International Baseball Academy of Central America - Nicaragua

Building a Home for Big Dreams

In 2010, the International Baseball Association will break ground on a training and tourism facility for the International Baseball Academy of Central America - Nicaragua (IBACA - Nica). Patterned on the highly successful baseball academies in the Dominican Republic, IBACA - Nica will identify and develop young talent with an eye toward winning US scholarships and building professional baseball careers. IBACA-Nica's parent company, International Baseball Association (a California corporation) also will establish a talent agency, under the direction of IBA/IBACA Board member Dave Stewart (a player agent, whose clients include Matt Kemp, Chad Billinsgley and Carlos Quentin). The agency will represent Nicaraguan players once they begin play in the minor leagues and beyond in the United States. This will provide a substantial secondary source of revenue for the company.

In addition to identifying high-caliber baseball talent, IBACA - Nica represents an opportunity for education and vocational training for players and local support staff. It introduces a viable and growing business to a region eager for commerce and opens the door to interactions that will, by design, elevate the standard of living of the surrounding community.

The Vision

Nicaragua has always been a baseball country, although the struggles of the 1980s and subsequent economic decline curtailed the sport to a large extent. Around the country, young boys play in the streets with whatever they can find to serve as a bat and a ball. There is plenty of passion and talent for the game, but it is truly raw and untrained.

IBACA - Nica intends to tap and develop this wellspring of talent, creating an infrastructure for training and setting the standard for advancement of baseball in Nicaragua. A network of talent evaluators will identify young players with professional potential and IBACA - Nica will help these players launch their careers.

Ultimately, the plan calls for a facility that can house and train 200 players with multiple baseball fields, batting cages, pitching mounds, practice fields, and a track and weight training gym. Additional accommodations include player dorms, coach and staff housing, classrooms, a cafeteria, equipment storage and other structures. The final phase features a Minor League quality stadium.

IBACA - Nica is in an excellent location to provide winter league and training facilities for high school and college teams from the US, as well as Japanese and Korean teams. The proximity of the Gran Pacifica Resort opens the possibility of celebrity golf tournaments and other similar events. Plans are in motion for Fantasy Baseball Camps, giving participants the opportunity to play ball with some of Major League Baseball’s biggest stars of the past 25 years. The facilities will also host a variety of annual, international tournaments and events promoting cultural interaction and competitive advancement for youth travel teams from all over the world.   

 
Baseball and Beyond

The IBACA - Nica training program will include intensive training in baseball fundamentals: hitting, pitching, catching, infield, outfield, base-running, strategy, strength and conditioning. Periodic seminars and conferences in sports medicine, coaching, umpire training and nutrition will augment the player training program. IBACA - Nica aims to develop Nicaragua’s baseball infrastructure by training coaches, umpires, administrators, scouts and other essential personnel. Further, IBACA – Nica will venture to improve the quality of and access to youth baseball throughout the country by teaming with local government and FENIBA in the areas of regional clinics, field improvements, equipment donations and youth program organization and administration.

But the program goes beyond baseball. Participants will also receive classroom instruction in computers, mathematics, English language, business skills, entrepreneurship, humanities and more. The first goal of IBACA - Nica is to help players obtain scholarships to US universities or move into careers in professional baseball. But it is also important that those participants who do not continue in baseball be prepared to improve their lifestyles in other ways. IBACA - Nica can help participants learn skills that are valuable in the growing tourism industry of Nicaragua, thus building a bridge for students to improve their lives even if they are not successful in baseball.

Administrative and support staff will be hired as much as possible from the local labor force, with an emphasis on providing vocational education. In this effort IBACA - Nica will work closely with The Hope and Development Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the local community through education, vocational training, job opportunities and health promotion.

Making it Happen

After careful consideration of various Central American locations, IBACA-Nica selected a property adjacent to the Gran Pacifica Beach and Golf Resort on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Proximity to Gran Pacifica gives IBACA - Nica access to luxury vacation rentals as well as the opportunity to incorporate golf, swimming, surfing, horseback riding, fishing and other activities into its promotions and event schedule. This juxtaposition also enables IBACA - Nica to take advantage of the educational and vocational programs already established by the Hope and Development Foundation.

Once the program is established, the program offers several revenue sources, including the Fantasy Baseball Camps (at $4,000 - $6,000 per participant), facility rental to tournaments, teams and winter leagues and other baseball tourists. Golf tournaments and other fundraising activities are being planned in conjunction with the Hope and Development Foundation, with the backing of the Gran Pacifica Beach and Golf Resort.

Evaluation and training will be provided to Nicaraguan prospects free of charge, in return for a commission on signing bonuses. As an example, a similar program in the Dominican Republic saw 442 players sign contracts in 2001 for bonuses totaling $16,390,750. A 30 percent commission would realize $4,917,225.

Groundbreaking is planned for early 2010. The first phase will consist of two playing fields, the track, a cafeteria, administrative offices, one dormitory, classrooms with computers, trainers’ room, gym/weight room, practice infield (half-field), 8 pitching mounds, storage and maintenance facilities. The budget for Phase 1, including land acquisition, is $2,165,000. Already, half of that money has been committed by IBACA-Nica principals and early investors.

Several sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals or corporations to support this project in return for public promotion of the sponsor’s name.

$50,000 level

Pitcher’s Mounds Area – 1

Track – 1

Scoreboards – 8

Infield Practice Facilities – 2

Dorm Facilities – 4

Training Facilities – 4

$150,000 level

Locker Room – 1

Classrooms – 1

$200,000 level

Field Sponsorship – 2

Weight Room – 1

$250,000 level

Stadium Scoreboard – 1

$500,000 level

Facility Naming – 1

$1,000,000 level

Minor League Stadium Naming – 1

The project will provide huge benefits in several areas. Major League Baseball clubs will have a direct source of new talent from a previously untapped region. By selecting prospects from IBACA - Nica program, teams reduce scouting and recruiting costs and are assured a high standard of training and play.

The community surrounding IBACA - Nica and Gran Pacifica will benefit from employment and educational opportunities and increased tourism that will support the expansion of local commerce. IBACA - Nica’s connection with the Hope and Development Foundation will increase this effect by focusing directly on improving the economic situation of the local community.

Finally, underserved youth in Central America will have the opportunity to benefit from the discipline and personal growth of intensive training in baseball. Even if they do not continue in the sport, IBACA - Nica is organized to provide them with the skills they need to improve their lives and the outlook for their families’ futures.

For the people and the country of Nicaragua, the life-changing impact of this project cannot be overstated.

IBACA- NICA

The International Baseball Academy began in California with the goal of promoting the growth of baseball in countries around the world. Aside from increasing the flow of quality players into Major League Baseball, the organization works to build worldwide interest in the sport with the goal of seeing baseball regains its place as an Olympic sport. The affiliated International Baseball Academies-Central America is focused specifically on Central America’s youth baseball talent, allowing players the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of playing in the Major Leagues.

IBACA-Nica also includes education and employment, providing critical social and development services to facilitate the growth of these young men into responsible community role models of sound moral character. With this expanded program IBACA-Nica intends to raise the standard of living of the surrounding community as well as the individual players.