SABR Office Relocating to Phoenix
SABR announces upcoming move of its headquarters from Cleveland to Phoenix.
This announcement was sent to SABR members on January 12 by SABR President Andy McCue on behalf of the Board of Directors.
Today is a noteworthy and exciting day for SABR. We are announcing that SABR will be moving its headquarters from Cleveland to Phoenix. This move is an important part of an overall strategy for SABR to build our membership base, widen our demographics, and provide additional benefits to members. We believe the best way to do this is to raise our profile within the baseball community and create alliances and partnerships with entities ranging from the baseball media and suppliers of products to the baseball industry, to MLB and its teams. These alliances will help raise SABR’s profile and attract new members and revenue sources to replenish our resources and allow us to produce even more great research. From the early discussions we have had with the Hall of Fame, media companies, and baseball organizations; we believe these alliances can help grow SABR, while maintaining our all-important independence as a non-profit institution, consistent with our Founders’ vision.
Phoenix has become a year-round “baseball capital” with strong connections to the baseball community. The Phoenix area is home to 15 Spring Training teams, the Arizona Fall League and SABR’s AFL Conference, Major League Baseball’s Western Operations office, the Arizona Diamondbacks, numerous annual baseball conferences, a major Senior League Baseball Tournament held each fall, top college and high school baseball programs, and a strong SABR chapter. In nearby Mesa, the new Cactus League Museum is scheduled to open in 2013, and SABR is currently in discussions to be part of the museum.
Given SABR’s long history as a Cleveland-based organization, we went through a months-long process to determine if a move would benefit the Society, as well as to determine the best alternatives. While we considered many locations, the two most favorable alternatives to Cleveland were New York and Phoenix. New York would be an excellent choice, and we will have an ongoing presence there, but it proved to be too expensive for an office. Phoenix is approximately the same cost as Cleveland, and as mentioned above, it offers a much stronger connection to the baseball world. In Phoenix, SABR will have the opportunity to be a major player in the baseball world year-round.
As we sort through transition plans in the upcoming weeks we will provide more details. We want to assure everyone that we will be working very hard to minimize any disruption in membership services during this transition period. And in the future, we’re looking forward to having SABR members visit us during spring training and throughout the year at our new home in Phoenix.
In addition to receiving further details on the move to Phoenix, including our timing and new office location, you will soon be receiving some exciting information about a partnership we have forged between SABR and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and benefits that will accrue to our members.
As we approach our exciting SABR Day on January 29th, where more than 30 chapters have plans to host 1,000 attendees, we will be in touch with more news about where SABR is headed.
Originally published: January 12, 2011. Last Updated: January 12, 2011.