WBC finds partner in city

City council went to bat for the cash-strapped World Baseball Challenge and drove in up to $20,000 in breathing room in tournament costs.

The August event was before council Monday night looking for in-kind support for city fees, like garbage disposal, bleacher seat rental and additional lighting.

While it has about 25 cash sponsors, it's missing a "tournament champion" or title sponsor.

"So we are in the bushes for every nickel and penny we can get," said Rick Pattie, chair of the 12-member tournament committee.

Councillors unanimously approved a motion that said city staff would work with the event and offer up to $20,000 in support, though a quote put the estimated amount it would need from the city at just over $15,000.

That money would come from the major events reserve, which currently sits at about $100,000 council heard.

The five-team tournament is scheduled for Aug. 12-20 at Citizen Field, and the United States squad has just confirmed its attendance, Pattie told council.

The last event saw more than $1 million injected into the community, Pattie said. It typically has 15,000 people attend over the course of the tournament.

The WBC committee postponed the tournament in 2015 in the wake of the Canada Winter Games that year, which drained the sponsorship budgets of local businesses and tapped the resources of volunteers.

Tournament passes will be the same price as 2013, Pattie told council. Reserved seat tournament passes for all 19 games are $199, while grandstand general admission passes are priced at $149. Single-game tickets will be $15. Tickets will be available for order through PayPal on the website worldbaseball.ca or at the committee's soon-to-open office at 2274 South Nicholson.

-- with files from Ted Clarke