Great Park Stadium has been the home of the past two OC all-star baseball games. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
The City of Irvine and Innovation Baseball Partners announced the launch of a new professional baseball franchise set to begin play in the summer of 2027 at the Great Park Stadium, officials confirmed in a release Thursday.
The team will operate in the Pioneer Baseball League, an MLB partner league. The agreement is for five years. More details are expected to be announced later but it is expected the Great Park and the City of Irvine will realize significant financial benefits.
The team’s season will run from May through September and is currently operating under the name of Orange County Baseball Club.
Officials did not indicate how the team roster will be formed.
The Great Park Stadium is the home of the Orange County North-South All-Star Baseball Game. The game, sponsored by Guy Lemmon’s Ryan Lemmon Foundation (Dick Owens is tournament director) has been held at the Great Park the past two years.
The Ryan Lemmon Invitational has also been held there and the Great Park Stadium was also the host for USC baseball games while USC was renovating its on-campus stadium.
Officials with the Ryan Lemmon Foundation have pointed out that there is ample and convenient parking adjoining the facility.
The OC Riptide summer collegiate team also calls Great Park Stadium home. The team is wrapping up playoff action this week.
The OC Riptide will continue to play at the Great Park next season, according to the team’s general manager David Lamm.
“We have had a great relationship with the ownership group from the very start in regards to both the Riptide and the new Orange County baseball club coexisting at the Great Park in 2027,” Lamm told OC Sports Zone.
So the Riptide will have a new baseball partner next year.
“A new era of professional baseball is heading to Orange County, bringing a brand of world-class, family-friendly sports entertainment to one of the most vibrant regions in California,” said Mayor Larry Agran. “And what better place to call home than the Great Park.”
“IBP is designing a premium ballpark experience from the ground up, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them to the Great Park,” said Councilmember William Go, Chair of the Great Park Board. “This partnership will bring elite entertainment to our City without the elite price tag, tailored for the people who live here.”
The team could be in the same league as the Long Beach Coast, which began play this season at Blair Field, the home of the Long Beach State Dirtbags.
“We’ve always believed the sports industry has gotten one thing wrong. It acts like fans have to choose between a premium experience and affordable prices. We think they deserve both,” said Paul Freedman, Co-Founder of Innovation Baseball Partners.
“Orange County is a community where baseball should thrive, and Great Park gives us the chance to build something special. If we do this right, people won’t just come for the baseball. They’ll come because it’s one of the best ways to spend an evening with family and friends, and they’ll be able to do it often.”
The release added:
“Drawing rich inspiration from the legendary stadium cultures of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan and the Korea Baseball Organization in South Korea, the club will celebrate Orange County’s unique cultural tapestry. Ballpark attendees can look forward to a highly interactive, joyful environment where elements like coordinated crowd participation, energetic fan entertainment, and a reinvented culinary menu featuring iconic Asian street foods and local craft beverages seamlessly blend with traditional stadium favorites.”
Former Seattle Mariners Manager Dan Wakamatsu has been named the team’s manager. He has also been a coach for the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and a scout for the New York Yankees. He will lalso be the senior vice president of baseball operations, officials said.
“Throughout my life in baseball, I’ve seen how the game has the power to bridge cultures, ignite passion, and bring diverse communities together for shared joy,” he said in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring this innovative concept to California. Our goal is to capture the incredible energy of global fan culture and pair it with a high-caliber product on the field.”
Ticket prices have not been announced.
The club has established a website and encourages fans to register on the priority ticket waitlist by visiting OCbaseballclub.com
Source: Worker Agency, Tim Burt of OC Sports Zone contributed to this story.
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