Dresden Dukes Baseball Und Softball Dresden Dukes E.V

Dresden Dukes Baseball und Softball Dresden Dukes e.V.

Dresden, 08. August 2012

City Officials ban Baseball in Dresden

Shortly after the city of Dresden closed the Ballpark Narzissenweg 9 for all baseball games in spring 2012, the Baseball- and Softballclub Dresden Dukes e.V. suffered a new setback. Officials of the sports facilities operations (Sportstätten- und Bäderbetrieb) have informed the Club that the only alternative site near the indoor swimming pool in Dresden-Klotzsche cannot be converted to a combined baseball and softball field, even though it offered sufficient space. In the budget of 2013, the City cannot afford the 36,000-40,000 Euros, necessary for the conversion of the former soccer field. In addition, the head of the sports facilities operations Sven Mania does not expect that the city can afford it in the near future.

The decision hits the club extremely hard, since the four-time champion (2004, 2007, 2008, 2010) of the Central German Baseball League (MDLB) will not be able to compete in the league from 2013 on. It is in stark contrast to the regional development of baseball in eastern Germany, where a new ballpark opened in Magdeburg in 2010 and where the ballpark in Leipzig has been upgraded to support relegation to the higher Regionalliga. It also does not fit the increasing popularity of baseball in Germany and Europe. In 2009 up to 10,000 spectators watched the Baseball World Cup in Regensburg and the reigning World Champion is neither the USA nor Cuba, but Germany’s neighbor the Netherlands. Even the memberships in the Dresden Dukes e.V. have steadily increased since the founding of the club in 1998. But now the 35 members of the Dukes’ baseball team are left hanging. Furthermore, it is also a setback to the successful integration of foreigners and immigrants, of which the "open-minded” city of Dresden might not be aware. In the nearly 15 years since the founding of the club more than 25 players from around the world have played with the Dukes. Not only from the United States of America and Cuba, where baseball is very popular, but also from the Dominican Republic, Japan, Honduras, France, Russia, Mexico, China, Nicaragua, South Korea and Finland.

The decision will also affect other sections of the club. Even though softball can still be played on the field at the Narzissenweg, the club might lose half of its members with the breakup of its baseball section. Whether the reduced member contributions can still finance the softball operations in 2013, needs to be seen. Even the good youth development in recent years will be destroyed without a baseball field. In 2011, five teenagers made the jump from the youth team to the second team. Now they lack any motivation to improve their baseball skills. In addition, the club will lose the volunteer youth coaches, which are currently active in the men’s teams.

Postadresse: Hubertusstraße 24, 01129 Dresden Vorsitzender: Luis Arias Fumero Telefon: 0351/3113450 oder 0174/5200346 Stellvertreter: Anke Bergander eMail: [email protected] Schatzmeister: Daria Freitag Homepage: www.dresdendukes.de Amtsgericht Dresden VR 3625

Bankverbindung: Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden (BLZ 850 503 00), Konto 312 000 1340

The club not only criticizes the decision of the sports facilities operations, but also the delays caused by its officials. Although the city had received complains of neighbors regarding foul balls by the end of the 2011 season, they only closed down the field two days before the first home game in April 2012. Despite the fact that the club filed more than ten proposals for alternative sites, the city only offered the sports field in Dresden-Klotzsche as an alternative. But even this site will still be in use by the city’s schools in 2013, a fact that was not communicated to the club until two months later. Only afterwards the Dresden Dukes e.V. received permission to play at the rugby/cricket field in Ostragehege, a site which the club already requested in April 2012. However, the offer was made without consultation with the two local clubs, the Rugby Club Dresden e.V. and the Dresden RV Cricket Club. Only after the Dresden Dukes e.V. had contacted both clubs, it became clear that by this time no free times were available and that the site did not support the necessary changes required for the baseball field. Despite all efforts on the part of the baseball club the decision to ban baseball in 2013 and the "subsequent” years disappoints even more.

Bankverbindung: Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden (BLZ 850 503 00), Konto 312 000 1340