THE TEAMS

EAST DIVISION Wenatchee AppleSox Walla Walla Sweets Bellingham Bells Kelowna Falcons

- WEST DIVISION Corvallis Knights Bend Elks Cowlitz Black Bears Kitsap BlueJackets Klamath Falls Gems

The crack of a bat and aroma of hot dogs could again fill spring and summer nights at Royal Athletic Park.

The West Coast League, a baseball circuit established in 2005 and featuring top U.S. collegiate NCAA players in wood-bat ball, is considering a move to Victoria beginning in 2013.

"We've had numerous meetings with the city [of Victoria] for about a year now," said WCL president Ken Wilson from Portland.

"We will try to finalize details in November."

Wilson said the owner/operator of the prospective Victoria team is a Vancouver businessman but the league boss added he was not at liberty to divulge the name at this point.

Although featuring collegians, the nine teams in the league operate like pro clubs on a for-profit basis with all the promotions fans would expect in a minor-pro setting. Each team plays 54 games from June through August, with 27 at home.

"We run it like a minorpro league and it looks like a minor-pro league," said Wilson, the first Seattle Mariners broadcaster with Dave Niehaus from 1977 to 1982, and also part of the current rotating group that took over Mariners broadcast duties when Niehaus died in 2010.

"The only difference is our players are two years away from being in the Northwest League [shortseason single-A, the intro-ductory level to pro ball]," added Wilson, also a former St. Louis Cardinals, California Angels, Oakland A's, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks broadcaster.

A total of 45 WCL players were selected in the 2011 major league draft, including 10 in the first six rounds with pitchers Tyler Anderson of Corvallis (Colorado Rockies) and Jeff Ames of Wenatchee (Tampa Bay Rays) going in the first round.

The nine current teams in the league include the Bellingham Bells, Wenatchee AppleSox, Walla Walla Sweets, Cowlitz Black Bears of Kelso-Longview and Kitsap BlueJackets from Washington state, the Bend Elks, Klamath Falls Gems and Corvallis Knights from Oregon, with the Kelowna Falcons the lone B.C. team.

Wilson said average attendance last season was 1,100, "which you would need to do to make it work."

He doesn't foresee a problem in Victoria, which has been without baseball since the Seals of the independent minor-pro Golden League ceased operations in 2010 after two seasons.

"Victoria will be one of the bigger markets but it fits in well," said Wilson.

"Any time Victoria has had baseball in the past, attendance has been outstanding. We love RAP because it's close to downtown and provides a great atmosphere and setting for baseball. We believe it's the right owner, right league and the right economic structure. We finally have the right mix and combination that will be successful in Victoria."

Former Seals president Darren Parker, whose family owned the pro club, doesn't disagree.

"There are no salaries and no plane travel, so this business model makes more sense," said Parker, now vice-president of sales and marketing for RG Properties, and not involved in the potential WCL team.

The City of Victoria said nothing has been finalized but acknowledges talks have been underway.

"But no contract has been signed and nothing is in writing," said Jeff Brehaut, sports services co-ordinator for the city.

"But a potential team owner has been in contact and we continue active discussion and dialogue."

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com