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QMJHL_GUY · 11-05-2013, 12:12 PM

A little backstory on the QPBA...

Ideas were flowing in Pierre-Karl Péladeau's head during the winter of 2013. Here is the man who wants to bring back the Nordiques to the city of Québec. Yes, hockey is the main sport around here, but the NHL refuses to grant Québec City a second chance, even though a new arena is being build right now. In the meantime, Péladeau is thinking about the Expos, another professional team that vanished from the province a couple of years ago.

While it might be impossible to bring back the 'Spos without a new stadium in downtown Montréal, it could be interesting for baseball fans around the province (there are many) to invest their time following a local league made up of all the best Québec baseball players. And then was born the Québec Pro Baseball Alliance.

Following a bunch of meetings, Péladeau build a team of dedicated governors and owners looking to establish a solid league inside the biggest cities of Québec. By June 2013, the league took off.

Now this is not a league where players are getting paid millions to play a game. No, this is basically a semi-pro league like any others probably throughout the Unites States. The skill level isn't all that big, or the players wouldn't be here, of course.

The players work year round. But during two full months, in the hottest days of the summer, they take some vacation... or do they ?

A 38-game schedule was put together and a fantasy draft was conducted. Sherbrooke, Montréal, Gatineau, Québec City, Victoriaville, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières and Laval... the QPBA was coming into it's own. No players contract, no free agency. No DH. A playoff format that doesn't forgive.

Everyone set up their own clubs. They found coaches, managers, people to take care of the ballparks. They printed tickets. They advertised all over the province. They got some TV coverage. They got the players to commit themselves to their teams for the whole summer. It was gonna be a beauty.

The games are played in outside ballparks. The temperature in the province during June and July is optimal for baseball. There rarely is a rainy day and the temperature is always around 30C. People did come out to see the players in 2013. Lots of people. The QPBA averaged more than 2500 fans per game on average. More than 4000 during the playoffs. It was a great year and hopefully, the league will continue do do well because baseball is great, at any level, and those are the best Québec has to offer.

And then, the Victoriaville Lions won the 2013 pennant. Who's gonna be the winner in 2014 ?

11-05-2013, 12:12 PM	#34
QMJHL_GUY Moderator Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 135	A little backstory on the QPBA... Ideas were flowing in Pierre-Karl Péladeau's head during the winter of 2013. Here is the man who wants to bring back the Nordiques to the city of Québec. Yes, hockey is the main sport around here, but the NHL refuses to grant Québec City a second chance, even though a new arena is being build right now. In the meantime, Péladeau is thinking about the Expos, another professional team that vanished from the province a couple of years ago. While it might be impossible to bring back the 'Spos without a new stadium in downtown Montréal, it could be interesting for baseball fans around the province (there are many) to invest their time following a local league made up of all the best Québec baseball players. And then was born the Québec Pro Baseball Alliance. Following a bunch of meetings, Péladeau build a team of dedicated governors and owners looking to establish a solid league inside the biggest cities of Québec. By June 2013, the league took off. Now this is not a league where players are getting paid millions to play a game. No, this is basically a semi-pro league like any others probably throughout the Unites States. The skill level isn't all that big, or the players wouldn't be here, of course. The players work year round. But during two full months, in the hottest days of the summer, they take some vacation... or do they ? A 38-game schedule was put together and a fantasy draft was conducted. Sherbrooke, Montréal, Gatineau, Québec City, Victoriaville, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières and Laval... the QPBA was coming into it's own. No players contract, no free agency. No DH. A playoff format that doesn't forgive. Everyone set up their own clubs. They found coaches, managers, people to take care of the ballparks. They printed tickets. They advertised all over the province. They got some TV coverage. They got the players to commit themselves to their teams for the whole summer. It was gonna be a beauty. The games are played in outside ballparks. The temperature in the province during June and July is optimal for baseball. There rarely is a rainy day and the temperature is always around 30C. People did come out to see the players in 2013. Lots of people. The QPBA averaged more than 2500 fans per game on average. More than 4000 during the playoffs. It was a great year and hopefully, the league will continue do do well because baseball is great, at any level, and those are the best Québec has to offer. And then, the Victoriaville Lions won the 2013 pennant. Who's gonna be the winner in 2014 ? Last edited by QMJHL_GUY; 11-05-2013 at 12:15 PM.