The Atlantic League announced Thursday it is searching for a new league president to oversee its business affairs.
The search is being done in part because the league does not want a president who is also associated with any club ownership group.
Peter Kirk, who is the current league president, is also the chairman of Opening Day Partners, which owns five of the league's eight teams, including the York Revolution. Kirk will stay on as the league president until a new president is selected, according to a news release from the league.
"The ALPB (Atlantic League of Professional Baseball) was formed in April of 1995 and took the field in May of 1998," Frank Boulton, league founder and chief executive officer, said in the news release. "Since then, over 30 million fans have enjoyed Atlantic League baseball. It has been an honor to preside over the league since its inception but it is time that we assume a more traditional form of governance with a leader who is independent of team ownership. This is a step that the league has been considering for some time and I look forward to working with our new president as a member of the ALPB board of directors."
Kirk could not be reached for comment for this story.
The league also announced in the news release that Boulton will retire the CEO position at the end of the 2013 season, but will then move into a chairman emeritus position for the league. Boulton, owner of the league's Long Island Ducks and Bridgeport Bluefish, could not be reached for comment for this story. The news release did not specify if the Atlantic League CEO position would be filled once Boulton retires.
However, it's worth noting he recently announced efforts to create the independent Diamond League. Separate from the Atlantic League, the Diamond League will aim to develop younger players, something that's now more possible since Major League Baseball has cut back its amateur draft from 50 rounds to 40 rounds last year.
"What you're seeing more and more is that there are players who are first-team all-stars in their collegiate league that aren't getting drafted because they've cut back on the MLB draft," Boulton said in an interview with The York Dispatch in April about the Diamond League. "This is sort of a vehicle that might help accommodate that."
The new league president will continue the league's efforts to expand from eight teams to 12 teams. The league is currently eyeing a few markets to add a team, including the Loudon (Va.) Hounds, who broke ground on a new stadium earlier this year. The Hounds are aiming to begin play in the Atlantic League in 2014, but Loudon has yet to get approval for membership into the league.
Boulton and Kirk will remain as league directors and members of the league executive committee.
-- Reach John Walk at jwalk@yorkdispatch.com.
Source: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/sports/ci_23643307/atlantic-league-looking-new-president?source=rss
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