintenance and security. The rest is to pay off the construction bond.

With a Triple-A team using the stadium during baseball season, revenues from lease payments, fees and taxes amount to $750,000 a year. The city still operates at an annual loss of $2.7 million.

Presumably, a Single-A team would generate less revenues. But if it comes to Fresno having a Triple or Single-A team, Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer is on board, as long as baseball gets played.

“Chukchansi Stadium is the anchor of downtown and very important to the future,” said Dyer, who takes over next month. “But it cannot be an empty stadium. It must be a stadium with a baseball team.”

Should that be Triple-A or Single-A? Dyer defers to the current owners of the Grizzlies and Major League Baseball to sort that out.

What the incoming mayor puts a priority on is having a vibrant downtown with three times more people living there than the 3,000 now, as well as more entertainment and dining options. Professional baseball, Dyer said, is a key piece of his vision.

He’s got the right idea. Professional baseball has been played consistently in Fresno since the 1940s. It must not end now. City leaders and the Grizzly owners must negotiate well to make sure it remains in Fresno’s future.