GBL still interested in Kamloops

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Kamloops should know by October whether it will have a Golden Baseball League franchise in time for the 2010 season.
“Kamloops is very much at the top of our expansion priority list,” David Kaval, the GBL’s chief executive officer and founder, said during a Thursday night stop in Kamloops.
Kaval and commissioner Kevin Outcalt stopped here on their way from Victoria, home of the Seals, to Calgary, home of the Vipers.
“We really like this town,” Outcalt said. “It’s very sports oriented. We like the size of the community. We like the facilities and the enthusiasm.
“We really are excited about a team here.”
Peter Young, another GBL executive, has been handling lease negotiations with the City.
The team would play about 40 homes games out of NorBrock Stadium.
Kaval said the GBL has heard from two potential ownership groups both of which he said are rooted in “Western Canada.”
The league, which now has nine teams, including Victoria, Calgary and the Edmonton Capitals, who are owned by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, will complete its 2010 schedule in December. It hopes to add three teams for 2010, one of which would be in Canada, and would have to know by October in order to include it in its schedule.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca