The Ozarks Pro Baseball League sent me an email this evening with a statement to share with readers.
Dear Indy Ball Island,
We’d like to thank you for your blog, and for sharing information about independent league baseball. Ozarks Pro Baseball’s season will start July the 1st as our website states. We apologize for not posting anything on your blog, we are not social media guys we are baseball guys. It is obvious that social media is something we are going to have to become better at. Legally it is not in our best interest to comment on many of the allegations that have been posted. On that note we have a simplistic approach to baseball, our philosophy is a win win or no deal. We want our players, fans, coaches, and scouts to benefit from our simple midwest approach to baseball. We’ve been working very hard over the last few years developing a business model that is a win-win and also addresses many of the challenges in minor league baseball. Until next time, we will be hard at work ensuring a successful inaugural season for our league.
Thank you,
Ozarks Pro Baseball
You can find more information about the Ozarks Pro Baseball league on their official website.
Indy Ball Island 
nice article posted in the Ozark local newspaper
answers most of my questions.
http://ccheadliner.com/news/who-s-on-first-heartland-of-america-baseball-league-ozarks/article_76e3c830-095d-11e5-95c2-e37b65431484.html
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Thanks Bob, for the article/link.
Cripe, what a clusterf**k.
I’d strongly advise my kid against driving 15+ hours for tryouts or doing anything with these leagues until the legal crapola is sorted out.
No direct answers from either organization about unfilled roster spots, schedule, housing, etc.
Thanks again.
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Smart idea. I know some guys headed up to Ozark already (players who were signed to the Heartland.) They’re being taken care of in terms of housing, but they’re not doing much else.
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Although the Heartland website shows a number of signings, I’m curious about how many of those have come after the split. I would think that contracts prior to the split would be in the name of Ozark Pro Baseball. It would be nice if these guys could resolve their differences and form the league as originally intended.
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The Heartland League has said before that they would honor all contracts signed prior to the split… even though they say Ozarks on them.
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While Heartland might honor the contracts, I would think that Ozarks Pro would want to keep the players they signed and might seek to prevent those players from playing for the new Heartland League.
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Thanks to Bob for finding this article dated June 2, 2015 and posting it here for all to see. Wish Bob would have posted this on OPB And Heartland Facebook page. As a parent of a baseball player who signed with OPB, only coming to find out that his contact with OPB is not binding because of all this mess. Players are getting the ran around and lies have been told on both sides. Players do not know who to believe. Art expects players to travel clear across country to only find out they have to go back home? While Tony from OPB can’t disclose too much because they are in a legal dispute. What a mess!!! And in the end it is the Players who are the ones left out in the cold and hurt by both parties. SAD for the baseball industry.
Joesph, Yes that is what I intend to do…Have my son Wait for confirmation from either parties. Heartland is telling players they have Price Cutter Park..and then OPB states No, they have Price Cutter Park. Lies..Then neither of them have housing for all of the players..Lies that they tell!!!.
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if you re-read the newspaper article several times you will see the
idea to rejuvenate Price Cutter Park started a couple of years ago
by Phil Wilson/ Ozark Baseball. The problems started when Heartland
wanted in on it, and take it to another level. I assume they felt it was
an opportunity to make money.
My son is planning on playing as well but I tend to support Phil Wilson and what he is trying to do for that community and the players.
For him I don’t think it is about the money. It’s about playing baseball and helping our kids advance where possible. That’s just my impression.
Each one of us just has to decide which group is a better match.
Hopefully both play and both succeed. There doesn’t always have to be a ‘winner’
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I’m with you Bob… Let’s hope it all works out!!!!
I like what OPB is trying do. Somehow it seems Homestead tried to mess up what OPB had going and now there is some confusion…
Guys like “Matt Johnson”, who admits that’s not his real name, has nothing good to add but just wants to tear down what OPB is trying to offer these players.
If you don’t have a solution or a viable alternative why knock something good a group is trying to do and stand behind anonymity doing so…
Being a college coach you should support the efforts of what OPB is trying to do for former players rather than condemning them for having problems that are somewhat out of their control.
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6 teams, 25 players each? So $120,000 per month in just player salaries? Add on a $100,000 per year field lease, paying for the players’ hotel rooms while waiting for housing options, in addition to ordering uniforms, baseballs, helmets, paying your staff, paying your coaching staffs, ordering concessions, staffing concessions/tickets/game day staff, PAYING UMPIRES, developing promotions, etc…I estimate, per month this league needs to cover $180,000 per month to operate. Let’s be real, you can’t find enough sponsorships to cover those costs and anyone willing to let that money melt out of their pockets as a financial partner is an idiot. You’re ruining these players’ options. You’re not helping it. Grant them all the opportunity to be released so that they can sign with other teams who are needing players right now. The ECBL and Mount Rainier have already given independent baseball a bad image, this whole Heartland/Ozarks thing is not going to happen. Quit dragging these players along based on your hopes. You don’t have a field secured (as of last night), you don’t have all facilities on the grounds in working order, the field is in terrible shape, laying turf properly takes over a month, and still neither of these “hopeful” leagues have updated anything. Stop the joke now, it’s not funny anymore. You’re killing these players’ dreams.
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In case anybody’s needs to stay updated, here are some new articles (w/ video) over the past week:
http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/the-battle-over-price-cutter-park-continues
http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/2015/06/11/eve-tryouts-ozarks-pro-baseball-league-unsettled/71081610/
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Ozark League getting shut down as of today. Unreal how they had players drive 15+ hours cross country to not even make it till the first paycheck. No jerseys, fields, not even transportation was provided. Players would carpool from a “practice” on a football field, to a “scrimmage” at some small town high school 45 min away. After having the report date pushed back over a month players showed up to Springfield expecting to move in somewhere there, just to find out they had to gas up their tanks again and drive to more hours to West Plains. Scams like this need to be sniffed out and exposed earlier. A player is blinded with the chance to get to play ball that they are willing to sacrifice alot to make it happen. I feel terrible for these players, some left other jobs, and even families to try and play. Its not the fact that the league failed, but the fact that there was never any hope for it to ever succeed. Seemed as though it was a glorified travel ball league. Except those teams have jerseys, fields, etc. Could go on forever because of the first hand encounter. Disgusted to say the least
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Umm…James I think your statement is incorrect? I’ve looked on the OPB Facebook and it states they are playing tonight July 18, 2015 at 6PM location is at Lions Field in West Plains MO across from the High School. But, I have also read that many players and coaches have left and they will only have 2 teams. Seems as though Phil Wilson and Tony Sr. have not made a public statement as to what really is going on. To me in my opinion they sound like cowards not reveling any information to the parents and or players. From what I can gather it seems as through the league has no money/funding. They are still working on getting the money? I also read a post on their Facebook page that said they wanted to start up a GOFUNDME account? Does not make any sense for Parents/community people to put cash in for the league when the league should have had a solid plan for money in place before they wasted a lot of peoples time and money to go and play for their league. Kayla Thompson is there anyway for you to dig deeper and try to get a statement from the Phil Wilson the commish? Thanks
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I’ve been trying to get them to give me information and/or a statement for weeks. They have completely gone silent except for the one “assistant coach” on Facebook. Most of the players have left and from everything I’ve gathered, they only have enough players for 2 teams. And yes, they’re trying to raise money… but really for what? This isn’t “professional” baseball. The guys playing games don’t even have stats to show for it. Nothing is recorded. If I hear anything from any of the higher ups, I will certainly pass on the info to everyone.
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Yes, Mrs. Thompson I agree 100% with your statement. Thanks for your blog it helps in getting the word out on “Professional” Independent Baseball Leagues. And Ozark Pro Baseball is not a “Professional” league. In fact, I went out to one game and the teams looked more like a little league team. No Jerseys for the players, they were wearing T-Shirts, they had no team hats, the players were wearing their own street clothes hat, they had no real looking officials(umpires) and no commentator to tell us who was on deck and no one keeping or posting stats. This league is a joke to say the least. Again, I appreciate you trying to get a statement.
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Well it looks like OPB League is done as of today July 21, 2015. It took them long enough to realize they were done. Sad for the players that stuck around hoping and believing OPB would get it together.
Below is the statement taken from OPB Facebook page.
Ozarks Pro Baseball
6 mins ago from OPB Facebook page
Phil Wilson has told the players to go home and wait. If we get the finances in order we will ask the players to come back, but we will send money in advance.
We made mistakes but we are not giving up, folding or anything but working hard. We were promised funding and it “will be there tomorrow” for months now.
We are working hard for the guys to have a place to play ball and show their skills. The players are going home but we are not quitting.
We will not ask players back again, ever, unless we have proper funding.
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