NBC World Series board moves toward getting in full swing

The 2014 National Baseball Congress World Series ended seven weeks ago, and the 2015 edition doesn’t begin for another 43 weeks.

Plenty of time for the new NBC Foundation to take full ownership of the 80-year-old tournament.

Except …

“We’ve got business right now that needs (to get) done,” Foundation chairman Steve Shaad said.

That’s been the hangup for the 11-member board charged with keeping the NBC going. The tournament was run for years by its minor-league co-tenant – most recently the Wingnuts – at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Small things are getting done, such as setting the 2015 tournament dates (July 24-Aug. 8). But hiring a tournament director and getting fundraising off the ground has been slow.

“We were given a task to run the NBC and basically (receive) ownership of the National Baseball Congress,” Shaad said. “But without it (came) any endowment, which you would normally give for any foundation or charity.

“Our formative times, we’ve been as active as possible, but we’re not in a position until just now to put things together to solicit.”

That may begin to change soon, as the Foundation met this week and decided to pursue negotiations with Kevin Jenks, this year’s tournament director, on keeping his job under the Foundation. The Foundation was formed by the Wichita City Council when it decided to transfer ownership of the NBC and its assets.

Jenks received positive reviews in his first year as director.

“It felt like an audition,” Jenks said. “Should I be in the position of director next year, I’d keep the same approach I had this year. With probably even more craziness and passion than this year.”

Foundation board members spoke with managers, players, team owners and fans during the World Series about many facets of the tournament, including Jenks’ performance.

“To a T, they all seemed to think Kevin had done a good job and brought a lot of life to the tournament, and a welcoming attitude,” Shaad said. “Someone that they could work with and wanted to work with.”

But with no money to hire him, the Foundation will ask the City Council next month for a start-up loan. Shaad would not say the amount, saying it hadn’t been finalized.

Jenks has been talking to teams about 2015 and this weekend was scheduled to drive to St. Joseph, Mo., to attend a MINK League meeting.

He worries that any further delay could affect fundraising, as potential sponsors make decisions about 2015 marketing budgets late this year.

“Every day that goes by is a day we’ve lost,” Jenks said.

Jenks said it costs about $300,000 to run the World Series, which underlines the Foundation’s biggest challenge: fundraising.

“When we can make an offer to a tournament director and get someone working for us full-time year-round,” Shaad said, “I feel like we’ll make much more rapid progress.”

There are many other details to work out, including negotiations with the Wingnuts on items including ticket and skybox revenue. Jenks said Wingnuts ownership is ready to work on a transition plan.

“There’s a very good relationship here,” he said. “We all know what’s around the bend. We don’t know where the bend turns, but we know it’s coming. We’re all prepared for it.”

This story was originally published September 26, 2014 at 12:45 PM with the headline "NBC World Series board moves toward getting in full swing."