Miners trying to make up for budget shortage

PALMER — On the field, during the last six years, the Mat-Su Miners have enjoyed one of the team’s most successful runs in the organization’s history.

The Miners have won two Alaska Baseball League titles, have never finished lower than third in the six-team league’s standings, have finished first in the league in wins three times and have more victories than any other ABL team during that six-year span.

But off the field, times have been a bit more difficult.

And now, with opening day only about five months away, the Miners are facing a $43,000 budget shortfall, general manager Pete Christopher said recently.

So starting this week, Christopher is hitting the streets, going door-to-door to local business in search of the support needed to keep the local summer collegiate baseball league organization strong.

Christopher did something similar in 2003, shortly after taking over as general manager. He said that venture was a success, and the community’s loyal support throughout the years is why the finaicially-strapped Miners continue to have success on the field.

“There wouldn’t be a team if it wasn’t for the support from the community,” Christopher said. “We wouldn’t be here.”

Christopher said a significant drop in revenue from gaming is the reasons why the organization found itself in this financial pickle.

Unlike most teams in the league, the Miners have only one paid employee — Christopher. The organization gives the coaches a stipend during the summer and pays for the travel costs to and from Alaska for all on the team.

But other than that, the organization’s $220,000 annual budget consists mostly of maintaining Hermon Brothers Field and the day-to-day operations of running a summer baseball team.

Christopher is proud to say all of the team’s bills are paid, and the team is cutting expenses wherever it can. Significant upgrades to the field have been made with grants.

Christopher stressed the Miners aren’t aiming to get rich, but the team is also not yet in a position where it would have to cancel a season.

“We just want to be able to solidify our finances,” Christopher said.

State approved charitable gaming, which includes pull tabs and bingo, has been a cornerstone of the ABL’s financial stability.

In the past, the Miners have partnered with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots to operate state gaming licenses in Anchorage-area establishment’s such as a handful of bars or the Pilots’ souvenir shop, the Dugout.

Christopher said the Miners also hope to find reliable operators in the Valley, to use the team’s gaming license. But he doesn’t want to hurt other nonprofits.

“We need to get into more locations out here with our game license,” Christopher said. “On the other hand, I don’t want to step on other 501c3 nonprofits. I don’t want to hurt anyone else.”

In the meantime, Christopher hopes to raise $30,000 in advertising revenue. His goal is to sell 200 business card sized ads at $150 each.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.