Safeway extends sponsorship of Golden Baseball League

Safeway Inc. has extended its sponsorship of the Golden Baseball League in a deal that will provide about $2 million to the independent baseball league over the next two years.

Safeway was among the biggest sponsors of the Golden Baseball League when it began play in 2005. With headquarters in Dublin, the league operates minor league teams in California, Nevada, Utah and Canada.

"This has been a successful partnership for us." said Mike Minasi, president of marketing for Pleasanton-based Safeway (NYSE: SWY). "Minor league baseball has deep roots in the community and delivers affordable family entertainment. We see this as a way to extend our support of local initiatives."

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As part of its extended deal, for example, Safeway is starting a new program to help support Little League teams in cities with Golden Baseball teams.

The 2008 Golden Baseball season begins May 22 with nine teams. Most players have playing experience in college and some have been with Major League Baseball teams. Notable former big league players include Rickey Henderson and Jose Canseco.

More than a dozen investors, many of them from the Bay Area, shelled out a combined $5 million to get the league running. The list of financiers includes venture capitalist Tim Draper of Menlo Park's Draper Fisher Jurvetson and TV personality Pat Sajak of Wheel of Fortune fame.

When play began in 2005, the league operated all its teams. That model was designed to lower the cost of common expenses and allow profits from some teams to prop up losses from other teams.

Since then the league has sold some franchises to raise money and allow the league to expand into new cities.

Despite having its headquarters and most of its investors in the Bay Area, the league has never had a team in the region. The league has been in discussions with Ohlone College in Newark about the possibility of refurbishing its baseball field so that it could host a team. If that deal is successful, a team could be playing in Newark in 2010, said Dave Kaval, the league's CEO.